Inositol for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis to Inform the 2023 Update of the International Evidence-based Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Guidelines
An erratum to this article was published (J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 18 Nov 2024 ↗)
Authors' conclusion
The evidence supporting the use of inositol in the management of PCOS is limited and inconclusive. Clinicians and their patients should consider the uncertainty of the evidence together with individual values and preferences when engaging in shared decision-making regarding the use of inositol for PCOS.
Study context
- Population
- Women with PCOS; Medline, PsycInfo, EMBASE, All EBM and CINAHL from inception until August 2022
- Participants
- 2,230 women30 trials
- Comparison
- Inositol, alone or with other therapies, vs control
- Inositoln = 1,093
- Controln = 1,137reference
- Outcome
- Efficacy of inositol in PCOS (13 comparisons, 3 in meta-analyses)
Methodological detailsto inform the 2023 international evidence-based PCOS guidelines, 19 trials pooled in meta-analyses
- To inform the 2023 international evidence-based PCOS guidelines
- 19 trials pooled in meta-analyses
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
- Benefits for myo-inositol or D-chiro-inositol (DCI) for some metabolic measures
- Potential benefits from DCI for ovulation
- Inositol may have no effect on other outcomes
Further pooled results
- Metformin may improve WHR and hirsutism vs inositol
- Likely no difference for reproductive outcomes
- Evidence very uncertain for BMI
Safety
Gastrointestinal adverse events
- Myo-inositol likely causes fewer GI adverse events vs metformin; typically mild and self-limited
Original publication
Inositol for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis to Inform the 2023 Update of the International Evidence-based PCOS Guidelines. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Published 2 January 2024. doi:10.
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