Inositol is a naturally occurring nutrient found in various forms, the most common being myo-inositol. Inositol is found in phospholipids which function as cellular mediators of signal transduction, in metabolic regulation, and growth. Myo-inositol is one of nine distinct isomers of inositol, and the terms are often used interchangeably. Inositol is essential for the growth of rodents, but not for most animals, including humans. Humans can make inositol in the body, which they do from glucose. Even though inositol is sometimes referred to as a vitamin, it is not a vitamin for humans.

Source Naturals Inositol Powder, 8 ounces - 
Nature's Way Inositol supplement, 500 mg, 100 capsules
Inositol is a direct precursor of phospholipids which are a major component of cellular membranes. Inositol helps to maintain proper electrical energy and nutrient transfer across the cell membrane. It also acts as a lipotropic which converts fats into other useful products. inositol helps establish healthy cell membranes, which facilitate nerve impulses.

Nature's Way Inositol is 100% natural crystalline inositol. It contains no artificial ingredients or preservatives.

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Inositol in the diet
Inositol is present in our diet from both plant and animal sources, providing the adult human on a mixed North American diet with approximately 1 gram per day. The major dietary forms of myo-inositol are inositol hexaphosphate or phytic acid, which is widely found in cereals and legumes and associated with dietary fiber, and myo- inositol -containing phospholipids from animal and plant sources. Inositol is also found in nuts and fruits.

Inositol powder dosage
Start with a lower dosage of a little over a quarter teaspoon of inositol powder, equivlaent to about 1 gram of inositol, even though studies have used higher amounts. Do not take several grams of inositol powder at a time unless you have first tried a lower amount to see how your body reacts to it.

Inositol powder benefit for various medical and psychiatric conditions
Inositol powder supplements may benefit those with bipolar disorder, depression, impotence, obsessive-compulsive disorder, lung cancer, panic disorder, and polycystic ovary syndrome. This supplement could also be helpful in those with psoriasis who are on lithium medication. The inositol powder dosages used in most studies have been several grams. Whether smaller amounts of inositol benefit these conditions is not clear. Sometimes researchers choose dosages of medicines and supplements much higher than is required since they wish to elicit a quick response.

Inositol powder and depression
Controlled trials of inositol in psychiatry.
Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 1997 May;7(2):147-55. Levine J. Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheva, Israel.
Inositol is a simple polyol precursor in a second messenger system important in the brain. Cerebrospinal fluid inositol has been reported decreased in depression. A double-blind controlled trial of 12 grams daily of inositol in 28 depressed patients for four weeks was performed. Significant overall benefit for inositol compared to placebo was found at week 4 on the Hamilton Depression Scale. No changes were noted in hematology, kidney or liver function.

Inositol and impotence
Myoinositol and folic acid combination for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in type 2 diabetes men.
 Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2006 Sep-Oct. Agostini R, Rossi F, Pajalich R. First Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
This prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study included 176 patients with type 2 diabetes. The daily 4 g dose of inositol plus 400 micrograms of folic acid or placebo was divided and given in three doses. The present study demonstrates that Myoinositol and folic acid combination deserves consideration as therapeutic agent for preventing and treating erectile dysfunction in diabetic men, probably by virtue of both their chronic metabolic, acute antioxidant properties, and nitric oxide protective beneficial effects.

Inositol and OCD
Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in obsessive-compulsive disorder before and after treatment with inositol.
Metab Brain Dis. 2004 Jun;19(1-2):125-34.
Inositol, a glucose isomer and second messenger precursor, regulates numerous cellular functions and has demonstrated efficacy in obsessive-compulsive disorder OCD through mechanisms that remain unclear. The effect of inositol treatment on brain function in OCD has not been studied to date. Fourteen OCD subjects underwent single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) before and after 12 weeks of treatment with inositol supplements. There was 1) deactivation in OCD responders relative to nonresponders following treatment with inositol in the left superior temporal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus and precuneus, and the right paramedian post-central gyrus; 2) no significant regions of deactivation for the group as a whole posttreatment; and 3) a single cluster of higher perfusion in the left medial prefrontal region in responders compared to nonresponders at baseline. Significant reductions in OCD severity scores followed treatment. These data are only partly consistent with previous functional imaging work on OCD. They may support the idea that inositol effects a clinical response through alternate neuronal circuitry to the SSRIs and may complement animal work proposing an overlapping but distinct mechanism of action.

Inositol and panic disorder
Double-blind, controlled, crossover trial of inositol versus fluvoxamine for the treatment of panic disorder.
 Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheba, Israel.
J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2001 Jun;21(3):335-9.
Myo Inositol, a natural isomer of glucose and a precursor for the second-messenger phosphatidyl inositol system, has previously been found superior to placebo in the treatment of depression, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder OCD, but a direct comparison with an established drug has never been performed. A double-blind, controlled, random-order crossover study was undertaken to compare the effect of inositol with that of fluvoxamine in panic disorder. Twenty patients completed 1 month of inositol up to 18 grams a day and 1 month of fluvoxamine up to 150 mg/day. Improvements on Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety scores, agoraphobia scores, and Clinical Global Impressions Scale scores were similar for both treatments. In the first month, inositol reduced the number of panic attacks per week by 4 compared with a reduction of 2.4 with fluvoxamine. Nausea and tiredness were more common with fluvoxamine. Because inositol is a natural compound with few known side effects, it is attractive to patients who are ambivalent about taking psychiatric medication.

Inositol powder supplements show no benefit in these conditions
Inositol powder supplements have not been found to benefit those with ADHD, Alzheimer's disease, autism, ECT-induced cognitive impairment, PMS, or schizophrenia.

ADHD - Oral inositol was studied in children with ADHD in a double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled manner. Eleven children, mean age 9 years were enrolled in an eight week trial of inositol or placebo at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight. Results showed a trend for aggravation of the syndrome with myo-inositol as compared to placebo.

Alzheimer's disease - A double-blind controlled crossover trial of 6 g of inositol daily vs. glucose for one month each was carried out in eleven Alzheimer patients, with on clearly significant therapeutic effects.

Autism - A controlled double-blind crossover trial of inositol 200 mg/kg per day showed no benefit in nine children with autism.

Premenstrual syndrome - Myo inositol 12 grams daily was compared to placebo (d-glucose) administered at the same dose to patients with PMS. Each substance was given during the luteal phase only (14 days prior to menses). For each patient treatment alternated between these two drugs for six menstrual cycles. No beneficial effect was demonstrated for inositol powder over placebo.

Schizophrenia  - A controlled double-blind crossover trial of 12 g daily of inositol powder for a month in twelve anergic schizophrenic patients, did not show any beneficial effects.

Inositol powder emails
Q. I purchased pure inositol powder and am unsure how to take it.  Do I put it in a glass of juice or water?  How do I take it?
   A. Water or juice are both good options to take inositol powder.

Q. I just learned about inositol powder as a treatment for OCD, and am enthused about taking it, but my understanding is that it is necessary to take inositol powder 18 g daily; in what form would I need to consume such a large amount? And does it need to be taken with food, at certain intervals of the day? I also read that it can be dangerous to take, if you take St. Johns Wort, so I would not take both.
   A. Whenever researchers do a study, they usually use dosages that are much higher than what normally may be necessary. It's difficult to say what the effective dose would be, but it would be safer to start with 500 mg the first few days and then see how things progress and gradually increase the dosage by 500 mg each few days. As with most supplements, it is better to learn how inositol powder works by itself and how St. John's wort works by itself before combining them.

Q. Does inositol powder benefit heart disease?
   A. We have not come across studies evaluating the benefit of inositol powder in heart disease.

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