Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Postmenopausal women diagnosed with metabolic syndrome given either 4 grams of inositol or a placebo for 6 months showed 77% improvement in a measure of insulin sensitivity.
Metabolic Syndrome affects over 47 million Americans and is characterized by a number of risk factors that include central obesity (excessive fat tissue in and around the abdomen), increased blood pressure (130/85 mmHg or higher), and insulin resistance (the body can’t properly use insulin to control blood sugar). The condition is also known as “Syndrome X” because it consists of so many symptoms (1).
Metabolic Syndrome becomes a significant problem for postmenopausal women due to the physiological changes brought on by menopause. The increased risks of obesity, reduced blood sugar control and high blood pressure characterized by Metabolic Syndrome all increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (2) which costs our healthcare system $450 billion per year (3).
Now a new study (4) suggests inositol may help with metabolic health in postmenopausal women. In the study, eighty postmenopausal women between the ages of 52 and 58 diagnosed with metabolic syndrome were given either 4 grams of inositol (given as myo-inositol, 2 grams twice daily) or a placebo for 6 months. The women followed their usual diet and blood samples were drawn before and after the study and also had their blood pressure taken.
By the end of the study, those in the inositol group showed significant improvements over the placebo group, including a 77% improvement in a measure of insulin sensitivity called the HOMA Index (5) (9.4 to 2.2) compared to a 25% improvement in the placebo group (10.6 to 7.9). The inositol group also saw a 69% drop in insulin levels (34.2 to 10.6 micro-units/mL) compared to a 3% drop in the placebo group (37.9 to 32.5 micro-units/mL).
Regarding total cholesterol, the inositol group had a 20% decrease (250 to 199 mg/dL) compared to a 5% decrease in the placebo group (244 to 228 mg/dL) while also having a 28% increase in HDL cholesterol (32.6 to 41.7 mg/dL) compared to change in the placebo group (32.7 to 32.9 mg/dL). Finally, the inositol group had a 12% decrease in systolic blood pressure (the bottom number 89 to 78 mg/dL) compared to no change in the placebo group.
For the researchers, “Supplementation with myo-inositol may be considered a reliable option in the treatment of metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women.” This study is large enough to lead to additional research in this field.
Source: Giordano, Domenico, et al. “Effects of myo-inositol supplementation in postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome: a perspective, randomized, placebo-controlled study.” Menopause 18.1 (2011): 102-104.
© 2011The North American Menopause Society
Posted January 9, 2012.
References:
- American Heart Association Website: “Metabolic Syndrome”.
- Isomaa B, Almgren P, Tuomi T, et al. Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with the metabolic syndrome. Diabetes Care 2001;24:683-689.
- “Cardiovascular Disease Cost” posted on the American Heart Association website.
- Giordano D. Effects of myo-inositol supplementation in postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome: a perspective, randomized placebo-controlled study. Menopause 2011; 18(1): 102-104/ DOI: 10.1097/gme.0b013e3181e8e1b1.
- Haffner SM, Miettinem H, Stern MP. The homeostasis model in the San Antonio Hearth Study. Diabetes Care 1997;20:1087-1092.
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