[Effects of Inositol] Essential for Women of Childbearing Age, 3 Benefits of Inositol

Dec 03, 2023KimSunhyo

[Effects of Inositol] Essential for Women of

Childbearing Age, 3 Benefits of Inositol

Inositol

Why Inositol is Important for Women of Childbearing Age

This content is health information about ingredients and not directly related to a specific product.

Effects of Inositol

1. Improves insulin resistance
2. Reduces the period of ovulation induction
3. Induces regular menstruation

Hello, I am Jinny, a pharmacist.

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a health concern for many women of childbearing age. Polycystic ovary syndrome is an endocrine disease that commonly occurs in women of childbearing age. It refers to ovulation abnormalities, clinical symptoms of excess male hormones, or polycystic ovaries observed on ultrasound. Patients with polycystic ovary syndrome may experience infertility due to abnormal menstruation and ovulation disorders and may also develop insulin resistance and hirsutism.

Recently, as it has become known that inositol intake can help with symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome, more and more people are looking for inositol. Inositol is a substance that makes up the phospholipids of cell membranes in our body and is involved in signal transduction and insulin metabolism.

Therefore, today we will take a closer look at exactly what benefits inositol has through research papers.

1. Improves Insulin Resistance

Insulin resistance is a phenomenon in which cells cannot burn glucose effectively due to a decrease in the function of insulin to lower blood sugar levels. When insulin resistance increases, glucose production in the liver is not controlled and glucose utilization in muscles or storage as fat is impaired, so blood sugar levels remain high. Because high insulin resistance is a very major symptom of polycystic ovary syndrome, it is known that women with polycystic ovary syndrome have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than women without polycystic ovary syndrome.

In this regard, a paper was published in Gynecological Endocrinology in 2017 that studied the effect of inositol intake on insulin resistance.

“At 21 days after 12 weeks of myoinositol (MYO) administration, serum progesterone (female hormone) levels significantly increased, and fasting insulin, fasting glucose, and homeostasis model of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) decreased.”

Reference : Özlen Emekçi Özay, Ali Cenk Özay, Erkan Çağlıyan, Recep Emre Okyay & Bülent Gülekli (2017) Myo-inositol administration positively effects ovulation induction and intrauterine insemination in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: a prospective, controlled, randomized trial. Gynecol Endocrinol. 33(7):524-528.

2. Reduces the period of ovulation induction

When women prepare for pregnancy, they often check their ovulation cycle. This is because ovulation is the time when an egg is released out of the ovary and is an important step in making pregnancy possible. Therefore, if ovulation does not occur normally, it can cause infertility.

In relation to this, a paper was published in 2017 containing the results of a study showing that the period of ovulation induction was significantly shortened when inositol was consumed.

“Myo-inositol (MYO) administration increases the clinical pregnancy rate and reduces the total r-FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) dose and ovulation induction period.”

3. Induces regular menstruation

Healthy women of childbearing age have menstruation every 26 to 32 days. On the other hand, amenorrhea, a representative symptom of polycystic ovary syndrome, refers to a case in which a woman who had menstruation does not have menstruation for more than 3 times the previous menstrual cycle, or does not have menstruation for more than 6 months.

“Twenty-two of 25 patients (88%) regained at least one spontaneous menstrual cycle during treatment, and 18 of these (72%) maintained normal ovulatory activity during the follow-up period.”

Reference : ENRICO PAPALEO, VITTORIO UNFER, JEAN-PATRICE BAILLARGEON, LUCIA DE SANTIS, FRANCESCO FUSI, CLAUDIO BRIGANTE, GUIDO MARELLI, ILARIA CINO, ANNA REDAELLI, & AUGUSTO FERRARI. (2007) Myo-inositol in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: A novel method for ovulation induction. Gynecological Endocrinology. 23(12): 700–703.

Today, we looked at the benefits of consuming inositol through research papers. Lastly, if you are overweight or obese and have polycystic ovary syndrome, losing weight will help improve your symptoms, so we recommend that you manage your diet and exercise at the same time.

I hope you have a healthy day both physically and mentally. This was Jinny.

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