Inositol (myo-inositol / D-chiro-inositol)
Mental Health · Sugar alcohol / second messenger
Tier B
What this is
High-dose requirement for psychiatric benefits (12-18 g/day) is unusual — requires powder form rather than capsules. Reasonable augmentation option for OCD and panic, particularly where SSRI side effects are limiting. PCOS use is better-established with lower dosing.
Mechanism
Endogenous sugar alcohol involved in PIP2 cell signaling and insulin pathway; high-dose used for OCD, panic, bipolar depression; also popular for PCOS metabolic/fertility effects (40:1 myo:D-chiro)
Dose & route
Mental health: 12-18 g/day myo-inositol divided; PCOS: 2-4 g/day myo + 50-100 mg D-chiro
Citations
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8780431/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30149251/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5421971/
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