Health Benefits of Taking Glycine Together with Myo-Inositol
The combination of glycine with myo-inositol offers significant health benefits primarily for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), improving insulin sensitivity, hormonal balance, and reproductive outcomes.
Benefits for PCOS Management
Myo-inositol has established clinical applications in PCOS treatment, with substantial evidence supporting its effectiveness:
- Restored Ovulation: Approximately 70% of women with PCOS experience restored ovulation with myo-inositol supplementation 1
- Hormonal Balance: Significant reductions in testosterone levels (from 96.6 ng/mL to 43.3 ng/mL) and increases in progesterone (from 2.1 ng/mL to 12.3 ng/mL) after 12 weeks of treatment 2
- Improved Insulin Sensitivity: Myo-inositol decreases fasting insulin levels and HOMA index, addressing the insulin resistance that is central to PCOS pathophysiology 3, 4
Reproductive Health Benefits
The combination shows particular promise for reproductive health:
- Enhanced Oocyte Quality: Myo-inositol improves the quality of oocytes and increases the number of mature oocytes (metaphase II) retrieved during IVF procedures 5
- Better Fertilization Rates: Higher fertilization rates (136 out of 233 oocytes vs. 128 out of 300 oocytes in control groups) 2
- Improved Embryo Quality: More grade I quality embryos observed in women taking myo-inositol 2
- Pregnancy Outcomes: Pregnancy rates of approximately 15.1% have been reported in women using myo-inositol with folic acid 2
Metabolic Benefits
- Improved Glucose Metabolism: Myo-inositol acts as an insulin sensitizer, improving cellular glucose uptake 1
- Reduced Risk of Gestational Diabetes: May help counteract gestational diabetes by improving insulin signaling 6
Potential Benefits in Other Conditions
- Neural Tube Defect Prevention: Periconceptional myo-inositol supplementation may reduce the risk of fetal neural tube defects, particularly in folate-resistant cases 1
- Cancer Prevention: Myo-inositol has shown promise in inhibiting carcinogenesis in animal studies (40-50% inhibition) 1
Dosage and Administration
The most commonly studied effective dosage regimen is:
- 2000 mg myo-inositol twice daily (4000 mg total)
- 200 μg folic acid twice daily (400 μg total)
- Duration: Typically 2-3 months for significant benefits 2
Safety Profile
Myo-inositol is generally well-tolerated with minimal side effects reported across studies and is considered safe for use during pregnancy 1. No moderate to severe side effects were observed at dosages of 4000 mg per day 2.
Clinical Considerations
When considering this combination therapy:
- Monitor hormonal parameters in PCOS patients
- Assess glycemic control in patients with insulin resistance
- Evaluate ovulatory function in women seeking fertility treatment
- Consider using this approach before more invasive fertility treatments
This combination represents a promising nutritional approach for managing PCOS and related reproductive health issues with a favorable safety profile compared to pharmaceutical alternatives like metformin.