Why Has Myoinositol Become so Popular in the Fertility World?
I constantly get asked about PCOS and ovulation—what can we do to help ovulate and ovulate better?
Myoinositol is a supplement to know. It is actually part of the B-vitamin family and found in a wide variety of foods including fresh fruits, beans, whole grains and seeds. There are many recognizable fertility supplements, but myoinositol is often not commonly known by my clients and should be on your list to consider.
Myoinositol—what is it?
Funny name right? Myo, or myoinositol, is a type of inositol that is often mistaken for vitamin B8, but it's not. It's a sort of sugar that affects insulin sensitivity as well as a number of hormones linked to mood and cognition.
Myoinositol is starting to become quite popular in the fertility industry, as dietitians, fertility coaches, and OBGYNs believe that it enhances egg and embryo quality, and thus IVF pregnancy rates.
There is also evidence that it improves male fertility by helping with regulating the environment to support speed and movement of the seminal fluid, which is important in helping to get pregnant.
Myoinositol is considered a second messenger in signal transduction pathways (how your cells respond), and it's been linked to hormone release by the ovaries and other endocrine glands.
It also has antioxidant capabilities that fight off potential free radicals that have the potential to damage the central nervous system, the brain, cardiovascular system, and other body tissues.
Free radicals are bad news for fertility and this is where nutrition and targeted supplementation can really make a difference.
While Myoinositol can be found in a variety of fruits such as cantaloupe and citrus fruits as well as fiber rich foods such as beans, brown rice, corn, sesame seeds, and wheat bran, it can also be created in a lab and produced in the human body.
I am definitely a food first nutritionist; I want you to eat really wholesome, nourishing meals in all the colors of the rainbow to support getting pregnant. Food is really neat in that it also has all sorts of cofactors—little components that help you better absorb the nutrients in that particular food. However, when you want to get pregnant, getting additional support on top of a healthy diet is sometimes needed.
How is Myoinositol good for female fertility?
Myoinositol plays a role in insulin and blood sugar. It has also been linked to diseases related to elevated blood sugar. Diabetic neuropathy, depression, Alzheimer's disease, panic disorder, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) have all been treated with Myoinositol. It is only recently that some of the research on blood sugar and fertility has been emerging (as the PCOS community has long known) and Myoinositol has been found to improve fertility odds as well.
Myoinositol regulates a number of signaling pathways, including insulin and gonadotropin pathways, and hence has the potential to improve fertility. Several clinical investigations have shown that its administration can have therapeutic effects in infertile women and that it can also be used in pregnancy.
How does this work? And what’s the proof?
Triglyceride, testosterone, and blood pressure levels are reduced and ovarian function is improved by taking Myoinositol by mouth. If one takes both Myoinositol and D-chiro-inositol together, improvements in blood pressure, blood sugar, ovulation, and pregnancy rates are seen more than just taking either type alone.
Myoinositol can even help if someone has diminished ovarian reserve (DOR). DOR is a condition in which the ovaries lose their typical reproductive potential, which affects fertility. In a 2021 study, researchers evaluated the effect of Myoinositol on fertility rates in poor ovarian responder women undergoing assisted reproductive technique.
The researchers found that the supplementation of Myoinositol in poor ovarian responders dramatically improved the assisted reproductive technique (ART) outcome such as fertilization rate gonadotropin, ovarian sensitivity index (OSI) and significantly reduced the required units of gonadotropin.
What about male fertility?
One factor that can contribute to both male (and female) infertility is the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Basically, free radicals that cause damage and inflammation. Researchers have suggested that myoinositol may play a part in balancing seminal fluid so it is optimized to reach the egg.
How much inositol should I take daily for fertility?
The normal dose is 2 grams of Myoinositol; the most effective form appears to be a 40:1 blend of 40 mg myoinositol and 1 mg D-chiro-inositol. If you struggle with PCOS, poor egg quality, you are over 35 or experience blood sugar fluctuations, this might be a good supplement to add to your fertility plan, although I suggest checking with your healthcare provider first.
Confused on what to take and not to take? Or where to start? We get it.
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