What is inositol, and how does it differ from B vitamins? — Inositol 650 mg 100 caps

Inositol is a substance from the group of cyclic sugar alcohols (formula C6H12O6). The body makes it from glucose and also gets it from food: fruits, beans, grains and nuts contain the most. Inositol used to be called "vitamin B8" and counted among the B vitamins, but since the body makes it itself, it is no longer classed as a vitamin.

Inositol also differs from the B vitamins under EU rules. Thiamin, riboflavin, vitamins B6 and B12, folate and the other vitamins of this group have authorised health claims (Regulation (EU) No 432/2012), while inositol has none. That is why we do not write what to take it for — we describe the composition and the dose.

Swanson Inositol 650 mg is a single-ingredient product: each capsule contains 650 mg of inositol with no other active substances, the daily dose is 1 capsule and the pack holds 100 capsules. This is convenient if you already take a B-complex: the multivitamins in our catalogue contain up to 25 mg of inositol per daily dose.

A food supplement does not replace a varied diet. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medicines or under medical supervision, consult a doctor before use.

More on how inositol differs from inosine in our guide "Inositol: what it is and how it differs from inosine".