Curcumin (turmeric) & Polycystic ovary syndrome

Written based on 26 research studies on PubMed, searched on 2026. nov. 14..

The claim

Posts online say that curcumin (turmeric) helps with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Where research stands

We found 43 published papers on curcumin (turmeric) and polycystic ovary syndrome. They were published between 2017 and 2026. 9 of them are studies in people. 8 of them compared people who got it with a group that did not. 14 were studies in animals, and 1 was only in cells in the lab. 15 papers are reviews that sum up other studies. 1 paper was retracted.

• 9In people8 with a comparison group
• 14In animals
• 1Only in the lab

What the studies found

We have not summed up these studies in words yet. The most important papers are listed under Sources.

Verdict

Sources

1. Effects of metformin and curcumin in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A factorial clinical trial.2024 · Phytomedicine · Randomised trial
2. Effect of dietary approaches to stop hypertension, and standard diets with and without curcumin on interleukin-1 alpha, 5-alpha reductase gene expressions, and androgenic and glycemic profile in polycystic ovary syndrome women undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment: A study protocol.2023 · Int J Reprod Biomed · Randomised trial
3. The effect of Curcumin on metabolic parameters and androgen level in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.2023 · BMC Endocr Disord · Randomised trial
4. Therapeutic Effect of Curcumin in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Receiving Metformin: A Randomized Controlled Trial.2021 · Adv Exp Med Biol · Randomised trial
5. Effects of curcumin supplementation on blood glucose, insulin resistance and androgens in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial.2021 · Phytomedicine · Randomised trial
6. Effects of curcumin on body weight, glycemic control and serum lipids in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.2020 · Clin Nutr ESPEN · Randomised trial
7. The effects of curcumin supplementation on oxidative stress, Sirtuin-1 and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ coactivator 1α gene expression in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) patients: A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial.2020 · Diabetes Metab Syndr · Randomised trial
8. The effects of curcumin supplementation on glycemic status, lipid profile and hs-CRP levels in overweight/obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.2019 · Complement Ther Med · Randomised trial
9. Effect of dietary approaches to stop hypertension and curcumin co-administration on glycemic parameters in polycystic ovary syndrome: An RCT.2024 · Int J Reprod Biomed · Study in people
10. From bench to bedside: unlocking the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer promise of curcumin in gynecology.2026 · Front Med (Lausanne) · Review
11. Clinical Potential of Curcuma longa Linn. as Nutraceutical/Dietary Supplement for Metabolic Syndrome: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.2025 · Foods · Review
12. Curcumin and its formulations for the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome: current insights and future prospects.2025 · J Ovarian Res · Review
13. Impacts of Curcumin Supplementation on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Patients With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis.2025 · Health Sci Rep · Review
14. Effect of curcumin on lipid mediators, glycemic index, and oxidative stress and inflammation biomarkers in polycystic ovary syndrome: Future directions and current knowledge - A systematic review.2025 · Prostaglandins Other Lipid Mediat · Review
15. Beneficial Effects of Curcumin in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Review of Recent Literature and Underlying Mechanisms.2025 · Curr Med Chem · Review
16. Synergistic therapeutic effects of metformin and curcumin on polycystic ovary syndrome via regulation of insulin resistance and oxidative stress in a rat model.2026 · Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) · In animals
17. Synergistic Effect and Mechanism of Combined Astaxanthin and Curcumin Administration on Ovarian Function in PCOS Mice.2024 · Food Sci Nutr · In animals
18. The therapeutic effects of curcumin on polycystic ovary syndrome by upregulating PPAR-γ expression and reducing oxidative stress in a rat model.2024 · Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) · In animals
19. Curcumin mitigates polycystic ovary syndrome in mice by suppressing TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway activation and reducing intestinal mucosal permeability.2024 · Sci Rep · In animals
20. Curcumin Alleviates Hyperandrogenism and Promotes Follicular Proliferation in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Rats: Insights on IRS1/PI3K/GLUT4 and PTEN Modulations.2022 · Chin J Integr Med · In animals
21. Curcumin Inhibits Hyperandrogen-Induced IRE1α-XBP1 Pathway Activation by Activating the PI3K/AKT Signaling in Ovarian Granulosa Cells of PCOS Model Rats.2022 · Oxid Med Cell Longev · In animals
22. Unravelling the synergy of curcumin and quercetin in the adipogenesis pathway: highlighting molecular dynamics and epigenetic reversibility.2026 · J Biomol Struct Dyn · In the lab
23. Polysaccharide-fecal microbiota-based colon-targeted self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system of curcumin for treating polycystic ovarian syndrome.2024 · Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol · RetractedRetracted
24. Retraction Note: Polysaccharide-fecal microbiota-based colon-targeted self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system of curcumin for treating polycystic ovarian syndrome.2025 · Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol · Other paper
25. Curcumin and Teupolioside attenuate signs and symptoms severity associated to hirsutism in PCOS women: a preliminary pilot study.2022 · Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci · Other paper
26. Combination therapy of curcumin and fecal microbiota transplant: Potential treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome.2021 · Med Hypotheses · Other paper