Inositol is a vitamin-like substance. It is found in many plants and animals. It is also produced in the human body and can be made in a laboratory. Inositol can be found in many forms (called isomers). The most common forms are myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol.
Inositol represents a group of substances in nature. There are about 9 different stereoisomers. It is the most common form of myo-inositol and has the highest bioavailability. It is widely present in a variety of plant and animal tissues. Play an important role in cell membrane composition, cell signaling, neurometabolism, phospholipid production, and energy consumption
What is inositol?
Inositol is a substance with a structure similar to glucose. It is found in a variety of foods (especially whole grains and citrus fruits). It is classified as a type of vitamin, which means that deficiency will not have a serious impact on health, and sometimes it is Known as one of the B vitamins (this is often disputed)
What are the empirical (efficacy) benefits of inositol?
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Inositol beneficial to retinopathy of prematurity
Retinopathy of prematurity was called omental fibrosis in the 1940s. It is defined as a progressive disease that only occurs in preterm infants with a low birth weight. It is characterized by the formation of fibrous tissue behind the lens, leading to blindness and severe visual impairment.
Retinopathy of prematurity may be a window to understand the developmental status of premature babies after birth. It often occurs with other neonatal diseases, such as neurological dysfunction, brain dysplasia, necrotizing enterocolitis, ventricular hemorrhage, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and is related to other eye problems, including: increased risk of myopia and strabismus
＊Conclusion: Inositol supplementation is not helpful in preventing severe retinopathy of premature infants and may increase mortality
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Inositol and polycystic ovary syndrome
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) is a common hormonal disorder in women of reproductive age. The prevalence rate is about 7%. It is often associated with abnormal increase in androgen and abnormal gonadotropin secretion, as well as irregular menstruation and hirsutism. , Abnormal ovulation, hair loss and other symptoms. Note 1
In addition to symptoms related to the reproductive system, another important feature of polycystic ovary syndrome is the abnormal action of pancreatic β cells and insulin, which increases the incidence of type 2 diabetes.
＊Conclusion: Oral inositol may be positively helpful for polycystic ovary syndrome, but due to the high degree of heterogeneity among studies, more evidence is needed to confirm
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Inositol and gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes is mainly defined as pregnancy-related glucose tolerance events, which are prevalent about 2% to 5%. The main risk factors are family tendency, age, obesity, history of spontaneous abortion, polycystic ovary syndrome, and essential hypertension Wait. Note 3
The reason why the prevention of gestational diabetes is important is that high blood sugar during pregnancy is often associated with abnormal growth of the fetus, which not only increases the chances of giant fetal disease and birth defects, but also increases the risk of obesity and diabetes in the future
＊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 for verification
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Inositol and premenstrual discomfort
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (Premenstrual dysphoric disorder) is a more serious form of premenstrual syndrome. The main symptoms are depression, anxiety, mood swings, and decreased interest in activities, and it seriously affects the family, society, and professional fields. Note 5
Estimated based on prevalence and duration of symptoms, the illness burden caused by premenstrual discomfort is comparable to other common mental illnesses (such as depression or anxiety)
A randomized double-blind controlled study (for a period of 6 months, with 90 patients with premenstrual discomfort) pointed out that inositol can help improve irritability and depression symptoms related to premenstrual discomfort (with DSR, HAM-D and CGI- SI scale measurement). Note 6
＊Conclusion: Preliminary studies have found that oral inositol has a positive effect on premenstrual discomfort, but the results need to be further verified by more large studies
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Inositol and respiratory distress syndrome
Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (Respiratory distress syndrome) is mainly caused by insufficient pulmonary surfactants. These active substances are necessary to reduce the surface tension of the alveoli and maintain the stability of the alveoli. If lacking, it will lead to respiratory disorders and various complications. One of the main reasons for the increase in neonatal mortality, the incidence is between 6%-7%, especially premature babies born before 28 weeks.
＊Conclusion: The use of inositol can reduce the possible adverse complications of premature newborns, but it is limited by the small number of samples and still needs more research to verify
Are there any side effects of inositol?
Inositol is a relatively safe ingredient for most people, but side effects have been reported to include nausea, fatigue, headache, dizziness, diarrhea, flatulence, etc. Part of the reason is related to the use of high doses (12 g per day or even higher )
Safety precautions (use taboo)
Do not use during pregnancy, breastfeeding or poor liver and kidney function (because the relevant safety is unknown)