NOW Foods Supplements, Inositol Powder, Neurotransmitter Signaling*, Cellular Health*, 1-Pound

I suffer from PCOS. And I mean really, truly suffer. Since I was 12 years old I would have heavy bleeding for months at a time, or I'd go months with no bleeding but terrible cramps. I've had multiple ruptured ovarian cysts. It's been a nightmare. A few years ago I had a 10 month long heavy period, followed by 5 months with no period, followed by another 10 month long period and 6 months without a period. Finally I had enough. Up until this I have tried every natural route imaginable for my PCOS. Nothing was working and the thought of medication terrified me. At the age of 28 I was strongly considering a hysterectomy. Prior to this the most effective thing I found for bleeding and cramping was Red Raspberry Leaf, which worked great for easing heavy flow and managing cramps, however it did nothing to regulate my cycle.So I read about this on a forum, and immediately order this bottle off Amazon. By this point it had been about 6 months with no period, but 10 days after starting Inositol I had one. And not just a bleeding, but an actual period that lasted 8 days (that has never happened, I've never had one shorter than 2 weeks of heavy bleeding and terrible cramps in my life). Not only was my period only 8 days, it was light flow and very mild cramps. I started it May 1st 2014 and from then throughout the rest of the year I had 5 periods. All 7-8 days long, mild cramps with light flow. So it hasn't given me a perfect cycle, but that was the most regular I have ever been. It's always been heavy periods that last from weeks to months with terrible cramps, to months without anything. Basically no rhyme or reason at all. But with Inositol, things have gotten better.After mid December I ran out of it and with vacation, holiday stress, family illness and all I went nearly 2 months without taking it and back to a nonstop period. Today is 2/17/15 and I've bleed all but 9 days so far this year. I just started up taking Inositol again 2 days ago and already the bleeding is easing, no more cramps. So that's all the proof I need that this stuff works. Nothing is going to stop me from taking this regularly from here on out. I guess a part of me thought that maybe it was safe to stop, that things were good and it would be okay. That's not the case, apparently it is something I will have to continue to take but that is fine with me because it works!One more thing: For years I've dealt with ovary pain due to cysts. With this stuff, the pain went away. I had one cyst on my left ovary that throbbed for over a year and within a month of taking this there was no more pain. During my 2 months off from taking inositol the ovary pain came back (on my right ovary this time). So it's definitely been taking care of the cyst issue because it's a night and day difference between taking it and not taking it. In just the last few days since restarting it, the cyst pain has eased tremendously.As for dosage, I take a teaspoon in the morning and sometimes another at night. So 1-2 teaspoons per day.Aside from PCOS, I have noticed a slight improvement in my mood and anxiety when taking it. I definitely seem calmer. That was something I didn't notice the firs time around, but after slacking off from taking it I did notice a downward trend in my mood and anxiety. So here's hoping that will improve again!

The NOW product line is one that I trust. I just started taking the inositol to see if it improves my blood pressure and sugar levels. I suggest that you look up the benefits and see if it might help you. The dose is 1/4 teaspoon of the powder once a day. It is odorless and tasteless.

Is inositol a wonder drug/supplement? I'm a skeptical soul. I've never believed in alternative medicine or supplements for real medical conditions. However, the efficacy of inositol has more than wowed me.My son has autism and severe OCD - he has severely violent reactions to SSRI medication and we'd run out of options, we were referred to a Psychiatrist for a medication consultation. He suggested Inositol as an alternative to SSRIs. At first I balked, because I simply did not think a supplement could battle a clinically serious condition. The doctor understood my doubts printed out studies for me to look over.One study he showed me proved Inositol to be more effective in just *one week* than Fluvoxamine (SSRI treatment for anxiety disorder) in the treatment of severe anxiety disorders. Other studies show it to be just as effective and sometimes more effective than a slew of medications used to treat OCD. These are legitimate double-blind scientific studies. Added to this there are no serous side effects EVER known to occur and because it's available as a powder, I can mix it into a liquid (my son will not take pills and the insurance company will not pay for liquid medication). After my research I was more than happy to give it a try.However, one thing I've noted looking at reviews here and at other sites is the importance of dosage. People are dosing themselves all over the scale, but mostly under-dosing . There is no help on the side of the bottle to dose for mental health issues and you have to search out the information. The doses for psychiatric conditions is very HIGH and would have scared me had I not been assured by the psychiatrist that these high doses are necessary for treatment and absolutely safe. Inositol is water-soluble - which means whatever your body does not use it discards - it is not stored in the body.Dosing Guide:OCD: 18 grams a day (split 2-3 times per day)PANIC DISORDER and ANXIETY: 12-18 grams per day (split 2-3 times per day)WARNING: Do NOT take Inositol if you suffer from bipolar disorder - it is known to increase episodic behavior at high doses.(Source: UW Integrative Medicine school of medicine and public health) (Amazon is always a little tetchy about hyperlinks in reviews but search University of Wisconsin Integrative Medicine Supplement Sampler for more info)NOW's Inositol powder contains 730 MILIgrams per 1/4 teaspoon..73mg inositol x 8 (1/4 tsp doses) = 5.84 Grams (roughly 6 Grams)1/4 tsp x 4 = 1 full teaspoonSo, 2 teaspoons will roughly equal 6 Grams.If treating for OCD take 2 teaspoons Inositol 3 times daily (6 Grams x 3 doses = 18G)If treating for Anxiety take 2 teaspoons Inositol 2 times daily. (6 Grams x 2 doses = 12G)Make sure to use TEASPOONS not tablespoons as your measurement.Take it regularly on a schedule to achieve maximum efficacy and treat it the same as you would a prescribed medication. Common side effects are upset stomach when first taking, should stop after first few weeks, headache, and fatigue. Some people may prefer starting with a smaller dose and titrating up over the course of a few weeks (though we started out on maximum dose and only encountered minor stomach upset and no other side effects). And as with any supplement, check with your doctor or mental health professional. Search around for the best price Do your own research and reach your own conclusions.Highly Recommended!

WAAAAY more affordable than getting from GNC, and you get more at that!!! My Wife and I use DAILY!!!