The effect of swimming training, Gallic acid and high-fat diet on the serum levels of sex hormones in rats with polycystic ovary syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by hormonal-metabolic disorders, obesity, oxidative stress and ovulatory dysfunction. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of four weeks of swimming training and Gallic acid (GA) administration on the serum level of sex hormones in rats with a polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) under the standard and high-fat diet. In this experimental study, 72 virgin female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the nine groups: Control, PCOS, PCOS+HF (high fat diet), PCOS+EX (swimming training), PCOS+EX+HF (swimming training and high fat dietary), PCOS+GA (GA treatment), PCOS+GA+HF (GA treatment with high fat diet), PCOS+EX+GA (GA treatment and swimming training), PCOS+EX+GA+HF (GA treatment and swimming training with a high-fat diet). PCOS was induced with 1mg/kg letrozole and GA (100mg/kg, 4weeks) was administrated orally for 28 days. Then, the serum levels of LH, FSH, β-estradiol, progesterone and testosterone were measured using the ELISA method. In the PCOS group, the progesterone level decreased and LH, FSH, β-estradiol and testosterone levels significantly increased compared to the control group (P<0.05). Treatment with GA or swimming training ameliorated the serum levels of these hormones. However, high fat diets reduced the ameliorative effect of GA and swimming training on the sex hormones in different groups. Gallic acid administration and swimming training can reduce dysregulation of sex hormones due to the PCOS in rats, but a high-fat diet increases PCOS pathogenesis.