Myo-inositol in assisted reproductive technology from bench to bedside.

Inositols are insulin-sensitizing compounds that have also regulatory functions in human reproduction. In the ovary, myo-inositol (myo-ins) mediates the granulosa response to follicle-stimulating hormone stimuli and plays a crucial role in determining oocyte maturation. D-chiro-inositol, by contrast, is involved in the regulation of ovarian steroidogenesis and at high concentrations may be detrimental for oocyte quality due to its aromatase down-modulator activity. Supplementation with myo-ins during assisted reproductive technologies reduces the total amount of gonadotropins used in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and non-PCOS women and leads to improvements in oocyte quality and maturation and embryo development and an increase in the rate of successful pregnancies. Myo-ins also acts directly on spermatogenesis, improving sperm performance in vitro and in vivo. Inositols are insulin-sensitizing compounds of promising efficacy in the management of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). On the one hand, myo-inositol (myo-ins) plays a regulatory role in male and female reproductive function, influencing the development of oocytes, spermatozoa, and embryos. On the other hand, high concentrations of D-chiro-inositol (D-chiro-ins) in the ovary may adversely affect oocyte quality. This review analyses the available literature, which encourages the clinical use of myo-ins in assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) due to its beneficial effects on female and male reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]