Inositol for panic disorder

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Oct, 2004 by Alan R. Gaby

Twenty-five patients with panic disorder with or without agoraphobia were randomly assigned to receive, in double-blind fashion, 6 g of inositol twice a day or placebo (mannitol or glucose) for four weeks, and then the alternate treatment for an additional four weeks. Twenty-one patients (mean age, 35.8 years) completed the trial. The frequency and severity of panic attacks and the severity of agoraphobia declined significantly more with inositol than with placebo. The number of attacks per week fell from about 10 to about 6 with placebo and to about 3.5 with inositol. Two patients complained of sleepiness while taking inositol; otherwise, the treatment was well tolerated.

Comment: This study suggests that inositol, a member of the vitamin B complex, is an effective treatment for panic disorder. Although it is not fully understood how inositol works, it is a component of phosphatidyl inositol, which functions as a second messenger for some noradrenergic and serotonin receptors. Foods high in inositol include fruits, beans, whole grains, and nuts (including peanuts). Even a high-inositol diet, however, is unlikely to provide more than about 2,000 mg per day. Consequently, effective treatment of panic disorder is likely to require an inositol supplement.

Benjamin J, et al. Double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of inositol treatment for panic disorder. Am J Psychiatry 1995;152:1084-1086.