The use of inositol in patients with menopausal syndrome

Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) has been the most effective method for relieving menopausal symptoms and menopausal disorders for many years. Despite the fact that modern research confirms the safety of this therapy, there are absolute and relative contraindications for its use. In addition, a significant number of patients continue to refuse to take MHT. In this regard, the search for non-hormonal alternative treatment methods is a relevant issue.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of taking a combination of myoinositol and D-chiroinositol in the ratio of 5:1, folic acid (Dikirogen) and manganese on the course of menopausal syndrome of mild to moderate severity in patients in early postmenopausal period.

Materials and methods: A prospective study included 84 women in early postmenopausal period with mild to moderate menopausal syndrome. They were divided into three groups: group 1 consisted of patients with metabolic syndrome and BMI of more than 25 kg/m² (stage 1–2 overweight or obesity); group 2 (n=28) included lean patients without metabolic disorders with BMI of less than 25 kg/m². In these two groups, the patients took a combined medication containing myoinositol and D-chiroinositol in the ratio of 5:1, manganese and folic acid (in a dosage of 1,000 mg+200 mg+5 mg+20 mcg), one sachet twice a day for six months. Group 3 (control group) consisted of 30 patients who did not receive therapy and they were divided into two subgroups: subgroup 3A (n=14) included women with metabolic syndrome and BMI of more than 25 kg/m2 (stage 1–2 overweight or obesity), subgroup 3B (n=16) included lean patients without metabolic disorders with BMI of less than 25 kg/m². Before starting therapy and after 6 months of taking the medication, patients’ complaints and parameters of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism were evaluated.

Results: Therapy with the combined medication containing myoinositol and D-chiroinositol in the ratio of 5:1, manganese and folic acid contributed to a statistically significant decrease in the severity of menopausal disorders (the average value on the Greene Climacteric Scale lowered from 35 to 11 scores), a decrease in total cholesterol by 19.5%, triglycerides by 42.5%, fasting glucose by 19%, BMI by 10.9%, and waist circumference by 4.6% in group 1 that included patients with metabolic disorders. There were no statistically significant results after therapy (p>0.05) and there was no improvement in menopausal symptoms in group 2 which consisted of women with normal BMI.

Conclusion: Taking Dikirogen has been shown to reduce the severity of menopausal disorders in patients in the early postmenopausal period who have metabolic syndrome and obesity. In patients with normal body weight, no clinical effect was observed on menopausal and metabolic disorders.