Inositol is a game changing mood-enhancing nutrient that doesn’t get the same press that serotonin and dopamine get…but it should because it affects their production.
Inositol is a natural supplement that effectively helps with a variety of mood, weight and hormone issues that both women and men frequently struggle with. I use it in my practice for women with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome), eating disorders that include binging, depression, anxiety and metabolic weight issues.
Keep reading if you want to know how to balance your body weight, feel happier and less anxious and irritable, and hormonally balanced.
How Inositol Helps Create Happy Brains:
Inositol aids in the communication between billions of brain cells and is highly concentrated in the brain where it is used to relay messages coming from the neurotransmitters responsible for your mood, sleep, motivation, stress coping ability, addiction and cravings, libido and memory: serotonin, acetylcholine, GABA, norepinephrine, and dopamine. These heavy hitters need inositol to function just like your blow dryer needs electricity to function.
Use Inositol and Get and Improve Your Mental and Hormonal Well-Being in These 7 Ways:
1. A Natural Remedy for PMS: Have you felt like you have no control of your moods? Does your mood cycle through the month? Inositol can help diminish the irritability, mood swings, and depression associated with PMS and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Here are some of the common symptoms of PMDD. Inositol is dosed at 2-4 gms per day in divided doses when the symptoms are severe:
- Depressed mood, feelings of hopelessness, or self-deprecating thoughts
- Anxiety, tension, feelings of being “keyed up,” or “on edge”
- Mood swings (e.g., feeling suddenly sad or tearful or increased sensitivity to rejection)
- Anger or irritability or increased interpersonal conflicts
- Decreased interest in usual activities (e.g., work, school, friends, hobbies)
- Difficulty concentrating
- Lethargy, easy fatigability, or marked lack of energy
- Change in appetite, overeating, or specific food cravings
- Sleeping too much or insomnia
- Feeling overwhelmed or out of control
- Other physical symptoms, such as breast tenderness or swelling, headaches, joint or muscle pain, a sensation of “bloating,” or weight gain.
2. A Natural Treatment for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS): PCOS impacts 10% of women. It affects fertility, causes menstrual irregularity, and is characterized by extra facial hair, blood sugar imbalance and weight gain. Inositol aids in normalizing and balancing hormones, including testosterone and insulin.
3. A Natural Anti-Anxiety Supplement: Most people I have had to prescribe anti-anxiety medications for are so grateful to be rid of their gripping anxiety and panic attacks that they ignore the side effects of these strong brain altering medications for a long time. They are happy to be sleeping, happy to be less stressed and happy to be leading productive lives that are free of unrelenting fear and worry. However, they always return later and ask how to get off of these dependency forming medications.
Inositol is a natural anti-anxiety product that has scientific evidence for being useful for panic disorders (just as effective as Paxil and without side effects), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder, agoraphobia, and general anxiety disorder.
4. A Natural Intervention for Depression: Depression is diagnosed in women twice as often as it is in men. This calls into question the role estrogen plays in a woman’s mood and cognitive function. Research tells us that inositol levels are too low in depressed people. However, inositol will likely be only one piece of the depression and hormone puzzle. Inositol aids in the proper conversion of hormones, which means you will also need to have your hormones checked using functional medicine testing. I also like using genetic testing so I can see exactly which neurotransmitters are potentially problematic.
5. Cuts OCD Symptoms in Half: Research indicates that inositol can reduce symptoms of OCD by 50% and do it without unwanted side effects of prescription medication.
6. Aids in Reducing Bulimic Episodes: Doses of 18 grams a day of Inositol have been shown to reduce binge eating while at the same time alleviating anxiety and depression.
7. Inositol Reduces Lithium Induced Psoriasis: Lithium is a prescription drug used in the management of people with bipolar disorder. A common side effect of prescription lithium is an autoimmune skin disorder called psoriasis. People taking lithium are at risk for dumping their inositol. Taking inositol will not interfere with the effectiveness of lithium, but it can help prevent the psoriasis.
As always, my blog posts and articles do not replace the advice of your medical provider. All inositol is not created equally. The brand I recommend has been vetted and researched by me and is cost effective as well as biologically effective. You can purchase it here: https://www.drkeesha.com/shop/inositol/
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