Inositol Shows Promising Results for Women with PCOS
Living with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) can be frustrating and confusing. I know this from personal experience. I was diagnosed via ultrasound several years ago after struggling for many years with symptoms that many doctors had mixed explanations for. There is a lack of research dedicated to understanding the causes and treatments of PCOS. The estimated 5% to 10% of women of reproductive age living with this disorder are usually started on Metformin and left with many confusing options about what to eat and what to do. There are many supplements, diets, and exercise routines that claim to reduce the negative effects of this disorder. Today I will focus on two supplements (Myo-Inositol and D-Chiro-Inositol) that show promise in addressing some of the negative effects that PCOS can have on women.
What is PCOS?
Before jumping into the use of these supplements, it is important to understand the condition they show promise in treating.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a disorder effecting the hormones, metabolism, and reproductive system in women of child-bearing age.
Symptoms include missed or irregular periods, weight gain, acne, baldness or thinning of the hair on the head, infertility, skin tags, cystic or enlarged ovaries, dark skin patches and excessive hair on the back, face, chest and stomach.
PCOS can also lead to many health problems including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, metabolic syndrome, endometrial cancer, depression, and anxiety.
Most women with PCOS, including myself, have family members who also have the disorder. This leads researchers to believe that it may be genetically linked. However, researchers have not been able to determine the exact cause of PCOS.
What is Inositol?
The pseudovitamin, Inositol, is a sugar that is produced by the body and also found in many foods. It has nine stereoisomers, including Myo-Inositol and D-Chiro-Inositol, which have been the focus of study in PCOS. These two stereoisomers are involved in insulin regulation by acting as secondary messengers and increasing tissue sensitivity to insulin. Normally Myo-Inositol is converted to D-Chiro-inositol to maintain a 40:1 ratio. It is believed that women with PCOS have an imbalance in these stereoisomers which can lead to insulin resistance and other complications.
What do the Studies Show?
With promising results from several studies, it is reasonable to suggest that supplementing Myo-Inositol and D-Chiro-Inositol in a 40:1 ratio may benefit women with PCOS in many ways. This includes increasing insulin sensitivity, lowering LH and free testosterone levels, and restoring ovulation.
What Should I Know Before Starting these Supplements?
Studies showing the most promising results used a dosing ratio of 40:1 (Myo-Inositol: D-Chiro-Inositol) which mimics our body’s natural ratio of these two stereoisomers. Knowing this will be important when selecting the right product.
There are no current long-term studies on the use of these supplements and there is little safety data available. Since these supplements may result in lower blood glucose levels, they may cause hypoglycemia in those taking additional blood glucose lowering agents.
These supplements are generally well tolerated. The most common side effects are nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Even with the possibility of these GI side effects, they are less severe than reported with Metformin which is a commonly prescribed drug in women with PCOS.
You should always speak with your healthcare provider before starting any new medication or supplement.
Resources:
Benelli, E., Del Ghianda, S., Di Cosmo, C., & Tonacchera, M. (2016). A Combined Therapy with Myo-Inositol and D-Chiro-Inositol Improves Endocrine Parameters and Insulin Resistance in PCOS Young Overweight Women. International Journal of Endocrinology, 2016, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/3204083
Dinicola, S., Chiu, T. T., Unfer, V., Carlomagno, G., & Bizzarri, M. (2014). The rationale of the myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol combined treatment for polycystic ovary syndrome. The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 54(10), 1079–1092. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcph.362
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2020, October 3). Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pcos/symptoms-causes/syc-20353439.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos.
U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Inositol. National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Database. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Inositol.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). What causes PCOS? Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/pcos/conditioninfo/causes.
