Inositol

[Petunia]

No rebound effect here.

 

After experimenting with various doses and times for the past 2 weeks, I've found that half a teaspoon every 4 - 5 hours seems to work best for me.

[Meimeiquest]

So, I got some and I'm going to give this a try. Has anyone ever had a rebound effect from it when it wears off or if they stop taking it? I just want to know what I'm in for before I start or stop.

 

I haven't noticed any. I use it primarily on an as-needed basis. I almost always "need" some in the morning lately. It has helped me a lot with benzo withdrawal symptoms like sound sensitivity and some with insomnia (but not tonight), just generally calming. It doesn't seem to do much for my lithium withdrawal symptoms. It is also used as a treatment for diabetes, probably a "second messenger" for insulin as well.

[AprilShowers]

Yes, I have borderline diabetes (just been diagnosed a few months ago and about to have my second blood test to confirm) caused by PCOS which I hear it's also good for. I tried a half teaspoon and found it a little calming, I had a lot of anxiety that day so I took another teaspoon before bed. Didn't do much for my sleep immediately and I had a bad morning the next day but in the evening last night (over 24hrs later) I felt great; so great in fact that I think maybe the dose was too much as I was feeling a little belligerant so I just took half a teaspoon last night. Got a little more sleep (thank goodness!) and although I feel a bit groggy this morning I don't feel too bad and was able to suppress some of the bad feelings this morning. It felt like the cortisol shakes and horrid emotions were still there 'underneath' the calming feeling so it's not making that go away just helping smooth over it maybe? Anyway I think maybe it will work for me though it's early days. I'm just going to take a little at night and see how I go over time. Might just stick to the packet instructions of 1/4 teaspoon with the scoop provided at least until it's built up in my system. If I can get rid of this groggy feeling and still get some relief from the feelings of misery I think it will be a most welcome supplement. Seems weird that something so innocuous could help me turn a corner, I've been so, so sick. 

 

I did find this thing about glucocorticoid receptors which might explain why the WD affects the cortisol response so badly.. not sure what to make of it all really or if it's relevant but maybe if this supplement helps the communication of the receptors it helps balance things out a bit. http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/a/a_08/a_08_m/a_08_m_dep/a_08_m_dep.html

Edited January 13, 2016 by Petunia
fixed link

[escitalopramsucks]

In the article Petunia has post the Dr. Insist inositol acts like an ssri.

 

I would like to try inositol to avoid using benzos anymore.

 

The fact is I'm a pssd sufferer and I can't find in the web if inositol inhibits reuptake serotonin in the brain like SSRI do causing pssd in some cases. im.passing the worst time in my lif and i wouldnt like to worse my condition.

 

If you please have some info id be very grateful

 

Thanks

 

Ps. In fact there are topics qhwre people hav bwen using inosotol to improve pssd... but i juat dont have proper info ans i dont wann take risks.

 

Thanks

[AppleOfSodom]

escitalopram: From all the anedoctal reports I've read nobody seems to have suffered any permanent ill effects from trying inositol, I'm gonna try some myself.

This, study while being about diabetic men with ED seemed interesting to me. Particularly as it mentions neuropathy which is one of David Healy's theories on PSSD: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17121317

[Theon]

In the article Petunia has post the Dr. Insist inositol acts like an ssri.

 

The fact is I'm a pssd sufferer and I can't find in the web if inositol inhibits reuptake serotonin in the brain like SSRI do causing pssd in some cases. im.passing the worst time in my lif and i wouldnt like to worse my condition.

 

The inositol content in a normal diet is between 115 and 1500 mg/ day

 

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/33/9/1954.abstract

 

There are high concentrations of inositol in fruits and vegetables, so if you have a diet full of fruits and vegetables, you could be taking maybe 2g of inositol per day, and I am sure that a diet full of fruits cannot cause PSSD, so I would not worry about inositol.

[Sampo]

I have planned to trying Inositol too. If I do that I will give you a report was it helpful in my case.

[Meimeiquest]

It does several things, as I understand, but one of its main uses in normal brain function is as a second messenger...the chemicals that pick up the "message thread" from a neuroreceptor after a neurotransmitter has latched onto it. I think the idea is that if your neuroreceptor is not functioning normally, augmenting the second messengers will amplify that weak signal.

 

But that,could just be folklore.

[Tootsieroll]

Hi there, I am curious if it is safe to take Inositol with an antidepressant?  If so, how much does one take?  I am asking for a family member but I am a huge fan of inositol.  They are on 50mg Zoloft.  Thanks in advance.

[Hopefull]

Hi Tootsieroll,

I am not sure exactly how much you can take with AD'S.

I have tried it in the past.

For OCD they recommend 18grams.

That is approximately 2-3 teaspoons in a day, split dosing.

For anxiety and panic you would probably take a little bit less. I am not quite sure.

If you are on 50mg of Zoloft, I am not sure if you would experience side effects.

Maybe you should ask a good naturalpath, or a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

Majority of doctors have not heard of Myo-Inositol, but a small minority have.

I came across a neuro psychologist who was knowligable in regards to Inositol and one GP.

 

You are supposed to take 1/4 of the teaspoon to start off with and then gradually build it up.

 

I experienced a bit of seratonin syndrome, I took too much at once, and experienced muscle stiffness, temperature and headache.

I could not move.

You have to be careful.

I really believe that it can be helpful to some people and for others it may not be helpful, especially if AD'S have sencitised your nervous system.

You could have a reaction to Myo-Inositol.

 

Good luck with it.

I am sure that one of the mods would be able to help you out with this question.

Good luck. Best wishes, Hopefull.

[Tootsieroll]

Hi Tootsieroll,

I am not sure exactly how much you can take with AD'S.

I have tried it in the past.

For OCD they recommend 18grams.

That is approximately 2-3 teaspoons in a day, split dosing.

For anxiety and panic you would probably take a little bit less. I am not quite sure.

If you are on 50mg of Zoloft, I am not sure if you would experience side effects.

Maybe you should ask a good naturalpath, or a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

Majority of doctors have not heard of Myo-Inositol, but a small minority have.

I came across a neuro psychologist who was knowligable in regards to Inositol and one GP.

 

You are supposed to take 1/4 of the teaspoon to start off with and then gradually build it up.

 

I experienced a bit of seratonin syndrome, I took too much at once, and experienced muscle stiffness, temperature and headache.

I could not move.

You have to be careful.

I really believe that it can be helpful to some people and for others it may not be helpful, especially if AD'S have sencitised your nervous system.

You could have a reaction to Myo-Inositol.

 

Good luck with it.

I am sure that one of the mods would be able to help you out with this question.

Good luck. Best wishes, Hopefull.

THank you Hopefull- it is actually for my brother who is still currently on AD's.  I have been off mine for about 2 years now and find that a small amount of inositol does help.  Though as I go higher in dose, I get super drowsy.  But I am more concerned for my brother seeing that he is still on the medication and don't want any interactions with inositol.

[MaryDavid]

Hi everyone,

 

I've just started trying Choline and Inositol.  Im 7 months totally off Citalopram and having a difficult time.  I've noticed itching and slight shaking and also some aggitation.  Im taking a dose of 250mg Choline and 250mg Inositol.  I've only had 5 capsules over the last 2 weeks.  I feel a little numbness at times.  Although I felt a little numbness when I was taking nothing at certain times of the day.

 

Just wondering if anyone as tried this combination.  

 

The other thing is, I cannot understand why in some parts of the day I am fine.  If the trigger thoughts come, they don't trigger the desperately painful emotion and then moments later the trigger comes and I burst into an emotial wreck.  

 

Thanks.

[HalfPerson]

I had problems with the choline/inositol combo. It was making me feel like a lethargic zombie at work and then I couldn't sleep on a night. I can't remember if I had any mood disturbances due to it (it was about a year back) but I was stressed out at the time anyway, so any mood disturbances I'd have likely chalked down to that.

[GuillotineDream]

Inositol was actually one of the only supplements that was helpful about 2 or so years into withdrawal, but unfortunately it dropped my blood sugar too low and I couldn't continue taking it because of the withdrawal induced hypoglycemia

[Carpediem]

I've read good things online about inositol. Like a lot of people, I'm hesitant to take anything that might make things worse or "activating". If you've used it, how was your experience? Side effects, brand, dosage, long term usage safety, etc. Thanks!

[SquirrellyGirl]

It may well be a mobile thing.  Normally a search would bring up a bunch of threads that include the word "inositol" in them, and clicking on the thread links should pop you to where in the thread the word comes up.

 

I use inositol powder, the equivalent of about 12-15 g a day, and my sleep is good and anxiety during the day manageable if it pops up.  I think I'm using it as a security blanket since I take it daily rather than as needed.

 

SG

[Meimeiquest]

If you find the real inositol thread you will learn I have consumed literally pounds of it, and it helped a lot. But recently I stopped and I think I am sleeping a bit better without it because I was awakening as the effect dissipated. Just a new place on the healing curve.

[Petunia]

Topics merged, please read through the entire discussion for more information.

[JanCarol]

OK.  Inositol.

 

I've received all kinds of "advice" and I'm not saying any of it is right or wrong, just what I've been told.

 

First I was told to choose:  If GABA wasn't helping with my sleep, try Inositol (or vice versa - just not both).

 

So I tried Inositol (NOW brand) for awhile, about 1-2 g per night.  Please note, I cannot wrap my head around teaspoons of the stuff, even if it tastes like Easter Morning.

 

Then, when I got tired of being tired, I went back to GABA.  Just as I did, my ortho-doc (who also gave me the first advice) got excited about Inositol and its cell healing and improving blood sugar, sleep and leptin, and metabolic / fatty liver effects.  She said I could take both, but at the very least I should take inositol (more on this in a sec).

 

But in between, a "western herbalist" (as distinguished from an eastern one, or a "naturopathic one") steered me towards Phosphatidyl Serine (PS), Phosphatidyl Choline, and sunflower lecithin.  Sunflower lecithin is more likely to be non GMO (much lecithin is soy based, and I wonder about people who react to it.) and does not react as much with hormones as does soy, and naturally contains:

(approx) 13% inositol, 22% choline, and EFA's like linoleic acid.  (plus, I eat a lot of nuts, for minerals and wonderful things just like this).  I think it's the most valuable thing the "western herbalist" provided, as her supplements for cholesterol and blood sugar did nothing (my ortho-doc took me off of them, and wondered if they actually made things worse).  

 

I like the "feel" of the sunflower lecithin, though I only take about 1 g (1000 iu gelcap) per day.  So I am continuing it.

 

But back to Inositol.  My last visit to ortho-doc, she got all excited about inositol.  She asked me what I had taken.  I said I was taking 1-2 g of NOW with no effect.  She harrumphed.  She gave me a script for compounded inositol.  Having supplements compounded is an Australian thing - since most of them are not available OTC, you can get them as "medical provider only" supplements, and get a script for compounding.  I feel sorry for people with auto-immune or other disorders here who need these supplements, and have to pay $100's a month to get them compounded!  (or pay for the "practitioner only" supplements, which are just as expensive!)

 

(NOTE:  this "practitioner only" tier does have good quality, TGA approved awesome supplements - but they cost 3-10x what they do in America.  So if the American ones are 1/2 as strong, just take 2x as much.  Whatever.  I check all American supplements through Consumer Labs.)

 

Anyhow, the mysterious compounded inositol capsules say only that:  "650 mg Inositol."  My instructions are as follows:  take ONE nightly, for sleep.  Add another earlier in the day (a few weeks later after I found out about reaction / tolerance / etc.).  Add one more PRN, if I feel anxious, crunchy, moody, irritable.  I am now up to 2x a day, afternoon and evening, and I have, on maybe 3-5 occasions, taken a PRN.

 

She does not go in for the "15-25 grams" that I keep hearing about (I haven't read Hoffer on this one).  She says that her 650 mg compounded is very effective, and that I should be able to feel 1-2 capsules.  I have never taken 2 together, I haven't wanted to "feel" them.  BUT, I am sleeping better (even if I'm still severely delayed cycle), and I really really like having something - like Squirrelly said - a security blanket - to take when I'm "extra crunchy."

 

Finally, a "chill pill" for me.  Instead of like, um, you know, drugs.

 

So - overall - I haven't lost any weight.  I have made other lifestyle changes (increased protein 50%, decreased carbs 30%, added HIT to my capacity - still only 3 min a week! - and am looking at how to add more, good fats to my diet).  No weight loss, and I've been having a lot of pain, which maybe be due to the HIT or not.  I will not get blood results back until sometime in July/August.  I will try and remember to report then.

 

I do not know what 15 g of this stuff feels like.  I will not be recommending 15 g of it anywhere, to anyone, regardless of what the interwebs say.  But I reckon in between my "compounded inositol capsules" (have I been duped?) and my sunflower lecithin, it "feels good."  My psychotherapist says she cannot recommend my supplement regime to anyone, but to keep doing what I'm doing, because psychologically, anyway, she loves the results.

 

So - it's mysterious, but also seems helpful.  Does not seem to be reactive for me.  My compounding chemist filled the whole 3 months supply at once to save me about $30/month (I guess he can do that on supplements).  I will copy this post over into my own thread, too.

[tntd]

Hi everyone,

 

I read the thread and was just wondering how everyone is still doing with the inositol. I have been considering adding it to my supplements but am a little nervous about it. I'm not looking for help with sleep I am looking for help with the daytime anxiety that is still keeping me from doing much. Would love to know how things are going for others using this supplement.

 

Thanks

[downtongirl]

I am also wondering if anyone is currently using inositol for breakthrough anxiety or sleep?

[Henosis]

Not sure if this was posted already, but this study I found said inositol actually RESENSITIZES serotonin receptors.

Obviously this is all extremely complex, and the results seem mixed here at best.

Citation:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/9169302/

[Henosis]

Possibly re-sensitizes post synaptic serotonin receptors which seems like an excellent thing for those in ad withdrawal of the serotonergic variety.

Also, definitely modulates glutamate, which may help in glutamergic overactivation in withdrawal, although I didn't find any studies for that.

 

 

Citation: Inositol re-sensitizing serotonin

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/9169302/

[Dwell]

I've read a few people who use inositol for sleep and was wondering if it helps with morning cortisol. I wake up every morning around 4-5 and cannot get back to sleep with major anxiety/adrenalin. Thanks for any input.

[tntd]

I have been taking inositol for awhile now. I had to build up slowly as it caused a lot of GI issues. I'm up to about 20mg a day now. I still struggle with a lot of anxiety but I have noticed that if I forget a dose my anxiety is worse the next day so even though I'm still struggling with the anxiety I think it would be worse if I weren't taking the inositol. Of course I don't know that for sure but I'm not going to test the hypothesis, it took too long to build up to the amount I'm taking now. 

 

I've been taking Vitamin C 1000mg sustained release and low dose aspirin, 81 mg, both twice a day for the cortisol problems. It has really helped with my waking anxiety problems. There's a thread about cortisol mornings that has a lot of good info on it too. Here's the link just in case you haven't read it yet

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/33-waking-with-panic-or-anxiety-managing-cortisol-spikes/

 

Hugs and healing.

[Randy]

I have used Inositol 2-3 grams per day while on a slow taper off Valium. Helps with sleep and mood, reduces anxiety. Havent noticed a rebound effect.

If this is a sub for an A/D med it is far safer than a pharma drug.

 

 

Since 2012 Ativan .5  to 2 mg /day..Lyrica sporadically 150-250 mg/day ..tapered off. Switched from Ativan to 10mg Valium 11/15/18. Tapering 10% per week.

Using lactium and homepathics Calms Forte, fish oil and whey powder (Point of Return program), small amounts melatonin.

D-3.

[DaisyBell]

I get really bad nausea and acid reflux when I take inositol. Any recommendations on how to fix that?  And yes I’ve tried a tiny amount. 

[Mikegs96]

On 1/3/2016 at 7:13 PM, Petunia said:

I've been taking this for 9 days now. I'm gradually increasing my dose and in general I'm feeling calmer and have been sleeping better. Morning cortisol effects have reduced in intensity a little and don't last as long through the day.

 

I found an article written by a doctor who prescribes this for his patients, here is part of it:

 

LISTENING TO INOSITOL: CLINICAL NOTES

Harold Pupko M.D.

 

What if, in the future, a drug with the therapeutic properties of an SSRI, but free of SSRI side-effects was developed? What if it was available over the counter? What if the future is already here?

 

My clinical experience is that inositol can have a calming effect in patients with hypervigilant states such as generalized anxiety disorder, borderline personality disorder, hypochondriasis and chronic anger states. As inositol has a powerful tension reducing effect, it is not surprising that it has been used successfully to treat trichotillomania and compulsive skin picking, two behaviors that are rooted in habits aimed at tension reduction.

 

When I prescribe inositol, the target symptom I ask my patients to pay attention to is repetitive mental "looping". Inositol seems to clear the mind of "chatter," a term that resonates with the my patients. It seems particularly effective at reducing "pillow chatter," the repetitive yackity-yack that emanates from the mind when trying to fall asleep at night. This response is seen in patients whether inositol is taken in the morning or at night.

 

I have found that inositol augmentation of SSRIs and SNRIs can be very useful (despite literature published to the contrary). When a patient is at the maximum recommended SSRI dose, rather than risk serotonin syndrome with higher dosage or by mixing SSRIs, I have successfully added inositol. In fact, I have had a few cases where remission of both depression and OCD have been achieved with this combination. See the comments on drug interactions for warnings about this.

Mechanism of action: Similar to SSRIs, the exact mechanism by which inositol exerts its positive effect on neurons is unclear. Inositol is a key component of cellular signalling systems via the phosphatidyl-inositol second messenger cycle (thus influencing not just serotonin signalling, but other neurotransmitter systems as well).
It can also influence hormones that can affect brain activity, such as has been demonstrated with the use of 600 mg. of inositol in combination with selenomethionine to treat Hashimoto's thyroiditis: the inositol increases TSH sensitivity.

Inositol is a "gliotransmitter," or more precisely, a neuromodulator through its action via glial cells. Glial cells regulate synaptic function Since the brain is composed mostly of glial cells, I would suspect that glial cells are a therapeutic target for inositol.
Glial cells modulate the firing of neurons, increasing "synaptic fidelity," whereby important brain signals become crisper and clearer because there is less unwanted activity or "chatter" among neurons that should not be firing. This clinically correlates quite well with what my patients treated with inositol describe.

Inositol is endogenously produced from glucose, and the average diet contains one gram daily.

Dosage: The original studies used 12 g daily for depression and panic disorder and 18 g daily for OCD. Some of my patients have responded to doses as small as 500 mg daily (the dose usually found in tablets).
I usually start my patients on one teaspoon of inositol POWDER daily (approximately 3 g) mixed with the beverage of their choice. Inositol does not dissolve very well, so I usually recommend that users put the entire daily dose in a glass of water, stir, and drink the water while it is still in motion.

I have had patients add the powder to their morning tea or coffee (antioxidant bonus) as a sweetener. Despite claims that caffeine makes inositol ineffective, my clinical experience does not support this.

I encourage my patients to increase the dosage by one teaspoon every three or four days, although most prefer to increase the dose every week or two. Some have aggressively increased it by one teaspoon daily with no negative effects. Once a dose is reached where there is no improvement on the previous dose, I usually recommend staying at the previous dose for one month, and then reduce until there is some loss of effect, in which case the recommendation is to stay at the minimal effective dose for another month and try again next month to reduce it. The principle is to take as little as needed without losing any effect. I leave the pace of increase and decrease up to the individual.

It has been hard to tell at times what my patients are taking in terms of dosage, as I rarely can get anybody to use a measuring spoon (although by my measure a “heaping teaspoon” can amount to two teaspoons).
There is no maximum dosage.

I suggest taking the entire dose in the morning, based on my suspicion that this is chronotherapeutically the best time of day to deliver the inositol to the body.

 

If gastrointestinal symptoms emerge (gas, bloating, diarrhea), I suggest that the dose be split to bid up to qid...

 

It is important to let patients know that they will not gain weight from this "sugar" as it has zero calories.

 

Treatment duration depends on the chronicity of the condition being treated, but in contrast to SSRIs, inositol seems to stabilize the brain as a biological "system restore."

There is a different exit strategy for this medication as opposed to the SSRIs. In sharp contrast to the SSRIs, I have never seen any discontinuation syndrome/withdrawl symptoms from missed doses or even discontinuation of inositol. Symptoms of the original condition may re-emerge once the inositol is discontinued, but this should not be confused with inositol withdrawal.
In fact, I have used inositol to successfully manage discontinuation from SSRIs, using an aggressive dosing regimen.

 

Drug Interactions: As already mentioned, inositol can boost the effects of SSRIs. When adding inositol to an SSRI, be aware that SSRI side effects can emerge, similar to what happens when starting or increasing an SSRI. That means that symptoms such as headaches, nausea, weirder dreams, etc are not due to the inositol but due to the juiced up SSRI, and usually pass within 7-14 days as is the usual cases with SSRI dosage adjustments.

 

Full article here:  http://inositolpage.blogspot.com.au/2007/10/psycho-powder-panacea-or-placebo.html

What symptoms of discontinuing SSRI's can Inositol manage? 

[Armorall]

@Petunia are you still taking inositol? How is it working for you?

@Roxane seems to be into taking it. 

[tntd]

Hi Armorall,

 

I just wanted to comment on my experience with inositol. I started taking it in 2016 after a CT from Buproprion. It helped with some of the anxiety so I continued to take it. I do notice if I miss a dose my anxiety dose increase a little so I know it's still helping me. Since I struggle with anxiety anyway I'll probably continue to take it even after I'm off of all my medications. 

 

I did find that I had GI distress while amping up the dose so I increased it very slowly. In addition anything we take can have paradoxical effects so it's always good to start small and go slow. I got up to 18g and then was able to back off to 12g. I've been taking that dose now for a couple of years. 

 

I read the clinical notes by the doctor and found them very interesting. I've done a lot of research on inostitol in the past and found that it has been used for both anxiety and OCD patients. I will have to find the links to the articles again as it has been years since I did the research.

 

Hope this information helps.

 

Hugs and healing 

T 

[Johni]

Hi guys. I would have a question, was / was there anyone who took it during the reduction?

[Onmyway]

On 9/15/2020 at 9:35 AM, Johni said:

Hi guys. I would have a question, was / was there anyone who took it during the reduction?

Yes I am taking it. Can't say it's had a profound effect. I don't know if it helps one way or the other tbh. I tried the pills which end up very expensive and now doing the powder from Jarrow.

 

Worth a try.

[Johni]

@Onmyway

 

Hello. thanks for the reply.can you tell me what dose you are taking? Thanks

 

Edited September 22, 2020 by ChessieCat
extracted response from translation box

[Onmyway]

Around 2400mg once - I'm not disciplined enough to space it during the day.

 

 

[lucidity]

I tried this stuff recently and while it seemed to work at first, after 2 days I started to develop constant anxiety regardless of when I took it, followed by muscle spasms.  I researched further, and someone on longecity says it depletes potassium and magnesium, which would explain these symptoms.  Unfortunately for me, magnesium seems to work wonderfully for a day or three for anxiety and sleep, and then it causes severe anxiety seemingly out of nowhere -- and this is with doses of only 25-30mg/day.  Would this still happen if I am deficient in magnesium? I'm not sure, but I certainly don't want to find out if the answer is "yes." I guess I'll need to stop my inositol experiment

 

 

[DaisyBell]

On 10/7/2020 at 7:10 AM, lucidity said:

I tried this stuff recently and while it seemed to work at first, after 2 days I started to develop constant anxiety regardless of when I took it, followed by muscle spasms.  I researched further, and someone on longecity says it depletes potassium and magnesium, which would explain these symptoms.  Unfortunately for me, magnesium seems to work wonderfully for a day or three for anxiety and sleep, and then it causes severe anxiety seemingly out of nowhere -- and this is with doses of only 25-30mg/day.  Would this still happen if I am deficient in magnesium? I'm not sure, but I certainly don't want to find out if the answer is "yes." I guess I'll need to stop my inositol experiment

 

 

Interesting point regarding potassium and magnesium. Do you think you could hunt down the source and post it here. I use to handle magnesium until about two years ago. Now it depresses me. I need regular calcium to stay ok now. I also do well with inositol. It dampens the thoughts that lead me panic.