Common Name: Inositol
Synonyms: myo-inositol

Overview:

A simple sugar, inositol is an important component of all cell membranes. Originally inositol was thought to be essential for human health and was classified with the B vitamins as B8. Further research has shown that unlike the vitamins, inositol is not an essential nutrient (the body can manufacture its own inositol). It is, however, an integral component of all cell membranes, acting as a messenger by helping the cells of the body communicate with each other. This is a process called cell signaling. Inositol combined with choline is responsible the ability of the liver to breakdown fats and cholesterol in the liver and arteries. It is also required to maintain the functioning of several neurotransmitters.

Benefits

Inositol has been studied extensively and research has found it to be extremely important in maintaining both physical and mental health. Its use as a supplement has been used:

1. In the treatment of liver problems as well as lowering blood cholesterol.
2. To treat depression. It has been found that inositol levels in the cerebral spinal fluid of people suffering from depression are significantly lower than those who don’t. In a double blind study, 28 depressed patients received either 12gms of myo-inositol daily or a placebo of 4 weeks. A significant improvement was seen in the patients that received the inositol as opposed to those who did not.
3. In the treatment of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). Where it has proven as effective as medication without the side effects. In a small double blind study of 13 people with OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) received 18gm of inositol or placebo for 6 weeks. The test subjects who took the inositol showed improvement.
4. To treat panic attacks. In a study of 21 patients with panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia, were given 12gms of myo-inositol per day or a placebo for 4 weeks. Those who received the supplement saw a decline in the frequency and severity of panic attacks and agoraphobia. There was no significant improvement in those who received the placebo.
5. To help improve nerve conduction speed in diabetics with peripheral neuropathy.
6. In the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome in premature infants. Recent studies in premature infants have shown that inositol supplementation resulted in a significantly reduction of death, breathing disorders, retinopathy, and intravascular hemorrhage without increasing the rate of infection.
7. To treat the side effects, especially psoriasis, that often accompanies lithium therapy.

Dietary Sources

Inositol is found in:

	Beans		Nuts
	Citrus		Rice
Wheat Germ

Recommended Dosage:

Inositol comes in:

Capsules ---500mg

Tablets -------324mg

500mg

650mg

12-18gms of inositol per day or a combination of 800-1200mg of inositol hexaphosphate and 200-300mg of inositol for the treatment of neurological disorders .

Contra-indications

As inositol may increase the risk of hypomanic or manic symptoms in those with bipolar disorder, these people should only use inositol supplements under medical supervision.

As inositol has been shown to stimulate uterine contractions women who are pregnant should avoid taking this supplement while those who are breastfeeding should consult a health care provider. As no studies have been done in children, they should not use this supplement.

Inositol supplements are usually well tolerated and side effects are rare. These effects are gastrointestinal such as nausea, vomiting or diarrhea and are

Drug interactions

Inositol may have an additive effects with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Peple on these medications should consult a healthcare practioner before starting inositol supplementation.

Web References

1. http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/myo_0145.shtml
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inositol
3. http://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetContent.aspx?token=e0498803-7f62-4563-8d47-5fe33da65dd4&chunkiid=21766

Printed Reference Material

1. Barak Y, Levine J, Glassman A, et al. Inositol treatment of Alzheimer's disease: a double blind, cross-over placebo controlled trial. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 1996; 20:729-735.
2. Benjamin J, Agam G, Levine J, et al. Inositol treatment in psychiatry. Psychopharmacol Bull. 1995;31:167–175.
3. Benjamin J, Levine J, Fox M, et al. Double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of inositol treatment for panic disorder. Am J Psychiatry. 1995; 152:1084-1086.
4. Benjamin J, Levine J, Fux M, et al. Double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of inositol treatment for panic disorder. Am J Psychiatry. 1995;152:1084–1086.

5. Bersudsky Y, Einat H, Stahl Z, and Belmaker RH. 1999. Epi-Inositol and Inositol Depletion: Two New Treatment Approaches in Affective Disorder. Curr Psychiatry Rep 1999 Dec; 1(2): 141-147.
6. Cohen RA, MacGregory LC, Spokes KC, et al. Effect of myo-inositol on renal Na-K-ATPase in experimental diabetes. Metabol. 1990; 39:1026-1032.
7. Colodny L, Hoffman RL. Inositol-clinical applications for exogenous use. Altern Med Rev. 1998; 3:432-447.
8. Colodny, L. and R. L. Hoffman 1998. Inositol ­ Clinical Applications for Exogenous Use. Altern Med Rev 1998; 3(6): 432-447.
9. Downes CP. The cellular functions of myo-inositol. Biochem Soc Trans. 1989; 17:259-268.
10. Einat H, Belmaker RH, Kopilov M, et al. Rat brain monomines after acute and chronic myo-inositol treatment. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 1999; 10:27-30.
11. Einat H, Belmaker RH, Zangen A, Overstreet DH, Yadid G. 2002. Chronic inositol treatment reduces depression-like immobility of Flinders Sensitive Line rats in the forced swim test. Depress Anxiety 2002; 15(3): 148-151.
12. Einat H, Karbovski H, Korik J, et al. Inositol reduces depressive-like behaviors in two different models of depression. Psychopharmacology. 1999; 144:158-162.
13. Fox M, Levine J, Aviv A, Belmaker RH. Inositol treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Am J Psychiat. 1996; 153:1219-1221.
14. Gill DL, Ghosh TK, Mullaney JM. Calcium signaling mechanisms in endoplasmic reticulum activated by inositol 1,4,5 triphosphate and GTP. Cell Calcium 1989; 10: 363-374.
15. Holub BJ. Metabolism and function of myo-inositol and inositol phospholipids. Annu Rev Nutr. 1986; 6:563-597.
16. Howlett A, Ohlsson A. 2000. Inositol for respiratory distress syndrome in preterm infants. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2000; (4): CD000366.
17. Levine J, Barak Y, Kofman O, et al. Follow-up and relapse analysis of an inositol study of depression. Isr J Psychiatry Relat Sci. 1995;32:14–21.
18. Levine J, Witztum E, Greenberg BD, et al. Inositol-induced mania? [letter]. Am J Psychiatry. 1996;153:839.
19. Levine J. Controlled trials of inositol in psychiatry. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 1997;7:147–155.
20. Nemets B, Mishory A, Levine J, et al. Inositol addition does not improve depression in SSRI treatment failures. J Neural Transm. 1999;106:795–798.
21. Palatnik A, Frolov K, Fux M, et al. Double-blind, controlled, crossover trial of inositol versus fluvoxamine for the treatment of panic disorder. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2001;21:335–339.
22. Shamsuddin A., Ulah A., Chakravarthy A. 1989. Inositol and inositol hexaphosphate suppresses cell proliferation and tumor formation in CD-1 mice. Carcinogenesis 10: 1461-1463.
23. Vandal R. Role of inositol in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. CNS

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