Research-Backed for PCOS

Scientific References

ReGene is built on the emerging science connecting gut health, hormones, and metabolic balance in women with PCOS. Below is a curated selection of the peer-reviewed studies behind our approach — from the gut microbiome's role in PCOS symptoms to the clinical evidence for probiotic and prebiotic supplementation.

01

The PCOS–gut microbiome connection

PCOS affects roughly 1 in 10 women of reproductive age. A consistent finding across recent studies is that women with PCOS share distinct alterations in their gut microbiome — a state called dysbiosis — increasingly recognized as a driver of the insulin resistance, hormonal disruption, and weight gain that define the condition.

  1. 1.1

    Gut microbiota: a hidden player in polycystic ovary syndrome

    Singh R, et al. — Journal of Translational Medicine, 2025.

    Read study
  2. 1.2

    Androgen-induced gut dysbiosis disrupts glucolipid metabolism and endocrinal functions in polycystic ovary syndrome

    Liang Y, et al. — Microbiome, 2021;9(1):101.

    Read study
  3. 1.3

    Gut microbiota dysbiosis in polycystic ovary syndrome: Mechanisms of progression and clinical applications

    He FF, Li YM. — Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 2023.

    Read study
  4. 1.4

    Intersection of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and the Gut Microbiome

    Thackray VG. — Journal of the Endocrine Society, 2021;5(2).

    Read study
02

Probiotics, insulin resistance & hormonal balance in PCOS

Multiple randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses have now investigated probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic supplementation in women with PCOS — with consistent improvements reported across insulin sensitivity, fasting glucose, body weight, and hormonal markers.

  1. 2.1

    Effectiveness of Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Synbiotics in Managing Insulin Resistance and Hormonal Imbalance in Women with PCOS: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials

    Martinez Guevara D, et al. — Nutrients, 2024;16(22):3916.

    Read study
  2. 2.2

    The Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Clinical Symptom, Weight Loss, Glycemic Control, Lipid and Hormonal Profiles, Biomarkers of Inflammation, and Oxidative Stress in Women with PCOS: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of RCTs

    Tabrizi R, et al. — Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins, 2022;14(1):1–14.

    Read study
  3. 2.3

    The effects of pro-, pre-, and synbiotics supplementation on polycystic ovary syndrome: an umbrella review of meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials

    Calcaterra V, et al. — Frontiers in Nutrition, 2023.

    Read study
  4. 2.4

    Probiotics supplementation for management of type II diabetes risk factors in adults with polycystic ovarian syndrome: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

    Li Y, et al. — Food Science and Human Wellness, 2022.

    Read study
03

The gut–weight connection

Beyond PCOS specifically, a growing body of research has established that the trillions of microbes living in your gut play a direct role in how your body stores fat, regulates blood sugar, and manages weight.

  1. 3.1

    Exploring the Gut Microbiota: Key Insights Into Its Role in Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, and Type 2 Diabetes

    Castaner O, et al. — The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2024.

    Read study
  2. 3.2

    Microbiota and Evolution of Obesity

    Liu BN, et al. — Endocrine Reviews, 2024.

    Read study
  3. 3.3

    Linking Gut Microbiota and Inflammation to Obesity and Insulin Resistance

    Saad MJA, Santos A, Prada PO. — Physiology, 2016;31(4):283–293.

    Read study
04

Probiotic strains and body composition

Specific probiotic strains have been shown in human trials to reduce visceral fat, waist circumference, and body weight — particularly strains of Lactobacillus gasseri and Lactobacillus rhamnosus.

  1. 4.1

    Regulation of abdominal adiposity by probiotics (Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055) in adults with obese tendencies in a randomized controlled trial

    Kadooka Y, et al. — European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2010;64(6):636–643.

    Read study
  2. 4.2

    Lactobacillus gasseri BNR17 Supplementation Reduces the Visceral Fat Accumulation and Waist Circumference in Obese Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

    Kim J, et al. — Journal of Medicinal Food, 2018;21(5):454–461.

    Read study
  3. 4.3

    Effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus CGMCC1.3724 supplementation on weight loss and maintenance in obese men and women

    Sanchez M, et al. — British Journal of Nutrition, 2014;111(8):1507–1519.

    Read study
  4. 4.4

    Probiotics for weight loss: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    Park S, Bae JH. — Nutrition Research, 2015;35(7):566–575.

    Read study
05

Akkermansia muciniphila — a next-generation probiotic

Akkermansia muciniphila is one of the most studied bacteria of the last decade. It strengthens the gut barrier and has been linked in human trials to improvements in insulin sensitivity, fat mass reduction, and long-term weight maintenance — all directly relevant to women managing PCOS.

  1. 5.1

    Supplementation with Akkermansia muciniphila in overweight and obese human volunteers: a proof-of-concept exploratory study

    Depommier C, et al. — Nature Medicine, 2019;25(7):1096–1103.

    Read study
  2. 5.2

    Akkermansia muciniphila and improved metabolic health during a dietary intervention in obesity: relationship with gut microbiome richness and ecology

    Dao MC, et al. — Gut, 2016;65(3):426–436.

    Read study
  3. 5.3

    Akkermansia muciniphila supplementation in patients with overweight/obese type 2 diabetes: Efficacy depends on its baseline levels in the gut

    Zhang L, et al. — Cell Metabolism, 2025.

    Read study
  4. 5.4

    Pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila MucT for weight loss maintenance in people with overweight and obesity: a controlled randomized trial

    Depommier C, et al. — Nature Medicine, 2026.

    Read study
06

The gut–GLP-1 axis

When gut bacteria ferment fiber, they produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that trigger the release of GLP-1 — the same satiety hormone targeted by modern weight-loss medications. For PCOS women looking for natural support, the gut is essentially an endogenous GLP-1 factory.

  1. 6.1

    Crosstalk between glucagon-like peptide 1 and gut microbiota in metabolic diseases

    Zhao L, et al. — mBio, 2023;14(6).

    Read study
  2. 6.2

    GLP-1 agonists and the gut microbiome: A bidirectional relationship

    Kamath A, et al. — British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 2026.

    Read study
  3. 6.3

    Rebalancing the Gut: Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Agonists as a Strategy for Obesity and Metabolic Health

    Iatcu CO, Steen A, Covasa M. — Nutrients, 2024.

    Read study
07

Prebiotic fibers and satiety

Prebiotic fibers like inulin feed beneficial gut bacteria, which in turn produce SCFAs that promote satiety, improve fat oxidation, and support healthy glucose metabolism.

  1. 7.1

    The Prebiotic Potential of Inulin-Type Fructans: A Systematic Review

    Hughes RL, et al. — Advances in Nutrition, 2022;13(2):492–529.

    Read study
  2. 7.2

    The prebiotic inulin improves substrate metabolism and promotes short-chain fatty acid production in overweight to obese men

    Rahat-Rozenbloom S, et al. — Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental, 2018.

    Read study
  3. 7.3

    Chronic consumption of a blend of inulin and arabinoxylan reduces energy intake in an ad libitum meal but does not influence perceptions of appetite and satiety

    Hartstra AV, et al. — European Journal of Nutrition, 2023.

    Read study
08

Gut inflammation & insulin resistance

An imbalanced gut microbiome can trigger low-grade chronic inflammation, which impairs insulin signaling and promotes fat storage — a vicious cycle particularly relevant in PCOS, where insulin resistance is a central feature.

  1. 8.1

    Gut Microbiota as a Trigger for Metabolic Inflammation in Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes

    Scheithauer TPM, et al. — Frontiers in Immunology, 2020.

    Read study
  2. 8.2

    Impact of Gut Microbiome Interventions on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in Metabolic Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 41 RCTs

    Wang J, et al. — Nutrients, 2024.

    Read study
  3. 8.3

    Gut microbiota-derived metabolites in obesity: a systematic review

    Aoun A, et al. — Bioscience of Microbiota, Food and Health, 2020.

    Read study
09

Probiotics for digestive comfort

Beyond hormones and metabolism, specific probiotic strains have been clinically validated to reduce bloating, abdominal discomfort, and irregular bowel habits — restoring the everyday comfort that a healthy gut should provide.

  1. 9.1

    An 8-Week Course of Bifidobacterium longum 35624® Is Associated with a Reduction in the Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

    Sabaté JM, Iglicki F. — Beneficial Microbes, 2024.

    Read study
  2. 9.2

    Heat-inactivated Bifidobacterium bifidum MIMBb75 (SYN-HI-001) in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

    Andresen V, et al. — The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 2020;5(7):658–666.

    Read study
  3. 9.3

    Targeted probiotic therapy in irritable bowel syndrome: a clinical evaluation on Clostridium butyricum CBM588 and Bifidobacterium longum W11

    Pasta A, et al. — Frontiers in Medicine, 2025.

    Read study
A note on the science. The studies referenced above represent peer-reviewed research on the broader fields of PCOS, gut health, probiotics, prebiotics, and metabolic function. While they form the scientific foundation of our approach, they do not constitute clinical evidence for ReGene products specifically. Individual results may vary. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. ReGene products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.