CAN INOSITOL REVERSE PCOS ?
Inositol has a lot of attention these days, but can we actually consume it for PCOS? If yes, how much should we take? Inositol is a natural sugar that is traditionally considered a B vitamin and a predominant supplement that has been extensively researched in terms of its effectiveness against PCOS.
Inositol is produced in your body and is also found in food sources like meat (especially liver and kidney), egg, whole grains, beans, peas, nuts and seeds, dry fruits, cabbage.
There are a number of inositol variants; among them, myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol play positive roles in PCOS. PCOS is the most common cause of infertility, and it is also linked to metabolic syndrome symptoms such as insulin resistance and obesity. Inositol has been proved to reduce the insulin resistance and regulate blood glucose level.
Let us know how Inositol works in the body.
It acts as a messenger here; the food we take breaks down into glucose so that we get energy. So when glucose levels increase, insulin gets released and carries glucose to the receptors on the cells where it binds, leading to the action of secondary messengers, where they will let glucose enter the cells.
In PCOS, these secondary messengers will not function and won’t allow the glucose in; this may lead to diabetes and other metabolic disorders. This is where inositol comes in; they act as secondary messengers and let in glucose into cells.
In addition to their effects on insulin sensitization and response modulation, inositols function in the ovary as gonadotropin second messengers. (Laganà, 2018,pg. 768)
The quarrel of inositols
One of the isomers of inositol is myo-inositol, the increased myo-inositol helps in the follicular development of oocytes.
The consumption of myo inositol with folic acid lowers the testosterone levels by 55% and increases the progesterone levels by 485%. On the other hand, increased levels of D-chiro inositol support increased testosterone levels. As a result, women with severe PCOS symptoms are only given myo-inositol.
– Let’s understand it’s role Myo inositol role is to handle glucose uptake and signalling follicular stimulating hormone (FSH). Whereas, D-chiro inositol’s role is insulin dependent synthesis of androgen and glucose storage.
– Then why are both given to PCOS women?
A 40:1 ratio of myo and D-chiro inositol was discovered to restore endocrinological impairments among the various ratios that have been tested and researched.Despite their distinct roles, it was discovered that a 40:1 ratio of myo and D-chiro inositol was effective in PCOS women (Regidor, Pedro-Antonio; 2018)
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