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Have you heard of Ovasitol? The supplement has been making waves on TikTok, with proponents touting its ability to improve insulin resistance and support healthy ovulation. But what is Ovasitol, and what are its benefits for women's health? Let’s discuss.
First, what is Ovasitol?
Ovasitol is the brand name for inositol, an over-the-counter dietary supplement designed to support healthy insulin and hormone levels, menstrual regularity, and fertility.* It’s a combination of two sugar alcohols, myo-inositol and d-chiro-inositol, which are naturally occurring in the body as well as in foods like fruits, beans, grains, and nuts.
Myo-inositol works as a cellular messenger throughout the body and helps regulate important hormones like thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and — when combined with d-chiro-inositol — insulin. These hormones play a crucial role in many of our metabolic and reproductive processes, including ovulation.
Because of its ability to support healthy ovulation, inositol has been studied as a potential anecdote to pesky PCOS symptoms, which can include insulin resistance, irregular menstrual cycles, and even infertility.
How can inositol help with PCOS, exactly?
Although it’s an off-label use, the diabetes medication metformin has typically been considered the gold-standard treatment for insulin-resistant PCOS. However, while effective, many women experience unpleasant side effects when taking metformin, such as nausea, bloating, gas, and diarrhea, which can make it challenging to continue with long-term use. Because of this, researchers have turned towards inositol supplements as a potential over-the-counter solution with fewer side effects.
The growing body of research has found that inositol is effective at treating, if not reversing, some of the metabolic symptoms of PCOS, including insulin resistance. This is likely due to inositol’s ability to restore the body’s balance of myo-inositol (MI) to d-chiro-inositol (DCI). One 2019 study from the European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, found a 40:1 MI to DCI ratio to be especially effective at restoring ovulation and improving thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels in women with PCOS.
Anecdotally, Angela Grassi, the Founder of the PCOS Nutrition Center, has praised Ovasitol for its ability to regulate hormones in women with PCOS, saying that in her experience, the vast majority of patients saw their menstrual cycle return to normal within three months of taking the supplement.
Inositol and mental health: What's the connection?
Beyond its reproductive health benefits, inositol may also have positive effects on mood, particularly in treating panic disorder. Though the results are mixed — and potentially controversial — some research has linked inositol with positive mood benefits.
Specifically, among women with PCOS who report higher levels of panic disorder than the general population (15% vs. 5%, respectively), small studies have found that those taking inositol tend to report fewer and less severe panic attacks. While the research on inositol’s impact on mood is still limited, there are promising signs that it may be an effective treatment for a number of mental health conditions.
Can inositol boost fertility in women with PCOS?
In addition to its positive effects on insulin sensitivity, inositol has also been studied for its potential benefits in supporting egg quality and healthy ovarian function.
Some research even suggests that inositol works to reduce oxidative stress in the ovaries, which can support egg quality and maturation. One study in the journal Reproductive Health even found inositol to be effective at restoring ovarian function in women with PCOS, which in turn, improved oocyte and embryo quality in women undergoing fertility treatments like IVF. The study did note that further research was needed to see if inositol improved the number of live births among women with PCOS, but with egg quality being such a critical contributor to success in IVF, these results seem promising for those undergoing fertility treatments.
Is Ovasitol right for me?
As a supplement backed by ample amounts of clinical research, Ovasitol is generally considered a safe and easy-to-use supplement if you are looking to support healthy insulin and hormone levels, menstrual regularity, and fertility.* As always, it's important to have a discussion with your OB/GYN or fertility specialist before starting any new supplement or treatment regimen, especially if you're trying to conceive. But with your provider's green light, it may just be worth a try!
Have you tried Ovasitol? What was your experience like? 👇
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Erin Pettis is a content strategist, freelance writer, and women’s health advocate. She lives in New York City and holds an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business.