Supplementing with Inositol can help prevent free radical damage in women with Polycystic Ovary Synd

Introduction

Purpose of this study was to see how PCOS patients were affected before and after 12 weeks of inositol supplementation.

PCOS is a metabolic disease that affects the endocrine system in women.

The endocrine system regulates hormones in the body.

PCOS is characterized by the following:

Hyperandrogenism – high levels of androgen in the female body (male sex hormone– females also produce this hormone, but normally in lower quantities).

Hirsutism – is male-pattern hair growth in women.

Oligoovulation – irregular ovulation.

Anovulation – absence of ovulation.

PCOS can cause:

Insulin resistance – your cells fail to respond normally to the hormone insulin.

Ex: You eat food, and now have sugar in your blood stream, your body produces insulin to allow the entrance of sugar into the cells to be used as energy. If your cells are not responding to insulin then cells are not taking in the sugar and they are not getting the energy that they need.

Hyperinsulinemia – more insulin is produced to compensate for cells not being able to take up the needed sugar for energy.

Dyslipidemia – High levels of cholesterol and triglycerides

Hypertension – high blood pressure (can be due to atherosclerosis – explained at cardiovascular disease below).

Impaired glucose tolerance – sugar levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to establish diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes – High blood sugar due to insulin resistance or the lack of insulin.

Cardiovascular disease – Heart disease, usually in the form of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is plaque that surrounds the walls of blood vessels that can cause high blood pressure.

Oxidative stress is also the cause of complications with PCOS.

Oxidative stress is when free radicals damage cells.

Free radicals are waste products created by cellular reactions within the body.

Antioxidants we produce are a great way to neutralize free radicals and prevent cell damage.

Inflammation within the body also creates free radicals.

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Methods

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Results

They found that Inositol treatment did the following:

Decreased:

1. Weight

2. BMI

3. Testosterone (male hormone, *also produced in females at lower quantities)

4. Androstenedione (male hormone, *also produced in females at lower quantities)

5. Insulin

6. Insulin resistance

7. Inflammation

They found that the placebo did the following:

Increased:

1. Insulin

Scientists suspect that it was due to the lack of medical treatment for PCOS before the study and during.

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Conclusion

PCOS causes widespread inflammation within the body, treatment with Inositol was shown to reduce inflammation and improve insulin function.

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Reflection

Supplementing with Inositol seems to be a great way to help with reducing free radicals that can cause damage in the body.

The treated group was larger than the placebo group, having a larger sample size is usually recommended for statistical purposes.

Inositol can be purchased through any vitamin store or online (pill form or powder), just keep in mind that the recommended dosage is 1200 mg/day.

*Myo-Inositol = Inositol

*Before consuming supplements, consult with a physician, individuals can be affected differently.

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Sources

Scientific Article courtesy of:

Dona, G., Sabbadin, C., Fiore, C., Bragadin, M., Giorgino, F. L., Ragazzi, E., Armanini, D. (2012). Inositol administration reduces oxidative stress in erythrocytes of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. European Journal of Endocrinology, 166(4), 703-710. doi:10.1530/eje-11-0840

Image courtesy of:

“PCOS Diet Support | Tackling Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Naturally!” PCOS Diet Support | Tackling Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Naturally!, www.pcosdietsupport.com/.

Image courtesy of:

“Free Radical Damage.” Medical Detective MD, medicaldetectivemd.com/product-categories/skin-health/free-radical-damage/.

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