23 replies to this topic

[kaleidoscope]

Basically, this substance, D-chiro-inositol, helps with PCOS symptoms by reducing insulin resistance.

You may have heard that d-chiro-inositol helps to treat polycystic ovarian syndrome. It is thought that it does this by improving insulin sensitivity.

Recent studies have suggested that women with PCOS may have insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia due to a d-chiro inositol deficiency. D-chiro-inositol has been shown to influence the action of insulin. The amount of chiro-inositol in muscle has been shown to be lower in subjects with type 2 diabetes than in normal people.

A study from the Medical College of Virginia found that 1200 mg. of d-chiro-inositol daily had multiple beneficial effects in the treatment of 22 overweight PCOS women.(2) Not only did it improve the action of insulin, but 86% of the women ovulated during treatment with d-chiro-inositol compared to only 27% in the placebo group. Serum androgen (male hormone) and ovarian androgen production also decreased in the treatment group.

Another study showed similar results in lean PCOS women.(3)

http://www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/inositol.html#sec3

I have not been diagnosed with PCOS, but I have (or had) symptoms of PCOS -- mainly acne and hirsutism. I had several tests done through my doctor and an endocrinologist, but every single thing came back "normal". My doctor and the endo both told me that I had idiopathic hirsutism (hirsutism with no cause), and that there was really nothing wrong with me. The endo prescribed me birth control pills and an anti-androgen, but I opted not to take them.

For the past 2 or 3 months, I have been eating 1/2 a cup of buckwheat farinetta* every day (I use it in baking). From doing so...

- I have much clearer skin. I was like 99% clear for awhile, until recently. I have had some minor breakouts recently because I have been very stressed out for the past couple of weeks. But still, my skin would normally be much worse under these circumstances.
- My hirsutism has been reduced. (It is not gone, but hirsutism is nearly impossible to get rid of once you have it.) I used to get the odd dark hair on my chin (yeah, gross, I know), but now I never ever get those!
- My menstrual cycle has gone from 33 days to 28 days!
- I am sleeping much, much better. (I had insomnia for nearly my whole life.)

And there are absolutely no side-effects with this. The same cannot be said for birth control pills or anti-androgens.

I guess the reason it works so well is that in women with PCOS, their insulin resistance might actually be caused by the D-chiro-inositol deficiency itself. So it actually gets to the root of the problem.


*Buckwheat farinetta from www.minndak.com is the highest source of D-chiro-inositol -- 1/2 a cup provides 600 mg, the amount used in studies on lean women. D-chiro-inositol is also available as a supplement, from www.chiralbalance.com, but it is extremely expensive. Also, I tried the supplement, but for some reason it gave me digestive problems... although I've never heard of that side-effect happening to anyone else. (Fortunately, I was able to return it for a full refund.)

PS: Thanks to SweetJade for introducing me to this information.

EDIT: Just want to add that carob powder and carob syrup are high in d-pinitol, which is a precursor to d-chiro-inositol, and some women with PCOS have had good results from using carob. I believe you need about 2-3 tablespoons of carob syrup, or 1/4 cup of carob powder.

[Frenchygirly]

HI
This is great! Congratulations on your finding a natural solution...
I do have the same symptoms but my GP and endo said I did't have PCOs either and my hormone tests were normal. I wish I had not taken the pill back, but I did...

I do eat lots of buckwheat flour and buckwheat since I changed my diet ( a month and a half ago). Is it the same than buckwheat farinetta?
Anything else you changed?
Thank you for this information.

[kaleidoscope]

I know that regular buckwheat has some D-chiro-inositol, but I'm pretty sure it's a much lower amount than the kind I'm using. If you have significant hormonal problems, I would try this specific type of buckwheat from the website. I know it's a bit expensive, but if you think of it as food AND a supplement, it's not so bad.

Other things I changed.... I got my mercury fillings out. Mercury is known to affect hormones. But I don't think that had a significant role in helping my problems, because I have not done much to detox the mercury from my body, and mercury doesn't just leave on its own.

I also started exercising a little bit, but not much... Just walking about 20 minutes a day/5 days a week. But I haven't been doing that recently. I want to start exercising a lot more though, to reduce the bit of abdominal fat that I have (see: http://www.acne.org/....9#entry2381209). I still have oily skin, so I'm hoping that will help.

Also, my diet is very important in keeping my skin clear (if I cheat, I still break out), but I have been on this diet for much longer than I've been eating buckwheat. Diet alone didn't keep my skin clear... It just helped... But my diet + buckwheat = clear skin.

[Frenchygirly]

Ok I'll check the website but I'm living in France so maybe it won't be possible or supra expensive! I checked the levels of the thing in flour and farinetta and yes it's much lower.
Can you tell me what is your diet like? And how severe was ur acne? and where you had it?
Just to compare...
How dod you detox from mercury? spirulina maybe...
thanks a lot

[Frenchygirly]

Ok I'll check the website but I'm living in France so maybe it won't be possible or supra expensive! I checked the levels of the thing in flour and farinetta and yes it's much lower.
Can you tell me what is your diet like? And how severe was ur acne? and where you had it?
Just to compare...
How dod you detox from mercury? spirulina maybe...
thanks a lot

[kaleidoscope]

Before I added the buckwheat (when I just doing diet alone), the severity of my acne really varied... it was anywhere from very mild/almost clear to moderate. Sometimes I would go for a few weeks without breaking out, but then I'd get a huge breakout. It was all over my cheeks and chin. With buckwheat, it has been clear to very mild for about 2 months now.

Diet -- there's a lot of foods I have to avoid (which I discovered over a long time through trial-and-error):

gluten
dairy
soy
eggs
citrus fruit
bananas
tree nuts
peanuts
seeds (flax, sunflower, pumpkin, etc.) -- only because these reduce estrogen

Plus of course, unhealthy things like sugar, trans fats, rancid oils, etc.

I basically eat buckwheat and oats (certified wheat-free), meat and fish, any vegetables, lentils, occasionally rice, and a bit of fruit. I'm hoping to reduce my food sensitivities through mercury detoxing, because it can't be normal to react to so many healthy foods (I also get eczema from a lot of these foods, not just acne).

Mercury detoxing -- The safest way is Andy Cutler's protocol, but it's not an easy process. It involves taking DMSA and ALA.

[Frenchygirly]

My diet is fairly the same except I have to persuade myself to stop eating almonds, and stop cracking as well, especially on glutenous things for I know I am sick and break out afterwards.
By the way, what was the severity of your acne before you started the diet and everything? Cause mine is real severe (go to the topic " is the holistic approach still possible at this stage?" in the same forum if you want to have a look...)
Anyway, glad you found your cure!

[kaleidoscope]

Mine was moderate, not severe like yours. But that doesn't mean there's no hope for you! I believe SweetJade1980 on here had severe acne, and cleared hers 100% through diet.

[ariellestar1234]

Oh wow!
This is AWESOME NEWS!
I know I have PCOS sysmptoms..hirutism,and really messed up mentural cycles..they are crazy..lol..but I found avoiding my allergens, eating a diet similiar to yours keeps me clear...but now I am eating like 90% veggies, and not any fish or cooked foods at all..I cant beat seeds,nuts or any lind of grains,wheat,soy..dairy..all bad for me.
I eat basically white meat,and veggies..and found this has helped my skin tremedously ...and now being vegan is what I am aiming for!!


So Leah, the buck wheat ..it is NOT RELATED TO WHEAT AT ALL IS IT?
I like this news!!

[Frenchygirly]

I can assure you buckwheat is not related to wheat at all, it's not even a grain and it's totally gluten free.
Are you saying you keep your acne under control by following a nearly vegan diet? May I ask how severe was your acne?
Thks

[kaleidoscope]

Oh wow!
This is AWESOME NEWS!
I know I have PCOS sysmptoms..hirutism,and really messed up mentural cycles..they are crazy..lol..but I found avoiding my allergens, eating a diet similiar to yours keeps me clear...but now I am eating like 90% veggies, and not any fish or cooked foods at all..I cant beat seeds,nuts or any lind of grains,wheat,soy..dairy..all bad for me.
I eat basically white meat,and veggies..and found this has helped my skin tremedously ...and now being vegan is what I am aiming for!!


So Leah, the buck wheat ..it is NOT RELATED TO WHEAT AT ALL IS IT?
I like this news!!

Yeah it's definitely gluten-free.

Why are you going vegan?? Eating nothing but vegetables can't be healthy...

[ariellestar1234]

Good, I am glad they are not related
The wheat and buckwheat that is!

I really was never a big meat eater,even before I had acne..I was more of a chocolate/sugar/dairy/grain eater...
I would eat the occasional mcdonalds burger..or turkey on holidsys,but I did not eat a whole bunch of meat.
My problem was sugar..and bad carbs..like chips..icecream...any sugar..processed foods..starches...which led to leaky gut and candida..that and stress gave me acne in 2006.

in 2007 I changed my diet to lean meat veggies,and plenty of salmon and eggs...I got better because I avoided junk..but stress was still a factor plus hidden allergens in foods I thought was"healthy" for me.

This yr I added more salmon..eggs..fish oils..cooked
whole foods"..I even tried"gluten fee",oats..and some apples/fruit.

Again I kept a clogged chin, or wider pores..my skin is skitzo..it will be clear for a mnth..then the next I would braek out..with moderate acne that will stay on my chin and leave scars ..last mnth I became paranoid and just started hating food in general...lol..like damn I am allergic to everything it seems...july I had an ulcer.

So, I only ate apples and boiled eggs for 3 weeks, I notcied my skin looked better..I thought because of the lower calorie count...however the fructose in the fruit brought candida back..and either the cholesterol in the eggs made my acne worse..or the iodine in the eggs,or maybe I am allergic to eggs? Plus the salmon seems not to be agreeing with me...?

I dont know what it is.....but what I do know is that I can eat plenty of DARK GREEN VEGGIES, any time without a problem..
and I have been studying that I can get all my nutirnts plus protein from all veggies, so why should I eat meat?

With meat, unless its organic/grass fed..without added crap, there is always a chance for harmones,antibiotics being added..ext..plus the quality/grass fed meat is really expensive...so I say forget meat/cooked foods!

I wil eat live veggies..no flesh at all.
I will get all my needed nutrients from vegetables like collard/and dak green veggies, ther omaine salads..ext..there are plenty of healthy veggies I can choose from.
I will take sprulina for my needed protein.

*fiber
*nutrients/mineral/vitamins &
protein is all in vegetables so there is no need for me to eat any other foods at all,especailly if I eat a different type of dark green veggies daily,with herbs ext...I dont see what I would be missing?

Anywho, that is why I am not eating any animals at all..I will let the chlorophyll in the dark veggies cleanse me, and give me my nutrients...plus it should starve any candida I have in me..whilst I supp some good bacteria.

But, I will look into this buckwheat you speak of leah!

[ariellestar1234]

OMG, I went to check the site that sells this product and its expensive as heck!!

I wanted to know how long leah you have been taking this supplement before noticing imrovements in yr symptoms?
also, do you keep a good diet all the time, and notice clear skin completely with this supplement?

From what I read its part of the b- vitamnn family, and the buckwheat is a GRAIN..wouldn't this not be a good thing if you dont handle grains well?
Thanks!

[kaleidoscope]

A 4 pound bag probably lasts me a month, so $23.50 for 4 pounds isn't THAT expensive. (I have to pay a lot more for shipping to Canada, but it looks like you are in the US.)

It probably took me about a month to start seeing results.

Yes, I stay on my diet all the time. My diet and the buckwheat keep me clear, unless I am under a lot of stress, in which case I get some minor breakouts.

Yes, if you can't eat grains then you wouldn't want to eat buckwheat (I don't think it's technically a grain, but it's just as starchy and high in carbs as any grain). But I have no problems with eating a limited amount of gluten-free grains. Eating buckwheat has helped me much more than a grain-free diet ever did.

[Frenchygirly]

Arielle
How are you gonna leave on veggies only? You're gonna lose a lot of weight!
and...how do u know when candida is...back?
i was tested negative for candida, but some say it's not reliable...i'm lost!

[ariellestar1234]

Look, I have tried meat..I have tried salmon..and lean white meat...and at first it was okay when I ate them..It was keeping me clear..especially the salmon...but for some reason,
I had I guess an bad experience with a salmon brand...it was not wild caught or some expensive brand..that is supposed to be mercury free...so I think that meat/salmon broke me out ...and slamon is honestly expensive as hell for a student...

The same whith lean white meat...far as the whole it has to be grassfed/no hormones/antibiotics /parasites...ext...its just really getting on my nerves having to be paranoid with every meat I eat...plus its expensive..and before "acne", I was never a real big meat eater...more of a "sweets"/chcoclate..bad card type chic..

I started eating meat, when trying to do an" whole organic diet..."

What I am saying is..I personally dont think I need meat to survive.. but i do need PROTEIN..I can GET PROTEINS from veggies, like SPIRULINA...it provides plenty of PROTEIN IMO.
I can get the rest of vitamins and minerals from veggies..my nutients from plenty of dark, green veggies...

I am not knocking meat eaters..I am just doing what seemingly fits me..I do need protein, I just dont want to eat flesh.and see know reason to, plus it seems to not help my already sluggish digestive system.

I am more upset about the* grain *that buckwheat is,I was thinking of supping this, but I am also refraining from grains for a while..so we'll see.

[Frenchygirly]

Ok...I didn't mean to say not eating meat was bad. Actually some months ago I tried the lean meat-veggies thing with animal protein at every meal and my skin was worse than it is today, yes it can lol
So I know this diet is not for me, well I think so.
But the thing is if I remove grain and fruit...there is nothing left to eat but veggies, and I know I can't live on that, personnally; you are lucky you can. I will get pain in my limbs and will lose loads of energy. The same when I did the meat-veggies. I was sick. Reintroducing quinoa, buckwheat and legumes helped me recover, though I don't think I'm real well right now. Go to the doc tomorrow...
Btw buckwheat is not a grain but a fruit seed. But it is high card all the same, so if you're restricting grian it's ok, but if you're going low carb...well maybe not. But maybe the ggod side of buckwheat leah told us about is worth trying!

[kaleidoscope]

I'd just like to add that my period came today, and I had NO menstrual cramps. This is unbelievable for me. Normally I have debilitating cramps and have to take several pain killers. I even got cramps up to last month, so I thought that the buckwheat wasn't going to help with that. I guess my hormone levels were still a bit off last month... But not anymore!

[ariellestar1234]

I'd just like to add that my period came today, and I had NO menstrual cramps. This is unbelievable for me. Normally I have debilitating cramps and have to take several pain killers. I even got cramps up to last month, so I thought that the buckwheat wasn't going to help with that. I guess my hormone levels were still a bit off last month... But not anymore!

Good for you..
Your making this deem real good/promising for women with pcos symptoms.
And now that I know this is not a grain...hmmm.

[Deejla]

Hi,
I am curious if anybody knows how much buckwheat is enough for a good amount of D-chiro-inisotol in the diet? I got roasted buckwheat from Wholefoods yesterday,, but not sure one cup a day or how much a day is enough.

Also, I have been diagnosed by PCOS in 2000 and since then was on birth control on and off. With my next cycle of period, I am planning to try D-chiro. I'll post the results. Hopefully, this will resolve my problems without the BC.

Thanks

Deejla