Inositol is found
in plants, as Inositol Hexaphosphate (IP6). It is a phosphorylated form
of Inositol commonly found in fiber-rich plant foods. IP6 supports
natural cell defense against damaging hydroxyl free radicals by chelating with
reactive iron. It boosts the body's natural cellular defenses by increasing the
levels of inositol phosphates in the cells; as a result, it dramatically
increases natural killer cell activity, which plays a key role in strengthening
the body's immune system.
Recent research indicates that inositol helps establish healthy cell
membranes, which facilitate nerve impulses.
Inositol is the common name of myoinositol, the only form of inositol utilized by the body as a nutrient. Inositol is involved in the glucuronic acid and pentose phosphate pathways that are responsible for products such as glucose, glucuronolactone and water. A common biologically active form of inositol is phosphatidylionositol, a phosphatide found in cell membranes. Foods sources of inositol are found in plants, as IP6, and meats.
Choline and inositol are components of various phospholipids - structural components within cell walls.
Inositol - Inositol niacinate has produced beneficial results in patients suffering from ischemic ulcers due to chronic arterial occlusion. Inositol hexasulfate taken intravenously can produce anticoagulant effects. Depressed patients have experienced significant improvements. Results from numerous animal studies indicate inositol possesses strong anticancer properties as well.
Beneficial Effects of IP6
and Inositol
The symposium started with a discussion of chemistry and usage of rice
components. S. Ogawa (Keio University) presented an impressive overview of
chemical structures and uses of myo-inositol and its related compounds.
T. Osawa (Nagoya University) discussed the protective role of rice antioxidants
in oxidative stress and Y. Watanabe (Ehime University, Matsuyama) reviewed the
synthesis of inositol triphosphate and phospholipids.
A large portion of the symposium was devoted to IP6 and its parent molecule,
inositol. It is difficult to summarize all the studies presented at the
conference. This article will touch upon major
findings of relevance to disease prevention and treatment.
Supplements with a proven track record for lowering blood cholesterol include inositol hexaniacinate, gugulipid, policosanol, plant sterols and stanols, psyllium, vitamins C and E, garlic, pantethine, and coenzyme Q10.
Start with inositol hexaniacinate, a non-flushing form of the B vitamin niacin. It has been regularly prescribed by conventional doctors as a cholesterol-lowering agent for nearly 50 years. One recent study showed that using niacin with a conventional "statin" drug stopped the progression of atherosclerosis in its tracks.
Three forms of niacin
supplements—each with a specific therapeutic role—are commercially available:
nicotinic acid (also called nicotinate), niacinamide and inositol
hexaniacinate, a compound of niacin and inositol (another B-family
vitamin).
Although few people in the industrialized world are actually deficient in
niacin, many may benefit from additional amounts in supplement form to help
treat assorted complaints. Keep in mind that each of the three forms of niacin
affects the body differently. Niacinamide has notable anti-inflammatory
properties, for example, while nicotinic acid and inositol hexaniacinate
affect blood lipid levels and circulation.
Control cholesterol. Unlike most prescription cholesterol-lowering medications,
which simply lower levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol and triglycerides, niacin
also raises levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol. As a result, this vitamin may
prove more potent than conventional medicines in ultimately reducing the risk
for a heart attack (and death from a heart attack). In a recent study of people
with high cholesterol, niacin not only reduced LDL and triglycerides by 17% and
18%, respectively, but it also increased HDL by 16%. Although both nicotinic
acid and inositol hexaniacinate have cholesterol-benefiting actions,
inositol hexaniacinate is the preferred form—t doesn't cause skin flushing
and poses much less risk of liver damage with long-term use.
Combat Raynaud's disease and other circulatory problems. Niacin improves
circulation by relaxing arteries and veins, and disorders characterized by
circulation difficulties may benefit as a result. In those suffering from
Raynaud's disease, for example, niacin's ability to improve blood flow to the
extremities may counter the numbness and pain in the hands and feet that occurs
when blood vessels overreact to cold temperatures. The calf-cramping and other
painful symptoms of intermittent claudication, another circulation disorder, may
lessen under the vessel-relaxing influence of niacin as well. The inositol
hexaniacinate form of niacin works best for circulation-related discomforts.
Treat tinnitus. The persistent ringing, humming and buzzing in the ears
associated with this condition has been linked to poor blood circulation. By
widening blood vessels in the brain, inositol hexaniacinate may help to
relieve these and other tinnitus symptoms.
Inositol hexaniacinate in doses higher than 2,000 mg a day may have a
blood-thinning effect.
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