Inositol is generally (but incorrectly) known as Vitamin B8, so it should be safe to use. Right? Well, there are inositol side effects to be aware of depending upon your personal circumstances.
So, I will give you the commonly known inositol side effects, and then delve into the more obscure details.
First, let me say that inositol is safe for practically everyone. Even in large doses. However, some people will experience some side effects.
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The thing you need to watch out for is: if and how your other medications react with inositol to create unwanted side effects.
Inositol is water soluble. That means that large doses of it are not likely to build up in your body. Which also means that inositol side effects should disappear fairly quickly as the inositol gets flushed out of the body.
Some Of The Other Names For Inositol
- D-chiro-inositol or chiro-inositol
- D-Myo-Inositol or Myo-Inositol
- Vitamin B8
- Inositol (vitamin b8)
- Inositol Monophosphate
My Personal Use Of Inositol (Vitamin B8)
I take lots of vitamin and mineral supplements. My multi-vitamin supplement and also my multiple B vitamin that I take as a nootropic, each contain 50mg of inositol. As you will see later in this article, those are very minimal amounts.
Well, I only take half of the recommended dose of the multivitamin supplement on a daily basis. Also, I only take the multiple B vitamin complex and Quercetin on weekends when I want to be extra sharp mentally.
Just for the record, I also take quite a few other vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements every day. Which is why I only take half of the recommended dose of the multi-vitamin/mineral supplement.
I am in excellent health. All of my vital signs are good, and I don’t take any medications. Therefore, I am not concerned about possible side effects of taking Inositol and other drugs.
Many other people, who do take other medications, should check with their doctor before taking an inositol supplement.
Update: I am now taking a 250mg choline & 250mg inositol supplement
People are taking this choline & iositol supplement for:
- Clearing up brain fog.
- As a substitute for Zanax (anxiey and panic attacks).
- Makes life “normal” from being bipolar and having ADHD.
- Lowering triglycerides and cholesterol.
- Cleaning out a fatty liver.
- New hair growth.
- Improves mental focus while taking tests.
- Greater energy and stamina.
- Reducing OCD symptoms in an autistic child.
- Increases the effect of Lithium so they can lower their Lithium dosage.
- Dealing with PCOS.
- Reducing anxiety and depression.
- Stopping hair loss from hypothyroidism.
- Preventing neurothapy from Type 2 diabetes.
- Relieving neuropathy caused by chemo therapy.
What Medications Or Supplements Are You Taking Now That Could Cause Side effects?
That is a question for your doctor and pharmacist to answer. Please check with them about that. They are the ones who (should) keep up to date on the latest medical studies.
Unfortunately, there are so many new scientific studies being published every year that no one can keep up to date with them. That is one reason why there are so many medical specialists nowadays.
So, you need to do some research on your own. I assume that is why you are reading this article. I am having to do some research to write this article for you.
What Medical Condition Are You Taking Inositol (Vitamin B8) For?
- Diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes).
- Panic disorders
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome
- Autism
- Metabolic syndrome
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Schizophrenia
Other uses of inositol that probably are not effectively treated.
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Insomnia
• High cholesterol
• Bipolar disorder
• Lung cancer
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Adult Diabetes
You certainly don’t have all of the medical conditions that inositol is used to treat for. So, feel free to skip to whatever paragraph in this article fits for you.
How Much Can You Take Without Having Inositol Side Effects?
Too Much Of A Good Thing Is Bad For You
In a medical study on treating panic disorders with inositol the participants took 12 grams of inositol every day for four weeks with minimal side effects. [1]
Another panic disorder study had participants us 18 grams of inositol per day. [2]
From everything I have read 12-18 grams per day is considered a high dose. And therefore, a megadose would be something over that amount.
By comparison, there are many inositol supplements that recommend from ½ to 2 grams (500-2,000mg) per day.
Keep in mind that what some people call a megadose is what other people call a high dose.
Also, what is an appropriate dose for anxiety is far too much for treating PCOS. So, you need to know what amount is appropriate for your personal situation.
Various studies have shown no inositol side effects from taking 4 grams per day or less. [3]
A study of myo-inositol for lung cancer showed that taking 18 grams per day was safe. Although the inositol side effects included loose stools or diarrhea and flatulence. [4]
Choline & Inositol Side Effects
I have not found any evidence of any choline inositol side effects.
A study on rats showed that this combination does not reduce weight, but stops additional adipose weight gain. It also lowered the amount of fat in the liver. [14}
Common Side Effects of Inositol
- Can Inositol cause diarrhea? Probably the most common inositol side effect is diarrhea. A high dosage of 12 grams or more per day can cause diarrhea. Although, even higher amounts (30 grams/day) did not increase this common side effect. [5]
- Inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) side effects and Mineral deficiencies. Only the hexaphosphate form of inositol is known to prevent or reduce the absorption of iron, zinc, manganese, magnesium, and calcium. Inositol hexaphosphate is also known as Phytic acid. If you are reading the various inositol studies, it is also called IP6. Inositol hexaphosphate naturally occurs in many foods and it will combine with the minerals in those foods. Which prevents them from being absorbed by your body. [6] This is a big problem. So, don’t buy any product that contains Inositol hexaphosphate (IP6).
- Stomach Gas and Flatulence: It should be obvious that stomach gas can cause stomach aches. Gastrointestinal distress can often times be avoided by taking smaller doses of inositol and building up to larger doses. If you must take larger doses, you may find that the stomach gas and flatulence may stop after your body has adjusted to the inositol. One study found that not until 12 grams a day were taken did flatulence or diarrhea occur. [5]
- High blood pressure spikes: Stomach gas can be very uncomfortable and cause you to be stressed out about it. Which can lead to your blood pressure increasing.
- Nausea and vomiting: Here again a high dosage of inositol may cause some distress, because you “surprised” your body, and your body is trying to adjust too quickly.
- Bipolar disorder symptoms are likely to get worse from the use of inositol. This is based upon the idea that Lithium reduces bipolar symptoms by reducing the amount of inositol in the brain. Therefore, taking more inositol will increase the bipolar disorder. [7]
- Diabetes: What you might call a happy inositol side effect is that it can lower your blood sugar levels. Although if your blood sugar level goes too low, that is another side effect to watch out for. [8]
- Tiredness, dizziness, nausea, and headaches were reported side effects during a study on depression and panic attacks. Three out of the group of 25 patients reported these symptoms while taking 18 grams of inositol per day. [9]
- Sleepiness was reported by just 2 of the 21 patients in a study on panic disorders. [10]
Happy Inositol Side Effects: PCOS Treatment, Weight Loss, Hirsutism, and Acne
A study of women with PCOS showed that Myo-Inositol can remove visceral fat, while also improving the fujnction of the ovaries.. [13]
Also, I have not found any studies that indicated that inositol caused any weight gain.
Another study found that six months of d-myo-inositol PCOS treatment reduced hirsutism and acne. [15]
Inositol Nicotinate (Hexanicotinate) Side Effects
Inositol Hexanicotinate is the same thing as Inositol Hexaniacinate and also the same thing as Inositol Nicotinate.
This form is sold, because it does not cause skin flushing. However, the amount of niacin that your body absorbs, is about 30% less than the Nicotinamide form. [12] Pictured on the right.
Inositol nicotinate is used to treat Raynaud’s syndrome. The symptoms of Raynaud’s syndrome are having pain in the fingers and toes when exposed to the cold.
There is conflicting evidence that Inositol nicotinate can lower cholesterol and increase blood circulation in the legs (intermittent claudication).
Inositol nicotinate side effects include: headaches, nausea and/or an upset stomach, along with burping and hiccups.
Allergies: In your body, inositol nicotinate releases Niacin (Vitamin B3), which then releases histamine. Histamine is what causes your allergy symptoms to appear.
Diabetes: Here again the Niacin B3 vitamin is released from the inositol nicotinate and this can cause problems in controlling your blood sugar levels.
Less blood clotting: Don’t take Inositol nicotinate if you are on blood thinners such as:
• Rivaroxaban (Xarelto)
• Dabigatran (Pradaxa)
• Apixaban (Eliquis)
• Heparin (various)
• Warfarin (Coumadin)
The reason is that the extra niacin will also reduce the clotting of blood. See your doctor about adjusting your other medications before taking inositol nicotinate.
Lowered blood pressure: Niacin will also lower your blood pressure. So, see your doctor first.
Stomach ulcers, liver disease, and kidney disease can all be made worse by using inositol nicotinate.
Inositol Arginine Silicate Side Effects
Nitrosigine is a brand name for Inositol Arginine Silicate. The FDA has deemed it GRAS (Generally Accepted As Safe). In one study ten men took 1500mg per day for 14 days with no side effects. [11]
Choline Bitartrate & Inositol Side Effects
Choline and inositol have a combined synergistic nootropic effect for boosting brain function.
I have not found any studies about combined choline bitartrate & inositol side effects.
So, I will tell you about the choline side effects and you can add them to the inositol side effects. This may not be an accurate way to describe the side effects. Since I didn’t find any side effects for this combination, that probably means there are none.
The upper safe limit of choline for people over 18 years old is 3.5 grams per day.
Normal daily safe amounts of choline are 550mg for men and for women that are breast feeding their children.
The normal daily dose for women is 425mg per day.
Choline bitartrate side effects occur as gastrointestinal distress that includes vomiting and also diarrhea. Additionally, side effects include having a fishy smelling body odor, nervousness, fatigue and sweating.
Also, increased choline has been associated with a higher risk of colon and rectum cancer in women.
References
[1] Double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of inositol treatment for panic disorder.
[3] Inositol safety: clinical evidences
[4] A phase I study of myo-inositol for lung cancer chemoprevention.
[5] Inositol safety: clinical evidences
[6] Influence of Vegetable Protein Sources on Trace Element and Mineral Bioavailability
[8] D-chiro-inositol–its functional role in insulin action and its deficit in insulin resistance.
[10] Double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of inositol treatment for panic disorder.
[12] Niacin
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