Inositol

Requirements:

• Have not been established - inositol is not considered an essential vitamin since the body can synthesize it.
  
• Daily Optimal Intake:
  
  25 - 300 mg. for adults

Supplement Forms:

• Individual:
  
  Powdered - very expensive (Reports indicate inositol is used to cut cocaine so the price is extremely high)
  Tablet - inexpensive
• Usually included in B-complex vitamin formulas

Signs and Symptoms of Deficiency:

• No known cases have been reported

Adverse Effects and Toxicity:

• None known

Drug/Nutrient Interactions:

• None known

Biochemical Functions:

• Involved in facilitating the uptake of fatty acids by the cells
• Involved in synthesis of phospholipids
• Prevents the accumulation of large quantities of fat in the liver
• Required for the regulation of transporting material in and out of cells

Clinical Indications:

• Depression
• Endometriosis
• PMS
• Uterine fibroid

Copyright 1998 - 2008 by L. Vicky Crouse, ND and James S. Reiley, ND. All rights reserved (ISSN 1527-0661).