Myo-inositol appears on a lot of supplement labels aimed at women, usually with very little explanation of what it is or why it is there. It is worth understanding properly, because it is one of the more heavily studied compounds in this space — and because the research is more specific than most marketing suggests.
What myo-inositol is
Myo-inositol is a sugar alcohol found naturally in foods including citrus fruit, beans, grains and nuts. The body also produces it. It is one of nine stereoisomers of inositol, and it is the form that appears most often in published research.
It was once referred to as vitamin B8. That name is no longer used, because the body synthesises it and it does not meet the definition of a vitamin.
What the published research examined
The bulk of the clinical literature on myo-inositol in women has used doses of 2,000mg to 4,000mg per day, usually over three to six months.
Unfer and colleagues (2017), writing in Reproductive BioMedicine Online, reviewed the accumulated trial evidence on myo-inositol in women and summarised the dose ranges and study designs used across that literature.
Gerli and colleagues (2007), in the European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, published one of the earlier controlled studies examining myo-inositol and ovarian function.
These are studies of the compound. They are not studies of any finished product, including ours, and they should not be read as such.
What the EU allows anyone to claim
This is the part that most supplement marketing skips.
Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 and Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, only health claims on the authorised EU register may be used on foods and food supplements. Myo-inositol has no authorised health claim. It is not on the register.
That means no company in the EU — including us — may lawfully state that myo-inositol does anything for you. Not on a label, not on a website, not in an advertisement. Any brand telling you otherwise is making a claim it is not permitted to make.
What a company may lawfully do is state the amount included and let you read the research yourself. That is what we do.
Why dose is the whole question
Where research has used 2,000mg, a supplement providing 100mg is not delivering a comparable amount. This is a common gap between what a label implies and what it contains, and it is often hidden inside a proprietary blend where individual amounts are not disclosed at all.
The practical test when reading any label: find the actual milligram figure, and compare it against the amounts used in published work. If the figure is not disclosed, that is information in itself.
Where this sits in Me'Oria
Me'Oria contains myo-inositol at 2,000mg per 250ml can, disclosed on the label alongside every other ingredient amount. We make no health claim for it, because none is authorised.
The can does carry authorised claims for the nutrients that have them — vitamin B6 contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity, iron contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, magnesium contributes to normal psychological function, and folate contributes to normal cell division.
Me'Oria is a food supplement in liquid form under EU Directive 2002/46/EC. One 250ml can per day. Not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
References
Unfer V et al. (2017). Myo-inositol effects in women. Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 34(6), 616-624.
Gerli S et al. (2007). Effects of myo-inositol on ovarian function. European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 11(5), 347-354.
This article is general information about a nutritional compound. It is not medical advice. Speak to your GP or a registered dietitian about your own circumstances, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication.