Scientists have reported that myo-inositol can be a safe supplement to use to promote ovulation and fertility.
I have known about inositol for years, as it is also a supplement that can be helpful in the treatment of anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and panic disorder.
Since 80% of the women with PCOS coming to my website are reporting some kind of anxiety, depression, and/or mood swings, it seems that using inositol as part of your overall health and fertility program may not be a bad idea. Even if you don't have a DIAGNOSIS of anxiety, it's so easy to feel stressed out when all you want is to conceive!
The supplement can be a bit expensive…but it's far cheaper than in vitro fertilization. And it's simply a form of a water-soluble B vitamin. If it can't hurt, and it might help, at least one issue you are looking for help with…why not give it a shot?
Papaleo E, Unfer V, et al. A novel method for ovulation induction," Gynecol Endocrinol, 2007; 23(12): 700-3.
Harvey BH, Brink CB, Seedat S, Stein DJ. Defining the neuromolecular action of myo-inositol: application to obsessive-compulsive disorder. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2002 Jan;26(1):21-32.
Palatnik A, Frolov K, Fux M, Benjamin J. Double-blind, controlled, crossover trial of inositol versus fluvoxamine for the treatment of panic disorder. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2001 Jun;21(3):335-9.
OK. Today's the day. There was finally a quiet morning to read the research about d-chiro inositol. Ever since I posted a link to Sasha Ottey's interview on the topic on her PCOS Challenge radio show, traffic linking to us with that keyword has been very high. I've known we needed a blog post, but I just wanted to be sure it was scientifically accurate and presented information in a way that was beneficial, not hurtful.
What is inositol? It is a chemical that is necessary for several body functions, including: cell structure, insulin function, nerve function, fat breakdown, and maintenance of healthy cholesterol levels.
Inositol comes in nine different forms. Two of those types of inositol, myo-inositol and d-chiro-inositol, have been found to have therapeutic value. Myo-inositol supplementation has been found to alleviate symptoms of bulimia, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, agoraphobia, depression, and bipolar disorder. d-chiro-inositol supplementation has been found to be useful for symptoms associated with insulin, high androgen levels, and menstrual irregularity. It is also reported that myoinositol can help prevent hair loss.
Both categories of symptoms are common in PCOS, so it appears that inositol levels and metabolism may be problematic with a high percentage of readers of this blog.
One thing you can do to help improve your levels of both myo- and d-chiro-inositol is to know their dietary sources. Myo-inositol is found in brewer's yeast, liver, milk, whole grains, brown rice, oats, nuts, citrus fruits, molasses, legumes, raisins, and bananas. The best sources of d-chiro-inositol are buckwheat and garbanzo beans (hummous, anyone?)
The theory is, that women with PCOS have trouble converting myo-inositol into d-chiro-inositol. So they need to bypass that metabolic bottleneck with a supplement.
I haven't had the opportunity to use d-chiro-inositol with my clients yet. I haven't wanted to recommend anything unless I'd researched it. But I had a client once, with severe OCD, who responded well to myo-inositol in a way medication and behavioral therapy never achieved. The only issue she had with the supplement was the large dose she needed to take (10 grams per day) in order to see benefit.
Fast forward to today, I've been wondering for awhile if maybe the symptoms attributed to myoinositol deficiency weren't actually myoinositol issues at all, but d-chiro-inositol issues, and the large dose needed was because the conversion in this population is so low.
So here's the best way I would think it would work to determine if d-chiro-inositol deficiency is your problem.
1. Be sure to include all the foods I mentioned above in your diet on a regular basis.
2. Try d-chiro-inositol. Give it three months of regular use to see if it helps. --If it helps with your insulin levels, androgen levels, and menstrual cycles, then by all means continue using it! --If it helps with the above, but doesn't help with binge eating, mood, or obsessive thinking, then consider adding some myoinositol to the mix.
3. And please, check back with us. I'm really curious to know what happens. If d-chiro-inositol also helps with mood, etc., that's very important information.
Recommended doses of each: myo-inositol 12-30 grams per day d-chiro-inositol 100 mg, twice per day
I know, I know, if you're obsessive, you're going to want to take the higher dose of myo-inositol, or even double the dose I've listed.: ) I strongly encourage you to resist the temptation and start low and titrate up as you need to.
I spent quite a bit of time in the supplement department at Whole Foods, to get an idea of what readers would find if they went to buy inositol. As you can see at this link, the options on amazon.com, as they are in most health food stores, are primarily myoinositol.
If you'd like to purchase d-chiro-inositol, the most popular source for women with PCOS appears to be www.chiralbalance.com.
I tried a new recipe this week for the inCYSTem menu program…fell in love with it…researched it…and would like to encourage you to consider trying it yourself.
That food is buckwheat!
Buckwheat is one of the few foods containing d-chiro-inositol, which women with PCOS can have problems making. Its regular consumption is related to better insulin function, better lipid profiles, and fewer blood clotting issues. It's a good source of magnesium and tryptophan. And it's considered a complete protein, so it's an excellent food for you vegans.
I've always loved buckwheat pancakes, but I'd never had the buckwheat groats. I tried them in a recipe for buckwheat pesto I found on the Bob's Red Mill website. I think it would be very easy to substitute buckwheat for rice in a lot of dishes, such as tabouli, risotto, and pilaf. In fact, I'm going to try to make a habit of it here in my home.
Here is Bob's buckwheat pesto recipe to get you started!
1 cup Buckwheat Groats 2-1/2 cup Water 1/4 tsp Sea Salt 2 Tb Olive Oil 1 Tb Butter, softened 4 cloves Garlic, finely minced 1/2 cup chopped Walnuts-Baker's Pieces 1 cup Finely chopped fresh parsley 2 tsp Basil (Imported) 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese 1/2 cup Sliced Black Olives 1/2 cup Soy Bacon Bits (optional)
Directions: Boil water with salt. Add groats, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and leave pan covered for about 5 minutes, then fluff with fork.
Mix butter, olive oil, garlic and walnuts together. Separately combine parsley, basil, cheese and olives. Add butter mixture to groats, then add the parsley mixture. Salt to taste. Toss and serve. Sprinkle soy bacon on top, if desired.
There's a little bit about d-chiro-inositol on this blog, and I do believe it has merit. I'm interested to see what Sasha's guest has to say in detail on the topic!
Time: May 20, 2009 from 6pm to 7pm Location:"PCOS Challenge Radio Show" Organized By: Sasha Ottey
Event Description: Join Sasha Ottey on May 20, 2009 at 6pm (EDT) as she speaks to Travis Johnson, of Chiral Balance about D-chiro-inositol (DCI) and its benefits for women with PCOS. He attended the University of Texas earning both his Bachelor's and Master's degree in Biochemistry. He now teaches General Chemistry and Biochemistry there. While in graduate school he spent much of his spare time reading literature about PCOS. His interest intensified when he discovered a few family members dealt with PCOS. It intensified further when he saw a real opportunity to provide a needed product to the PCOS community. He and his mother started Chiral Balance to sell D-chiro-inositol, opening their doors in December 2005 and becoming the first retail distributor of D-chiro-inositol in the world. Tune in to the PCOS Challenge Radio Show on Wed., May 20, 2009 at 6 p.m. EDT at www.blogtalkradio.com/pcoschallenge to learn more about the best DCI and its benefits for women with PCOS. If you have any questions you would like to ask Travis during the show, you can leave a comment here. Or, if you would like to call in during the show to ask Travis a question, call (646) 929-0394. If you would just like to listen, go to www.blogtalkradio.com/pcoschallenge at 6 p.m. EDT on 5/20/2009.
