Myo inositol: benefits for both PCOS and Endometriosis egg quality issues

Posted By Braverman IVF & Reproductive Immunology || 13-March-2018


Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disorder with implications for reproductive and metabolic health.


A recent article published last week in the journal Hormone molecular biology and clinical investigation showed how myo-inositol in addition to folic acid can improve symptoms and infertility in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disorder with implications for reproductive and metabolic health. It is a very common endocrine condition affecting approximately 5 million of women in the United States (1) and characterized by:

  • chronic anovulation
  • polycystic ovary morphology (multiple ovarian cysts)

    Hyperandrogenism: higher levels of androgens (male hormones) leading to excess of facial hair growth and acne.

    The article presented recent findings from a prospective study including N=3602 infertile women with PCOS and investigated the effects of myo-inositol in combination with folic acid administration for 3 months on clinical and endocrine features of women affected by PCOS (at a daily dose of 4g and 400 mcg respectively). After 3 months on this therapy regimen, 70% of women have restored ovulation. In a subgroup of 32 patients where hormonal values were evaluated before and after therapy, results showed:

  • a significant reduction of androgen levels (reduced more than 2 times) going from 96.6 to 43.3 ng. mL-1 after 3 months of treatment
  • a significant rise in the progesterone levels going from 2.1 to 12.3 ng. mL-1 (almost improved by a factor 6!).

    Additionally, a subgroup of N=29 patients with PCOS underwent IVF protocol and was placed on myo-inositol + folic acid (treated group) or left untreated (placebo group) for 8 weeks.

    The oocyte number and quality were assessed at ovum pick up and showed:

  • Increased number of oocytes retrieved in the treated group (when adjusted to the number of follicles)
  • Higher % of mature oocyte in the treated group
  • % of immature oocyte (degenerated or vesicle germinal) was significantly reduced in the treated group
  • Higher fertilization rate in the treated group
  • Higher % of high quality embryos in the treated group

    It is important to note that rFSH during stimulation was administrated for a significantly shorter time and at a lower dose in the treated group which significantly decreases the risk of hyperstimulation.

    In Endometriosis, similarly to PCOS patients, the lipid (2) and glucose (3) metabolisms are disrupted which can favor oxidative stress (through lipid peroxidation).

    As in PCOS, oxidative damage is a key component of poor egg quality, parameter commonly found in endometriosis patients (4), thus leading to poor fertilization and implantation rate (5).

    Myo-inositol is a well-documented and powerful antioxidant (reducing oxidative stress and its associated oocyte damage) that decreases hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance (6-7).Through its effects on the calcium pathway, myo-inositol plays a direct and key role on the maturation of an oocyte (egg) which leads to better oocyte quality and increased ovulation rate (8-10). Further this has an impact on fertilization and early embryo development (11).  Thus, myo-inositol significantly increases fertilization and pregnancy success rate as previously reported (12-13). Myo-inositol could be safely used as an agent to help restore better oocyte quality leading to better embryo quality and higher chances of getting pregnant, especially in PCOS and Endometriosis patients.

    Myo-inositol is one of the several ingredients of our Endo-Optimize supplement. This formulation has been developed to be the best solution to counteract oxidative stress induced-DNA damage and optimize your egg quality as well as minimizing your symptoms associated with endometriosis and PCOS. This all in one pill contains many ingredients enhancing mitochondrial activity (a key component in oocyte development) and reducing inflammation thus allowing optimal microenvironment for the oocyte development and maturation. To learn more about the topic, read our blogENDO-optimize: an "all in one" dietary supplement with beneficial effects on egg quality, endometriosis and PCOS.

    To find out more about our supplement range, consult our website.

    References

    1- Knochenhauer ES, Key TJ, Kahsar-Miller M, Waggoner W, Boots LR, Azziz R: Prevalence of the polycystic ovary syndrome in unselected black and white women of the southeastern United States: a prospective study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1998, 83(9):3078–3082.

    2- McKinnon B, Bertschi D, Wotzkow C, Bersinger NA, Evers J, Mueller MD. Glucose transporter expression in eutopic endometrial tissue and ectopic endometriotic lesions. J Mol Endocrinol. 2014;52(2):169–79.

    3- Melo AS, Rosa-e-Silva JC, Rosa-e-Silva AC, Poli-Neto OB, Ferriani RA, Vieira CS. Unfavorable lipid profile in women with endometriosis. Fertil Steril. 2010;93(7):2433–6.

    4- Jiang WD, Wu P, Kuang SY, Liu Y, Jiang J, Hu K, et al. Myo-inositol prevents copper-induced oxidative damage and changes in antioxidant capacity in various organs and the enterocytes of juvenile Jian carp (Cyprinus carpio var. Jian) Aquat Toxicol. 2011;5(3-4):543–51

    5- Nestler JE. Myo-inositolphosphoglycans (IPGs) as mediators of insulin’s steroidogenic actions. Journal of BasicClinical Physiological Pharmacology 1998; 9:197–204.

    6- Ciotta L, Stracquadanio M, Pagano I, Carbonaro A, Palumbo M, Gulino F. Effects of myo-inositol supplementation on oocyte’s quality in PCOS patients: a doubleblind trial. European Review for Medical & Pharmacological Sciences 2011;15(5):509–14.

    7- Gerli S, Papaleo E, Ferrari A, Di Renzo G. Randomized, double blind placebocontrolled trial: effects of Myoinositol on ovarian function and metabolic factors in women with PCOS. Eurpoean Review for Medical and Pharmacolgical Sciences 2007; 11:347–54.

    8- Papaleo E, Unfer V, Baillargeon J, Fusi F, Occhi F, De Santis L. Myo-inositol may improve oocyte quality in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles: a prospective, controlled, randomized trial. Fertility and Sterility 2009;91 (5):1750– 4.

    9- Goud PT, Goud AP, Van Oostveldt P, Dhont M. Presence and dynamic redistribution of type I inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors in human oocytes and embryos during in-vitro maturation, fertilization and early cleavage divisions. Mol Hum Reprod. 1999 May;5(5):441-51.

    10- Unfer V, Carlomagno G, Rizzo P, Raffone E, Roseff S. Myo-inositol rather than D-chiro-inositol is able to improve oocyte quality in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles: a prospective, controlled, randomized trial. European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences 2011;15.4:452–7.

    11- Stachecki JJ, Armant DR. Transient release of calcium from inositol 1,4,5 triphosphate specific stores regulate mouse preimplantation development. Development 1996;122(8):2485–2496.

    12- Choi YS, Cho S, Seo SK, Park JH, Kim SH, Lee BS. Alteration of the intrafollicular thiol-redox system in infertile women with endometriosis. Reproduction. 2014 Nov 5. pii:

    REP-14-0438.

    13- Jancar N, Kopitar AN, Ihan A, Virant Klun I, Bokal EV. Effect of apoptosis and reactive oxygen species production in human granulosa cells on oocyte fertilization and blastocyst development. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2007;24(2–3):91–7.


    Share Post