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Reaction To Inositol

by Holly
(Atlanta, GA, USA)

I tried inositol yesterday for the first time for anxiety (1000 mgs plain inositol powder in capsules) and experienced huge histamine increase. It was taken alone so it was definitely the inositol. I had no idea that inositol caused increased histamine. It was worse than eating sauerkraut. I went to the internet and found confirmation everywhere that inositol increases histamine release. My histamine issues began after my GYN gave me estrogen/testosterone shot last year and have since learned estrogen dominance often causes histamine issues. Within 6 weeks on progesterone cream alone and following Wray's protocol, as well as switching to keto diet, all histamine issues ceased, until yesterday when I took inositol. Inositol gets such rave reviews and helps so many people but apparenty not me. My advice is if you have high histamine and want to try inositol anyway, take it alone and have your histamine decreasing protocol ready, i.e. I've been drinking tall glasses of water with 2400 mgs of ascorbic acid (powdered vitamin c) every several hours.

This website is a godsend for me and my only desire in writing this is to share my experience. If someone has high histamine and finds inositol helps lower it, please let me know. I want to learn. Sincerely, Holly

Comments for Reaction To Inositol

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Nov 10, 2015
 Thank you
by: Susan Jo

Hi Holly

Thank you. I looked it up and was surprised to read that. So off my list. I also read NAG also. I hope all antioxidants don't react histamines. I did read that sam-e helps histamine, breaks it down. So far there are a lot of supplements I can have.

Thank you very much
Susan Jo
Nov 11, 2015
 Food Sources
by: Holly

Hi Susan Jo, So good to hear from you! After the inositol experience I looked up NAC and read it does increase histamine so am not willing to try it at this time. I did try gaba sublinguals and tryptophan and felt nothing, at all. From personal experience, getting nutrients from foods (and organic, grassfed, hormone free ones) always works better. Taking one part of a food and capsuling it in a lab just can't compare to the real thing, plus there's often unhealthy additives included. I made a list of the nutrients I want and get them from foods daily (ie, tryptophan is abundant in meats as well as other foods). I didn't want to give up pleasure eating but now I crave the foods that are healthy for me and get so much more pleasure out of feeling good. I've found the only nutrients I'm not getting enough of from foods are D3, C, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and the delightful progesterone! The ketogenic diet is absolutely perfect for me. My brain, gut and body love it. Clear brain, calm emotions, happy intestines, clean energy. In so many ways I feel my life has just begun. At 59! Enjoy your day! Holly
Nov 14, 2015
 I agree
by: Susan Jo

Hi Holly

I have a small headache so this is going to be a quick response. I made a typo. I ment to say just about all supplements don't agree with me. As of know I only use progesterone cream which I know I need more of hence the headache. I well continue more of an update when I feel better.

Susan Jo
Nov 17, 2015
 Headache
by: Susan Jo

Hi Holly,

I found out why I had a headache, I got my period. .yep. so apparently I need more progesterone. Haha and yesterday I short changed myself with progesterone cream by mistake and woke up with night sweats..grrrrrrr. Still figuring a way to suppress testosterone other than with progesterone. Oh one thing interesting is I look less pregnant. Im thinking because before the period starting I apparently progesterone and estrogen drop sharply and didn't have enough progesterone cream to help. Anyway that's all for now.

God bless
Susan Jo
Sep 18, 2018
 Inositol and histamine
by: Anonymous

Hi, I've had histamine issues ever since my gut went bad due to either SIBO, a parasite or other. I've been working on healing my gut which has helped but I still have histamine issues. I tend to get these adrenaline rushes and panicy like feelings although they've been less since boosting my serotonin levels for whatever reason.

Anyway the last couple of days I've taken 6g+ of Inositol and felt I had a bad histamine reaction, including some panicy feelings and once again adrenaline rushes causing insomnia. I haven't seen a lot of info on this on the web so I'm gad you mentioned something.
Thank you.
Mar 07, 2022
 Research data
by: Anonymous

...the study you vaguely reference states that histamine increases inositol not the other way around. Also its not myo-inositol thats stimulated.its a 14 page paper.i could find no studies stating inositol increases histamine. I have severe histamine intolerance and take commom insositol with no problem. Link to the study whos results your referencing: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/ppmc/articles/PMC1916608/pdf/brjpharm00354-0176.pdf
Nov 23, 2023
 Thank you Anonymous...
by: Dan

...for finding the study that refutes the nonsensical claims of the original posters back in 2015.

Indeed, if inositol RAISED histamine, one would see thousands of comments on Amazon from people whose anxiety has dramatically worsened since taking inositol.

Instead you see the opposite. Inositol dramatically helps anxiety, helps calm people down -- what one would expect when taking an ANTIHISTAMINE.

Again, thanks for correcting this misinformation.
Nov 24, 2023
 Inositol
by: Joy

I have been taking it for years and it certainly hasn't caused weight gain or anxiety.

Inositol increases the action of insulin and decreases insulin resistance. It has a calming affect, helps in combating depression, panic attacks, mood swings, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder and anxiety. Helps reduce cholesterol levels, hardening of the arteries, removes fat from the liver. Improves ovulation, decreases serum androgen concentrations, blood pressure, and plasma triglyceride concentrations in polycystic ovary syndrome. Weight loss has been observed in patients taking it. High losses occur in diabetes, used for diabetic neuropathy, insomnia, cancer, hair growth (known as the anti-alopecia vitamin).
Dec 09, 2023
 Yes it does.
by: Anonymous

Hello, I have been searching all over the internet to find evidence that Myo inostol increases histamine. I have found the opposite instead. I have been suffering with a runny nose for three years and my runny nose gets so much worst with the Myo inostol. I do take a powder form and it doesn’t have D-chiro in it. I won’t be taking it anymore and I’d like to thank the person who started this thread. Also does anyone have any remedies for a runny nose?
Feb 21, 2026
 Inositol and the gut
by: DC

I found this and just wanted to include some info. I to had issues with histamine during and after taking inositol. Some information I found is if you have SIBO or similar gut issues, the inositol will just feed the problem. More SIBO and other gut issues means more histamine issues as well. Here are some studies regarding Inositol feeding gut bacteria, again people with no issues would not likely have a problem but if you do, make sure to test your gut health for SIBO or similar. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/inositol-increases-histamine-r-xiC2MLg9TOCPxebgeVNItA https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12482443/
Feb 21, 2026
 Inositol and the gut
by: DC

I found this and just wanted to include some info. I to had issues with histamine during and after taking inositol. Some information I found is if you have SIBO or similar gut issues, the inositol will just feed the problem. More SIBO and other gut issues means more histamine issues as well. Here are some studies regarding Inositol feeding gut bacteria, again people with no issues would not likely have a problem but if you do, make sure to test your gut health for SIBO or similar. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12482443/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-25081-w
Jun 27, 2026
 Replying to DC's comment
by: Doug

There is NOTHING in those studies that suggest that inositol worsens SIBO. Nor does it feed bad bacteria or increase histamine levels.

In fact, the study showed that inositol and inositol phosphates feed BENEFICIAL bacteria and help produce BENEFICIAL short chain fatty acids (like butyrate, acetate, etc) that we need for a healthy gut.

As for 'Anonymous's' 2023 comment: Your nose ran more because inositol 'increases mucus clearance', something that is beneficial if one tends towards dryness in their sinuses. It has nothing to do with histamine.

And as others have noted, the original post by Holly is full of confounding variables, and ignores the fact that inositol is found in many, many foods.
Jun 28, 2026
 Replying to DC's comment
by: Joy

Hi Doug,

Many thanks for your valuable input.

The benefits of inositol have been discussed ad nauseam on this website.

Myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol are sugar alcohol-like compounds (technically cyclic sugar alcohols). However, they are not classified as FODMAPs and are generally absorbed in the small intestine rather than being fermented by gut bacteria.

To date, I have found no strong evidence to suggest that inositol feeds the bacteria responsible for SIBO or worsens the condition.

That said, some people with SIBO have particularly sensitive digestive systems. Higher doses of inositol (for example, 4 grams or more per day) may cause bloating, gas, nausea, or loose stools. These symptoms are more likely related to the supplement itself than to any worsening of SIBO.

Best wishes.
Jun 28, 2026
 Replying to Doug's comment
by: DC

SIBO is not "bad" bacteria. "Beneficial" bacteria is what people with SIBO react badly to. It is an overgrowth of normal bacteria in non normal areas of your digestive system. This is the same reason why taking "beneficial" probotics and fermented foods worsen SIBO. Things that help a balanced digestive system do not react the same in an unhealthy digestive system. This is what I was trying to show by posting the studies.

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