Volume 29, Issue 160, June 2025

Inositol supplementation in the management of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Barbara Anna Zapalska^1♦, Antonina Teresa Witkowska², Agata Żak-Gontarz³, Aleksandra Minda⁴, Justyna Janikowska⁵, Julia Piotrowska⁶, Aleksandra Łubińska- Kowalska⁶, Adrianna Domańska⁶, Adrianna Witkowska⁶, Monika Wendland⁷, Krzysztof Julian Długosz⁸

¹Independent Public Central Clinical Hospital of University Clinical Centre of Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1A, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
²Praga Hospital of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Aleja Solidarności 67, 03-401 Warsaw, Poland
³Stefan Cardinal Wyszyński Provincial Specialist Hospital SPZOZ in Lublin, Aleja Kraśnicka 100, 20-718 Lublin, Poland
⁴The Infant Jesus Clinical Hospital, Williama Heerleina Lindleya 4, 02- 005, Warsaw, Poland
⁵National Medical Institute of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Warsaw, Wołoska 137, 02-507 Warsaw, Poland
⁶University of Warmia and Mazury, Aleja Warszawska 30, 11-082 Olsztyn, Poland
⁷Mazovian “Bródnowski” Hospital, Ludwika Kondratowicza 8, 03-242 Warsaw, Poland
⁸Clinical Univerity Hospital in Olsztyn, Aleja Warszawska 30, 11-041 Olsztyn, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Barbara Anna Zapalska, Independent Public Central Clinical Hospital of University Clinical Centre of Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1A, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland

ABSTRACT

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder associated with a broad spectrum of symptoms. The exact etiopathogenesis remains unclear. As a result, the therapeutic approach primarily focuses on alleviating symptoms. Inositol is a substance that plays a role in hormonal signal transduction. This study aims to determine whether inositol supplementation might be beneficial in PCOS management, as the traditionally implemented medications do not always meet the therapeutic expectations. PCOS causes a range of symptoms, resulting in various consequences. Physicians diagnose PCOS relying on clinical criteria, which include impaired ovulation, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries. The majority of patients suffer from insulin resistance as well. Consequently, one of the predominantly prescribed medications is metformin, which acts as an insulin-sensitising agent. Another approach is oral contraceptives. However, those therapeutic options are not suitable to every clinical situation, leaving patients and doctors in constant search for novel medications. One of them is inositol, which is especially beneficial in managing insulin resistance and irregular menstruation. In this review, we analyse 37 articles published between 2014 and 2024. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a serious health issue affecting a significant number of women of reproductive age. A growing number of studies investigate novel ways of managing PCOS, especially those leaning towards more natural agents that are physiologically occurring in the human body. Inositol supplementation is a promising therapeutic approach. Nevertheless, further investigation into the subject is crucial to define its role in PCOS treatment.

Keywords: inositol, PCOS, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Medical Science, 2025, 29, e82ms3608

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v29i160.e82ms3608

Published: 12 June 2025