Pregnitude and Myo-inositol: Success in Pregnancy & Combating PCOS

• PCOS is increasingly common among US women. However, a cure has yet been established.
• Myo-Inositol is one of most researched supplements to help with PCOS and infertility. In a double-blinded study done in Italy, 16 out of 23 women with PCOS (70%) ovulated after taking the supplement, while only 4 out of 19 (21%) did in the placebo group.
• Myo-Inositol helps to relieve PCOS symptoms such as acne, weight gain and irregular period. For women trying to conceive, it can help boost egg quality and many users successfully become pregnant after taking it.
• Myo-Inositol works by combating insulin resistance and improving body's sensitivity to insulin and it is safer than prescription drug such as metformin.
• Myo-inositol is usually available over-the-counter in powder form. Pregnitude makes portioning easy by giving you 2000mg of myo-inositol and 200mg of folic acid per packet, twice per day.
• Pregnitude fixed all my PCOS symptoms and gave me good results quickly. In the first months of taking Pregnitude, my period shortened to 30 days and acnes cleared up. After three months, my cycle remained stable at 30 days.
• Of course, never forget to add healthy diet and exercise to your regime.

While hormone imbalance appears to be the cause of polycystic ovary syndrome's (PCOS) symptoms such as weight gain or lack of ovulation, researchers now think the insulin resistance plays an important part in causing hormone imbalance, in particular, excessive production of testosterone.

Insulin is a chemical produced naturally in body to regulate blood sugar level, but it can also act on the ovaries, making them to produce the male hormone testosterone. When a woman has insulin resistance, her cells are less sensitive to insulin, making a normal level of insulin not adequate to regular blood sugar and forcing the body to make more. However, a higher than normal level of insulin in turn fires up ovaries, leading to excessive production of testosterone. This brings a host of bad consequences, the symptoms of PCOS, including increased amount of body hair, acne, irregular period, and infertility.

Myo-inositol was once a member of Vitamin B group, but later people found out that human can produce this nutrient in the body from glucose. It sensitizes the body to the insulin, preventing ovaries to produce excess testosterone.

European research confirmed that myo-inositol can lead to voluntary ovulation and successful pregnancy among PCOS patients. A 2007 study done in Italy and published on Gynecol Endocrinol administered a combination of 4g myo-inositol per day with folic acid on women with infertility for six months. 72% of women in the study maintained normal ovulatory activity during the follow-up period and 10 pregnancies were achieved.

As myo-inositol fixes what causes excess testosterone and PCOS, it can greatly relieve most of PCOS symptoms. It can assist with:

• Weight loss
• Control increased body hair
• Relieve or eliminate adult acne
• Produce voluntary ovulation
• Regulate period

Results can be seen in a short period of time. Unlike slow-acting herbs used to treat PCOS, the benefits of myo-inositol usually become obvious in the first few week after taking it. Personally, I see my acne began to clear up after 1 week, and my cycle shortened to 30 days in the first months, from 40-60 days prior to taking it. I stopped gaining weight without change in diet beginning the first month.

Over-the-counter myo-inositol might be more effective and safer than metformin: A 2010 research done in Italy on 120 women found that 48.4% of women taking 4g myo-inositol per day plus folic acid achieved pregnancy, while 36.6% of women taking metformin obtained pregnancy. Metformin is a prescription drug that usually used to treat diabetes. Its side effects include abdominal discomfort, muscle pain, and sleepiness, among others. In comparison, myo-inositol is well tolerated by most users and has no serious side effects.

From food? Might not be enough. According to a research done by University of Alabama , fruits, nuts and beans contain relatively high amount of myo-inositol. However, in order to achieve desirable results, food source might be inadequate.

Looking for convenience? I personally love Pregnitude for its good dosage and convenient package. Two packets give me 4000mg of myo-inositol a day, powerful enough to fix my long-term problems. Powder dissolve instantly in water or juice and has very slight, nearly undetectable, sweet taste (myo-inositol is a type of carbohydrate). It does dissolve less effectively in freezing cold water, but heat your water for 5 seconds in microwave completely solves this.

Pregnitude also contains 200mcg of folic acid per packet (400mcg per day), and since this is the most important nutrient in pre-conception preparation, it saves you money on buying another bottle of vitamin.

Currently no plan for a baby? If you prefer not to take myo-inositol with folid acid, then a bottle of myo-inositol powder or capsule could also be a (slightly) cost-efficient option. Capsule might be more convenient, but if you are good at measuring suitable doses twice a day and can manage loose powder, then you can go for powder as well.

I collected four products hear, in packet, capsule and powder forms, and calculated their per day cost based on 4g (4000mg) per day dosage. Some options are more expensive as we are paying for the added benefit of folic acid and the convenience factor with packet and capsule options. Also, please choose myo-inositol among all inositol varieties, as Myo-inositol showed most promise in studies.

Packet option:

Pregnitude Reproductive Support Dietary Supplement, USD 40.2 per 120g, USD 1.34/day

Ovasitol a combination of myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol, USD 90 for 90 day supply, USD 1.00/day

Capsule options:

Inositol 1000mg capsules by Life Extension 360 count, USD 49.99 per 360g, USD 0.56/day

Powder options:

Myo-Inositol powder by Protocol For Life Balance, USD 39.4 per 454g, USD 0.35/day

Dosage: You can start with a lower dosage but many researches use 1g to 4g (1000mg to 4000mg) per day when treating PCOS.

When to take: It can be taken with or without food. Many women take it once in the morning and once before bed.

Side effect: Since the dosage can go up to 18g when used to treat depression, anxiety or other mental disorders, the dosage for PCOS is low and generally considered safe with little side effects. Some people report stomach upset, while some women experienced fuller and sorer breasts during period. In the first few days of taking it, some women experience headache. Please always consult your physician before starting a new supplement.

Safety during pregnancy: While myo-inositol is believed safe during pregnancy in some sources, it is advisable to check with your physician.

References:

Myo-inositol in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: a novel method for ovulation induction, 2007 Dec;23(12):700-3. Epub 2007 Oct 10.

Insulin sensitiser agents alone and in co-treatment with r-FSH for ovulation induction in PCOS women, Gynecol Endocrinol. 2010 Apr;26(4):275-80

• For chronic adult acne, irregular period, or no success in getting pregnant, please consult with your physician to check for PCOS.
• Myo-inositol could be a wonderful supplement giving you quick and good results in relieving or eliminating PCOS symptoms and achieving pregnancy.
• Pregnitude is a convenient way to add an adequate dose of myo-inositol to your regime.
• Even if you are not trying to conceive, myo-inositol or Pregnitude can help with weight loss or acne, balancing your hormone.