undefined

Inositol and PCOS FAQs

About Our Research

We have built a research bot based on the Evidence Based Guidelines and our own peer reviewed journal article research. Please ask it anything and let us know if it is helpful.

AI Avatar

Hi👋 I am Jai, Inositol.au's chatbot assistant! I am trained on the sites content and Evidence Based Guidelines. Here are some things you can ask me:

• What do the PCOS guidelines say about diet and exercise?
• How can inositol help with PCOS symptoms?
• What are the guideline recommendations for fertility treatment?
• Where is my order? (Must be logged in)

Just ask anything. I am still learning about my new job, but I'll give you the best answer I can.

Events

Medical Disclaimer: Please note we are not doctors and are not qualified to give medical advice. The information on this site is general in nature and does not take into account your specific health circumstances. Nothing on this site should be a substitute for professional health or medical advice.

inositol-and-pcos.jpg

FAQs

What changes should I expect in the first 3 months of taking myo-inositol?

What changes should I expect in the first 3 months of taking myo-inositol?

Here’s the simple, gentle overview of changes many women notice in the first 3 months of taking myo-inositol for PCOS:

Weeks 1–4:

– You might not notice big changes right away, and that’s totally okay.
– Some people feel a slight boost in energy or steadier mood as blood sugar regulation begins to improve.
– Mild digestive adjustments can happen but usually settle quickly if you start with a lower dose and build up.

Weeks 4–8:

– Many women start to see improvements in menstrual cycle regularity or spotting a bit more predictable timing.
– Some notice fewer cravings or less intense sugar dips.
– Skin may start to feel calmer, though acne improvements often take longer.

Weeks 8–12:

– Ovulation may become more regular—this can sometimes be tracked with ovulation kits or basal body temperature if you’re monitoring fertility.
– Energy levels often feel more stable throughout the day.
– Hormonal symptoms like excess hair growth or acne might begin to soften, but these changes can take more time and may need additional approaches.
– Overall sense of feeling more balanced and in tune with your body is common.

Remember, everyone’s body is unique. Some see faster changes, others more gradual. It’s about gentle progress and tuning in to what feels different for you.

You Can track your changes using this Inositol 12 Week Progress Checker worksheet.

Can myo-inositol help with acne related to PCOS?

Can myo-inositol help with acne related to PCOS?

Many women with PCOS find acne frustrating, as it’s often linked to hormonal imbalances—especially elevated androgens like testosterone—that can increase oil production and clog pores.

Here’s how myo-inositol might help with acne in PCOS:

  • By supporting better insulin sensitivity, myo-inositol can help lower excess insulin levels. Since high insulin can trigger the ovaries to produce more androgens, reducing insulin resistance may help bring androgen levels down a bit.
  • Lower androgen levels often mean less oiliness and fewer acne breakouts for some women over time.
  • Some people also notice improvements in skin texture and inflammation, likely due to more balanced hormones overall.

It’s important to remember:

  • Changes with acne can take time—often a few months—to become noticeable.
  • Myo-inositol is just one part of a broader approach that might include skincare, diet, stress management, and sometimes medical treatments.
  • We can’t offer medical advice, so if acne is severe or impacting your wellbeing, chatting with a healthcare professional or dermatologist is a great next step.

You can view our reviews analysis here to learn more about benefits of myo-inositol.

How does inositol help women with PCOS?

How does inositol help women with PCOS?

How Does Inositol Help Women with PCOS?

We can’t offer medical advice, but here’s how many women with PCOS say inositol—especially myo‑inositol—can support their day-to-day wellbeing.

What it may help with

  • More regular cycles and ovulation: By supporting insulin signalling, myo‑inositol can lower insulin levels, which may reduce excess androgens. Many women notice cycles become more predictable over time.
  • Metabolic support: Improvements in insulin resistance markers (like fasting insulin or HOMA‑IR) and sometimes lipids have been seen in studies. Day-to-day, people often describe steadier energy and fewer sugar cravings.
  • Skin and mood balance: Some report calmer skin and fewer “mood dips,” likely related to more stable insulin and androgen patterns.
  • Fertility support: Better ovulatory function and, in assisted reproduction settings, improved oocyte/embryo quality have been reported in several trials.

Safety and what to expect

  • Tolerance: Generally well tolerated. The most common early side effect is mild digestive upset, which often settles with food or a slower ramp-up.
  • Patience pays: Many people find it takes 6–12 weeks of consistent use to notice changes—and that’s totally okay. Small steps really do count.
  • A note on D‑chiro‑inositol (DCI): We do not recommend DCI on its own. Some research raises concerns that higher-dose or long-term DCI alone may be less helpful for the ovary and could be counterproductive for egg quality. If you’re considering inositol, myo‑inositol is the form most often studied for cycle regularity and metabolic support.

Simple ways to track progress

  • Jot down cycle length/ovulation signs
  • Notice energy, cravings, and mood
  • Keep an eye on skin changes
  • If you monitor labs with your clinician, note fasting glucose/insulin or lipids

Key references (plain‑language summaries available if helpful)

  • International Evidence‑Based Guideline for PCOS (2023 update): discusses inositol as an option for metabolic and ovulatory support, with variable evidence quality. Teede HJ et al., Monash University: https://www.monash.edu/medicine/sphpm/mchri/pcos/guideline
  • Unfer V, Facchinetti F, et al. Inositols in PCOS—overview of mechanisms and clinical trials. Nutrients. 2017;9(7):646. doi:10.3390/nu9070646
  • Pundir J, Psilidas S, Gopalakrishnan M, et al. Inositol treatment in women with PCOS: systematic review and meta‑analysis of randomized trials. Gynecological Endocrinology. 2018;34(7):546–557.
  • Laganà AS, Vitagliano A, Noventa M, et al. Myo‑inositol in PCOS: a systematic review and meta‑analysis showing improvements in insulin resistance and ovulatory function. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2018;298(3):487–502.

You can read our own analysis of over 400 real reviews here.

What blood tests should I get for PCOS?

What blood tests should I get for PCOS?

Refer to the Evidence Based Guidelines & our 12 essential PCOS blood tests post for more details on this.

✅ Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH)

✅ Total and Free Testosterone or Free Androgen Index (FAI)

✅ DHEAS (Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate)

✅ Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin (SHBG)

✅ Prolactin

✅ LH, FSH, and Estradiol (optional, not diagnostic)

✅ TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone)

✅ Free T4 (if thyroid dysfunction suspected)

✅ Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)

✅ HbA1c

✅ Fasting insulin and glucose (for HOMA-IR)

✅ Lipid Profile (Total Cholesterol, LDL, HDL, Triglycerides)

How much inositol should I take for PCOS?

The recommended daily dose for women with PCOS is 4 grams per day. This can be taken as 1 x 4g dose in the morning. Or as 2g with breakfast in the morning and 2g in the evening with dinner.A 4 gram serve is a not quite flat metric teaspoon. A 2 gram serve is a not quite flat metric 1/2 teaspoon. We now provide a 2g scoop in our Natural Myo Inositol Product.

Can I take Inositol for PCOS with coffee?

It is recommended that you don’t take inositol with a lot of coffee as too much caffeine reduces the positive benefits. There isn’t a negative health effect rather just the reduction of positive effects.

How much is a lot? Depends on your body size and other factors but 3+ cups of coffee a day is a good place to start.

Why don't you sell a 40:1 D Chiro / Myo Inositol Blend.

PCOS FAQs 1

The inositol problem in PCOS is that the body over converts Myo Inositol (MI) into D Chiro Inositol. (DCI) Adding more DCI isn’t the answer.

In PCOS patients with hyperinsulinemia, increased epimerase activity leads to excessive conversion of MI to DCI in the ovary, resulting in MI depletion and DCI overproduction (Nestler & Unfer, 2015; Unfer et al., 2014). 

This imbalance may impair FSH signaling and oocyte quality (Nestler & Unfer, 2015). Studies have shown that the MI:DCI ratio in follicular fluid drops from 100:1 in healthy women to 0.2:1 in PCOS patients (Unfer et al., 2014). 

The altered MI:DCI ratio may contribute to pathological steroidogenesis in PCOS, with DCI promoting androgen synthesis and reducing estradiol production (Unfer et al., 2020). 

Restoring the appropriate MI:DCI ratio has shown efficacy in PCOS treatment, and MI supplementation may improve oocyte and sperm quality in assisted reproduction (Facchinetti et al., 2016).

In addition D-Chiro has negative long term effects.

Please read:

Nordio, M.; Bezerra Espinola, M.S.; Bilotta, G.; Capoccia, E.; Montanino Oliva, M. Long-Lasting Therapies with High Doses of D-chiro-inositol: The Downside. J.Clin. Med. 2023, 12, 390. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12010390

R. GAMBIOLI, G. FORTE, C. ARAGONA, A. BEVILACQUA, M. BIZZARRI, V. UNFER. The use of D-chiro-Inositol in clinical practice European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences 2021; 25: 438-446

Are there side effects from PCOS Inositol?

Inositol is a very safe food supplement. It is naturally found in mothers breast milk and often used in infant formulas and baby foods.

For a small percentage of women there is an adjustment process. This may mean headaches, dizziness, stomach ache or more frequent urination for the first few days or even weeks.

If this is the case for you, then we recommend you take your regular over the counter headache tablets and or start on a smaller dose and build up to the recommended dose slowly.

So rather than 4 grams per day you might take 1g in week 1, 2g in week 2, 3g in week 3, 4g in week 4.

It may also be helpful to split the daily dose into a morning and evening serving.

If problems persist stop taking inositol immediately and talk to your GP.

Can I take PCOS Inositol while I am pregnant?

Inositol is recommended by some GP’s to women who are pregnant as it reduces the risk of gestational diabetes.

There are a number of peer reviewed studies where there has been no adverse effects from near conception through to delivery.

Always check with your GP if this is right for you.

Can I take PCOS Inositol while I am breastfeeding?

We have not found a study to say that inositol in breastmilk causes problems for breastfeeding infants.

There are studies to support some positive benefits but there isn’t a lot of research on this.

We recommend that you make your own searches using the above provided sources.

If you do find something that we haven’t seen please let us know.

Why isn't Inositol powder made from Australian grown corn?

The planting area for corn in Australia averages 160,000 hectares and produces around 440,000 tonnes.

In China the area planted for corn is 76,000,000 acres producing 257 million tonnes.

This is well over 500 times more corn grown than in Australia.

Inositol production is a small fraction of this large quantity.

We haven’t found an Australian grown Inositol supply and suspect that the Australian industry is too small and serves other higher yield markets

Is your Inositol powder vegan & GMO free?

Yes. It is GMO Free, Plant Based and Vegan safe. It is made from corn.

Can I take Inositol powder while I am taking another medication?

Depends on advice from your doctor. We cannot give medical advice and this is even more specialised as it is a toxicology question relating to your personal circumstances which we are not qualified to know.

Is Inositol powder safe?

Yes inositol is recognised as generally safe when used in recommended doses.

Compared to other products, the adverse events per 100,000 users is nearly 100 times lower than other common treatments like MF.

How Inositol Compares: Estimated Adverse Events per 100,000 Users”

Substance

Estimated Adverse Events (/100k)

Inositol

0.4

L-Choline

0.7

Vitamin C

2

Vitamin D

3

Echinacea

6

St John’s Wort

10

Berberine

16

Metformin

39

References:

  • Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. (n.d.). Database of Adverse Event Notifications (DAEN). Therapeutic Goods Administration. https://www.tga.gov.au/safety/database-adverse-event-notifications-daen

  • Cavicchia, M. L., et al. (2019). Safety and tolerability of inositol supplementation in clinical practice: A systematic review. International Journal of Endocrinology, 2019, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/2532583

  • Kennedy, D. O. (2016). B vitamins and the brain: Mechanisms, dose and efficacy—A review. Nutrients, 8(2), 68. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8020068

  • Ernst, E. (2002). Adverse effects of herbal drugs in dermatology. British Journal of Dermatology, 146(6), 929–936. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2133.2002.04770.x

  • Nathan, D. M., et al. (2006). Medical management of hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes: A consensus algorithm. Diabetes Care, 29(8), 1963–1972. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc06-9912

 

 

 

What is Inositol?

Inositol is a sweet carbohydrate powder food supplement used for treating PCOS, fertility, certain cognitive and insulin resistant health conditions. You are best to read the wiki page for a more technical explantion. Link here.

How does Inositol powder help women with PCOS?

It reduces the hormone imbalances acting as a regulator of levels. It may help reduce hormone levels rising too high or falling too low.

How long does it take for PCOS inositol powder to work?

Every women’s body and body chemistry is different. For some women Inositol works in days and for others not at all. The best approach is to test this out for yourself. If you don’t see benefits inside 60 days then this may not be a treatment for you.

Is your Inositol a blend of Myo Inositol, D-Chiro-inositol, Scyllo-inositol, Muco-inositol, L-chiro-inositol, Neo-inositol, Allo-inositol, Epi-inositol, and Ci-inositol

We are most often asked just if our product is a 40:1 blend of Myo and D-Chiro inositols. The answer is no.

We only sell 100% pure Myo Inositol for four reasons.

1. The body converts Myo Inositol to D Chiro & other Inositols as it requires in a one way process. (Other inositols can’t convert to Myo Inositol). Myo Inositol is the primary building block for up to 8 different Inositols.

2. Myo-Inositol is more flexible treating both hormonal and reproductive symptoms alone than D-Chiro Inositol.

3. Too much D-Chiro inositol may be harmful in fertility applications. This risk is unacceptable to us.

4. The dose for D-Chiro is really small 0.1g per day. You are likely getting this from food already.

5. There are long term effects of too much D-Chiro inositol Please read: Nordio, M.; Bezerra Espinola, M.S.; Bilotta, G.; Capoccia, E.; Montanino Oliva, M. Long-Lasting Therapies with High Doses of D-chiro-inositol: The Downside. J.Clin. Med. 2023, 12, 390. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12010390 | R. GAMBIOLI, G. FORTE, C. ARAGONA, A. BEVILACQUA, M. BIZZARRI, V. UNFER. The use of D-chiro-Inositol in clinical practice European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences 2021; 25: 438-446

See more in our blog post on this including journal references.

How do I take PCOS Inositol?

The easiest way to take inositol powder is to mix it in a 250ml glass of water or juice and drink it.

The taste is sweet, not bitter.

This is why it is added to some carbonated drinks and often used as a food additive.

Still have questions? Check out our  Inositol FAQs and our Fertility Inositol FAQs

Shop Inositol For PCOS

Price range: $ 33.00 through $ 198.00

Learn More

Inositol research primary outcomes reported

What are the benefits of using Myo-Inositol Powder

Summary We analysed 440 verified customer reviews of Myo-Inositol to identify the most commonly reported outcomes across three key groups: women with PCOS, women trying to conceive, and people managing blood sugar and insulin resistance. Reviews were coded by theme and grouped according to health goal, allowing us to see

Read More
PCOS Blood test vile in labs hands

12 Essential PCOS Blood Tests

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) affects 8–13% of reproductive-aged women and is often under diagnosed. The 2023 International Evidence-Based Guideline for the Assessment and Management of PCOS provides updated recommendations for diagnosis and treatment, replacing previous versions. This article summarises the key PCOS blood tests recommended for diagnosis, based on the

Read More
PCOS FAQs 3

Inositol Capsules vs Powder

Inositol Capsules vs Powder We want to just give a quick comparison of the annual cost of using Inositol Capsules versus Inositol Powder, focusing on the differences between inositol capsules vs powder. When you look at the search results, the capsules look to be such a cheap option in the

Read More
word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word word

mmMwWLliI0fiflO&1
mmMwWLliI0fiflO&1
mmMwWLliI0fiflO&1
mmMwWLliI0fiflO&1
mmMwWLliI0fiflO&1
mmMwWLliI0fiflO&1
mmMwWLliI0fiflO&1