Inositol supplementation helps prevent adverse outcomes including death, bleeding in the brain, and eye problems in preterm infants, according to a study in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
Inositol is an essential nutrient for human cells, which is found high in breast cells , particularly in the breast milk of mothers who give birth earlier than expected. A drop in inositol levels in infants with respiratory distress syndrome indicates a severe illness.
Alexandra Howlett at Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and colleagues conducted the review and found inosital supplements reduced risk of neonatal death, infant mortality, retinopathy of prematurity, and intraventricular hemorrhage.
For the review, the researchers searched major medical databases in May 2011 including the The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Clinicaltrials.gov and Controlled-trials.com and identified four publihed and one ongoing randomized controlled trials that met selection criteria and included them in their review.
The outcomes considered in the trials included neonatal death, infant death, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity, intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis, and sepsis.
From three trials, the researchers found inositol supplementation reduced risk of neonatal death by 47 percent, infant deaths by 45 percent, retinopathy of prematurity, stage equal or greater three by 91 percent, and intraventricular hemorrhage, grade greater than II by 47 percent.
However, inositol supplementation was not associated with reduced nor increased risk of sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis.
The researchers conlyded "Inositol supplementation results in statistically significant and clinically important reductions in important short-term adverse neonatal outcomes."
Inositol is available as a supplement. It tastes as half sweet as table sugar or sucrose. Inositol helps convert food into energy.
