Inositol represents a group of substances in nature. There are about 9 different stereoisomers. Myo-inositol is the most common form and has the highest bioavailability. It is widely found in various plant and animal tissues. It play an important role in cell membrane composition, cell signaling, nerve metabolism, phospholipid production, and energy consumption.
Do you know inositol benefits and side effects?
Table of Contents
- What is inositol?
- What are the benefits of the inositol recommended?
- Are there any side effects of inositol?
- Where to buy the most recommended inositol health products?
What is inositol?
Inositol is a substance with a structure similar to glucose. It exists in many foods (especially the most whole grains and citrus fruits). It is classified as a type of vitamin. It means that the lack of it will not have a serious impact on health. Sometimes it is also called one of the vitamin B complex (this is often controversial).
What are the benefits of the inositol recommended?
1. Inositol and polycystic ovary syndrome
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common hormonal abnormality in women of reproductive age, with a prevalence rate of about 7%. It is often associated with an abnormal increase in androgens and gonadotropin secretion, and irregular menstruation, hirsutism, ovulation abnormality, hair, and other symptoms.
In addition to the symptoms related to the reproductive system, another important feature of polycystic ovary syndrome is the abnormal function of islet β cells and insulin, which increases the incidence of type 2 diabetes.
A systematic literature analysis (meta-analysis, including 9 randomized controlled trials, nearly 500 participants) pointed out that the use of inositol (whether in the form of Myo-inositol or d-chiro-inositol) can help improve metabolic indicators (such as stable Mode assessment and fasting blood insulin), and increase sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), reduce androgen excess.
*Conclusion: Oral inositol may have a positive effect on polycystic ovary syndrome, but due to the high heterogeneity between studies, more empirical evidence is needed.
2. Inositol and gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes is mainly defined as glucose-tolerant adverse events related to pregnancy, prevalent in about 2% to 5%, the main risk factors are family tendency, age, obesity, history of spontaneous abortion, polycystic ovary syndrome, and essential hypertension Wait.
The prevention of gestational diabetes is important because high blood sugar during pregnancy is often associated with abnormal growth of the fetus, which not only increases the probability of giant fetal disease and birth defects but also has a higher risk of obesity and diabetes in the future.
A Meta-Analysis (including 5 studies, 513 participants) pointed out that myo-inositol supplementation can reduce the chance of pregnant women developing gestational diabetes and reduce related pregnancy adverse events, such as respiratory distress synthesis Sign, shoulder dystocia, neonatal hypoglycemia, huge fetus, polyhydramnios, premature delivery (but some items are not statistically significant).
*Conclusion: Oral inositol can reduce the incidence of gestational diabetes and related complications, but limited by the number of studies, more large-scale experiments are still needed to verify.
3. Inositol and Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
Premenstrual discomfort is a more serious form of premenstrual syndrome. The main symptoms are depression, anxiety, mood swings, and decreased interest in activities. It also seriously affects the family, society, and career fields.
Based on the prevalence and duration of symptoms, the burden of illness caused by premenstrual discomfort is already comparable to other common mental illnesses (such as depression or anxiety).
A randomized double-blind controlled study (6 months, 90 subjects with premenstrual discomfort) pointed out that inositol can help improve the symptoms of irritability and depression related to premenstrual discomfort (using DSR, HAM-D, and CGI- SI scale).
*Conclusion: Preliminary studies have found that oral inositol has a positive effect on premenstrual discomfort, but the results still need to be verified by more large studies.
4. Inositol and Respiratory distress syndrome
Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome is mainly caused by the lack of pulmonary surfactant. These active substances are necessary to reduce the surface tension of the alveoli and maintain the stability of the alveoli. If the lack of it will cause respiratory disorders and various complications, it will cause an increase in neonatal mortality. One of the main reasons is that the incidence is between 6% and 7%, especially premature babies born 28 weeks ago.
A meta-analysis of literature (including 4 randomized controlled trials) pointed out that inositol can reduce the adverse results caused by respiratory distress syndrome in preterm neonates (such as neonatal or infant mortality, and intraventricular Bleeding score greater than 2, premature infant retinopathy score greater than 3).
*Conclusion: The use of inositol can reduce the adverse complications that may occur in preterm neonates, but it is limited to a small number of samples, and more studies are still needed to verify
Are there any side effects of inositol?
Inositol is a relatively safe ingredient for most people, but side effects have been reported including, nausea, fatigue, headache, dizziness, diarrhea, flatulence, etc. Part of the reason is related to the use of high doses (12 g or more per day ).
Safety Precautions
Do not use during pregnancy, breastfeeding or poor liver and kidney function (because the relevant safety is unknown).
Where to buy the most recommended inositol health products?
In recent years, food safety problems in various countries have exploded, and it is not healthy but black-hearted products that everyone spends on. Therefore, European and American products with relatively strict quality control have become popular products.
And iHerb.com is a large-scale medical cosmetics e-commerce company in the United States. It has a high satisfaction rate of 97% in the evaluation of Google customers. It provides global home delivery so that you can buy it without risking buying fakes through purchasing high-quality health products.
