Inositol
What is it?
Inositol is an essential component of the phospholipids in the cell membrane.
Inositol supplementation
Inositol has a variety of stereoisomers, including myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol. Myo-inositol is the most abundant form in the central nervous system. The biological function varies between the isomers.
Myo-inositol is absorbed efficiently in its free form through an active transport process. It is transported in the blood, mainly in free form and partly in the form of PI linked to lipoproteins. Free myo-inositol is converted to PI in tissues.
Foods with inositol
In plant-based foods, particularly in grain husks, inositol is mostly found as phytic acid, where the molecule is esterified with phosphoric groups. Fruits, legumes, and vegetables are also good sources of inositol.
