Opinion by Jake Crossman
In recent years, scientists have discovered the benefits of taking inositol and its incredible healing power over our bodies. Inositol has now entered the holistic pharmaceutical ring in a big way. Boasting effects such as mood control, OCD treatments, fertility treatment, and a host of other benefits, this simple compound might lead the way for a new era of holistic medicine.
Let’s dive into the research and figure out exactly what inositol is, how it works, and some of the amazing benefits of taking inositol.
The Benefits Of Taking Inositol: What Is Inositol?
The formal definition of inositol is as follows:
“Inositol, or more precisely myo-inositol, is a carbocyclic sugar that is abundant in the brain and other mammalian tissues; it mediates cell signal transduction in response to a variety of hormones, neurotransmitters, and growth factors and participates in osmoregulation (websters).”
So let’s break that down. At its core inositol is a sugar that is naturally present in our bodies with a fairly simple chemical structure. Cell transduction regulation is how chemical or physical signals are transmitted through cells, and osmoregulation plays a key role in homeostasis and maintaining correct pressure in the body.
Myo-inositol or just inositol has recently been looked at as a supplement to take for a variety of different health-related issues. Much like magnesium that is stored and naturally produced in your body, you can still have a deficiency – inositol is the same way. While occurring naturally you can get very low on inositol if you are not taking supplements or eating the correct foods with high amounts of sugar present.
Not having enough inositol in your body can lead to hair loss, eczema, depression, constipation, trouble with sleep, and a host of other issues. The way that you become deficient is by improper diet, gut-health issues, and decreased food intake. Making sure that you are constantly trying to regulate your body’s homeostasis to optimize everyday performance can be hard work which is why supplements like magnesium and inositol exist to make that job easier.
Inositol has a lot of amazing properties and functions, so how does your body benefit from taking inositol?
The Benefits Of Taking Inositol: How It Works For You
Inositol has recently been thrust into the spotlight as the next powerful holistic supplement that can aid in your everyday life. But how true is that really?
A lot of experts agree that inositol has incredible properties, especially when paired with magnesium (NCBI). Things like depression, OCD, and fertility were all looked at as things that could potentially be treated by taking inositol regularly.
Several studies suggest that because the bioavailability of the food that inositol is in it becomes difficult for our bodies to receive the proper amount necessary, especially through processed foods. This is why supplementation may be necessary for maintaining a healthy level of homeostasis.
One of the biggest studies that have been done on the efficacy of inositol is the effect that it has on mood disorders, and things closely related to them like OCD and eating disorders. These studies attempt to look at inositol as a primary treatment for these diseases.
Inositol For OCD
“inositol supplementation has been shown to be effective for patients with OCD, due to its role in modulating neurotransmitter signaling and pathways. Inositol has been shown to reduce anxiety and acute stress. In addition to being therapeutic for OCD, inositol may also be beneficial for people with depression, panic disorders, and bipolar depression (sanscohealth).”
If you or you know someone who struggles with OCD you know how bad it can affect a life. Constantly being on different medications that are being prescribed by doctors who work for large pharmaceutical companies. There seems to be a solution to this that is being found in using inositol to treat OCD.
OCD, otherwise known as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a disease in which a person has trouble controlling obsessive thoughts. This usually comes in the form of someone who must wash their hands until they bleed or someone who has to always keep their clothes in perfect order – if they don’t then it causes chaos in the brain.
As one can surmise, a lot of OCD comes from outside stressors like anxiety and depression – these amplify the symptoms. If inositol can calm anxiety and depression this in turn can help to regulate someone who is struggling with OCD because they will be less anxious throughout the day.
Having to take a one-a-day holistic supplement that can cover all bases and fight the root of the problem seems to be a much better solution than taking 3 or 4 different traditional medications that may or may not work depending on your body and dosage size. With this being said let’s look at how inositol helps to fight a lot of the causes of mood disorders – such as depression.
Inositol For Depression
Depression is a word that gets thrown around a lot for how horrible of a disease it actually is. Depression is a chemical imbalance in your brain that can cause major depressive episodes lasting up to months at a time. Similarly to Bipolar Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder can ruin a person’s life if not treated properly.
There have been a couple of recent studies done on the effect that inositol may have on treating depression and the results look to be very promising. One study showed that out of 28 people who took inositol versus a traditional serotonin reuptake inhibitor or SSRI felt the same effects if not improved effects with inositol. An SSRI is a form of medicine that can control serotonin (aka the happy chemical) release in your brain which allows for those who have depression to keep producing serotonin for longer amounts of time.
This kind of research is groundbreaking because it enters the foray of possible other treatments for mood disorders like Bipolar Disorder. Replacing lithium medications with inositol would be revolutionary in the holistic medicine world because those who take lithium to treat BPD suffer from the debilitating side effects of taking such a harsh medication.
It seems as more and more research comes out we will start to see inositol replacing a lot of current mood stabilizers, or being incorporated into modern treatments.
Inositol & Magnesium
Taking both magnesium and inositol together might be crucial for your overall health and well-being. Over 70% of Americans are living with a deficiency in magnesium and they don’t even know it. Without the proper amount of magnesium in your body, you can feel fatigued, depressed, and have gut health issues. Combining inositol with magnesium alloys for super powerful neurotransmissions in the brain as they both support cell health and regeneration.
The benefits of taking inositol with magnesium can include:
- Improved mood
- Improved sleep
- More focus
- Increased energy
- Fewer feelings of depression
- Less anxiety
- Increased motivation
The list goes on and on. It almost seems too good to be true but these are scientific facts – there is research to back every single one of these claims. Simply adding magnesium and inositol supplements to your everyday routine has the power to change your life for the better.
The Benefits Of Taking Inositol: Final Thoughts
Inositol seems as though it is here to stay in the holistic health space. As more and more research and studies are being conducted the benefits being found keep increasing.
The benefits of taking inositol coupled with magnesium, are also yielding incredible results. People who have been suffering from OCD and depression for years and years are finally seeing some relief in their life.
We must keep pushing and presenting the best information on these kinds of supplements for you so that you can stay aware and healthy naturally and holistically.
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Works Cited
“OCD Intervention: The Power of Inositol.” Sanesco Health, 3 Jan. 2020, https://sanescohealth.com/blog/ocd-intervention-the-power-of-inositol/#:~:text=Efficacy%20in%20OCD&text=In%20summary%2C%20as%20an%20essential,be%20efficacious%20in%20addressing%20OCD.
J;, Levine. “Controlled Trials of Inositol in Psychiatry.” European Neuropsychopharmacology : the Journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9169302/.
N;, Mukai T;Kishi T;Matsuda Y;Iwata. “A Meta-Analysis of Inositol for Depression and Anxiety Disorders.” Human Psychopharmacology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24424706/.