Inositol is a natural sugar-like substance produced by the body and also consumed through some types of food. Because it plays a vital role in several physiological functions, inositol deficiencies are known to contribute to certain conditions; however, inositol supplementation has also been shown to improve them with minimal side effects.
What Does Inositol Do for The Body?
Primarily produced from glucose in the kidneys and in smaller amounts in the liver and brain, inositol benefits the body in several ways.
It helps the body regulate blood sugar and utilize it more efficiently. This means inositol can improve insulin resistance, reduce high glucose levels, and lower elevated blood pressure. At the same time, it can help lower unhealthy fats known as triglycerides, support healthy cholesterol levels, and reduce abdominal obesity.
Inositol also aids in cell signaling, which is how insulin and neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin send messages between cells.
To support a healthy reproductive system, inositol is known to reduce excess androgen production and promote hormone balance, regular menstruation, ovulation, and egg quality.
Are There Different Types of Inositol?
There are nine types of inositol. Or more accurately, there are nine different arrangements, or stereoisomers, of the same molecule.
Each type of inositol is naturally produced in the body, but in varying amounts, with Myo-inositol being the most dominant and biologically important. Once myo-inositol (MI) is formed from glucose, enzymes and chemical reactions help convert a small percentage of it into D-chiro-inositol (DCI) and the other seven stereoisomers.
Which Inositol is the Best to Take as A Supplement?
The best type of inositol taken as a supplement depends on the condition requiring treatment. For instance, to ease PCOS symptoms, medical research shows that mimicking the body’s natural production of MI and DCI at a ratio of 40:1 is most beneficial.
To treat metabolic syndrome or insulin resistance, without PCOS, hormone specialists may prescribe only DCI. That being said, PCOS, metabolic disorders, and depression often intertwine, and in these cases, an MI:DCI ratio of 40:1 is recommended.
Does Inositol Have Side Effects?
When consumed orally, inositol may cause mild side effects like gas, diarrhea, or nausea in some people, but not all. In fact, each person typically consumes an average of 1 gram (1000mg) of inositol every day through their diet in the form of beans, fruits, grains, nuts, and vegetables with no adverse side effects.
Although research has revealed that humans can consume as many as 18 grams of inositol per day with little side effects, effective supplements provide an average of 2 grams (2000 mg) of MI and 0.05 grams (50 mg) of DCI.
How is Inositol Helpful for PCOS?
Polycystic ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormone-driven condition that causes the ovaries to underproduce estrogen and progesterone and overproduce testosterone (also known as an androgen). This imbalance of the sex hormones can cause cysts to grow on the ovaries, lower egg production, contribute to irregular menstruation, and decrease PCOS patients’ ability to conceive.
Metabolic issues such as insulin resistance, weight gain, obesity, diabetes, and excess perspiration can also occur with PCOS, and increase the risk of heart disease, depression, and diabetes. Other symptoms, due to high androgen levels, can include acne, excess facial or body hair, and balding.
Even though no cure exists for PCOS, extensive research has shown that MI and DCI support the female reproductive system in several ways. Coincidentally, the production of MI and the conversion of MI into DCI are often disrupted in PCOS patients. Therefore, a 40:1 ratio of MI and DCI, which mimics the body’s natural ratio of MI and DCI production, can help restore hormone balance and improve ovarian function.
Myo-inositol, for example, promotes healthy hormone signaling and supports egg development in the ovaries, while D-chiro-inositol helps regulate insulin sensitivity. Improved insulin sensitivity can lower androgen production, thereby rebalancing the sex hormones and regulating menstrual cycles.
Rebalancing androgen production also reduces facial hair growth, balding, excess perspiration, and acne linked to PCOS.
By improving insulin sensitivity and supporting healthy hormone signaling with a 40:1 MI and DCI supplementation, the balanced production of hormones like GnRH, LH, and FSH is also restored. In turn, egg quality improves, as well as egg maturation and their release from the ovaries, thereby raising the possibility of successful fertilization.
What are the Best Inositol Supplements for PCOS?
Our top recommendation for a Myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol supplement to manage PCOS is from pelvic health experts, Intimate Rose. With 2000 mg of MI and 50 mg of DCI, it provides the perfect 40:1 ratio required to reap the benefits of inositol supplementation for hormone balance and ovarian support. It also contains Ashwagandha and Vitamin D for extra support with PCOS symptoms.
Ashwagandha can help ease the stress of managing irregular menstruation and fertility challenges by regulating cortisol levels. It can also reduce inflammation, improve sleep, and promote ovulation. Vitamin D, which is often deficient in patients with PCOS, helps support endocrine health and hormone balance.
Based on the exemplary feedback from Intimate Rose customers, we have been recommending their inositol supplement to our clients for years, and the improvement in their PCOS symptoms has been life-changing.
PCOS can be a debilitating condition for many women, and because it’s notoriously difficult to diagnose, most suffer in silence with no hope of relief. If this sounds like you, we can’t encourage you enough to consult with your healthcare provider about taking this supplement. It’s safe, natural, effective, and made in the USA.
How Does Inositol Help Ease Metabolic Syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome is a collection of medical conditions that occur together and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and stroke. It is diagnosed when three of the following five health issues are present: elevated blood pressure, high blood sugar (often due to insulin resistance), abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, and low HDL cholesterol (also known as ‘good’ cholesterol).
Women diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, without PCOS, are often treated with MI alone to improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood pressure and triglycerides. This is because their body’s ability to convert MI to DCI is not compromised. However, for women with PCOS and metabolic disorders, a ratio of 40:1 is recommended for additional reproductive benefits.
Can Inositol Help Prevent Gestational Diabetes?
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) can arise in expectant mothers due to the impact that pregnancy hormones can have on insulin sensitivity. If insulin resistance and high blood sugar occur during pregnancy, symptoms can include extreme thirst, fatigue, dry mouth, increased urination, and blurred vision.
If GDM is not treated during pregnancy, babies may be born with low blood sugar and high birth weight.
Inositol, specifically MI, has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity during pregnancy, reduce inflammation linked to insulin resistance, and regulate blood sugar. MI is often taken with folic acid during pregnancy to treat or prevent GDM, but DCI is rarely recommended.
How Does Inositol Help Relieve Depression?
To manage low moods or mild depression, research has focused mainly on MI supplementation. This is because it’s the main form of inositol upon which neurons and neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine rely to control mood, anxiety, or depression.
Although studies into MI for depression are promising, additional research is needed to guarantee the benefits of inositol for mental health.
Conclusion
As an important component of our physiological wellness, inositol deficiencies can contribute to several conditions, such as PCOS, metabolic disorders, depression, and gestational diabetes. Supplementing inositol, however, is easy, risk-free, beneficial, and comes with minimal side effects (gas, diarrhea, or mild nausea) for a small percentage of people, but not all.
A combination of myo-inositol and d-chiro-inositol with a ratio of 40:1 has proven highly effective in reducing the symptoms of PCOS, reducing androgen production, restoring hormone balance, lowering insulin sensitivity, and improving ovarian function.
When treating metabolic syndrome or depression, myo-inositol is used, but rarely both, unless PCOS is also diagnosed. To manage gestational diabetes during pregnancy, myo-inositol is recommended in addition to folic acid.
References
Science Direct – Inositol - https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/inositol
National Institutes of Health - Myo-inositol for insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome and gestational diabetes - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8896029/
National Institutes of Health - Inositols and metabolic disorders: From farm to bedside - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7340869/
National Institutes of Health - Inositol Supplementation in the Prevention of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6823013/
National Institutes of Health -Neurobiology and Applications of Inositol in Psychiatry: A Narrative Review - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9955821/