Controversy Surrounding the Use of Inositol Powder

Inositol powder is among those rare substances that are associated with a somewhat shady history which it does not actually deserve. Although its proponents cited it as a healing agent which can be abundantly found in numerous foods and with positive effects that can be used for treating some mental illnesses, the substance is yet to overcome an extremely bad reputation of being considered as “cutting agent” used in illegal drugs.

Inositol which makes up this powdered substance is a kind of chemical compound composed of oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon. This can be found inside the human body and in nature and this is an essential part in most of the vital cells in the body. This compound can also be found in nature in numerous food stuffs, and the ones which have high inositol content include nuts, bran cereals, cantaloupes, beans, oranges, melons as well as other fruits. The scientists have considered inositol as a kind vitamin for quite some time yet when you see an advertisement about inositol being a vitamin, you can now take note that it has already been proven that your body can actually process the compound all by itself, which means that the substance cannot be included in the vitamin category.

But what did the powdered form of inositol do to make it badly reputed? Those despicable characters who are processing and vending illegal narcotics found out that the powder actually has the similar characteristics and properties as that of drugs. For this reason, they started using inositol powder as a kind of “cutting agent.” In using cutting agent, producers and traffickers of narcotics mix the powder (as well as other agents such as silica gel flour, soda, and rat poison) with drugs that will then dilute its strength while making the real drug weightier and much more substantial. And as it passes from the producers down to the street level peddlers, the drug is being further diluted through the use of powders in order for them to make more profit since the drug is being sold by weight. Good thing that inositol powder, being innocent and undeserving of this kind of reprehensible reputation, offers more benign benefits and uses.

It was discovered by scientists that among the numerous inositol benefits are that this can help with nerves, insulin, cell growth, cholesterol and fat break down, building stronger bones and altering the serotonin level in the human body. Its connection with serotonin is particularly interesting because the scientists also learned that patients suffering from the medical condition called clinical depression manifested reduced inositol levels in the cerebrospinal fluid. It was then the reason why scientists studied inositol’s effects on people who have clinical depression and learned that high dose of supplements containing inositol can remarkable help in promoting chronic depression recovery. Based from this study’s findings, scientists proceeded to testing the inositol powder uses and its effects on some other mental ailments, which include panic disorder, bulimia, OCD or obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, and agoraphobia.

Although further research is needed in order to properly establish the potency of inositol powder as a good depression treatment and brain wellness enhancer, it cannot be denied that it deserves more praises instead of being shunned as a disadvantageous substance.