Condition
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is a condition of recurrent, unexpected panic attacks, sudden surges of intense fear with a racing heart, shortness of breath and dizziness, often followed by worry about the next one. Among supplements, inositol has the most research behind it, and trials found anxiety symptoms improved, with moderate evidence. Those studies were small, though, covering only 41 people in total, so it is early days.
Sources: PMID 11386498
- Supplements studied
- 2
- Graded outcomes
- 1
- Trials
- 4
- People studied
- 101
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anxiety Symptoms Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 3 studies | 41 people | ||
| Panic Attacks | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 53 people | |||
Studies that measured panic attacks | ||||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cortisol | Changes; see studies | 1 study | 48 people | |||
Studies that measured cortisol | ||||||
Key findings
- Anxiety SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)
The Panic Disorder Supportive Care protocol
2 primary supplements · 7 supporting supplements
- Inositol12–18 g daily in divided doses (start lower, titrate up)
- Lavender Oil (Silexan)80–160 mg Silexan daily
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- Grade B
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Studies cited
54 studies from PubMed
- The effects of oral 5-hydroxytryptophan administration on feeding behavior in obese adult female subjects
- Eating behavior and adherence to dietary prescriptions in obese adult subjects treated with 5-hydroxytryptophan
- L -5-Hydroxytryptophan treatment of sleep terrors in children
- Effects of oral 5-hydroxy-tryptophan on energy intake and macronutrient selection in non-insulin dependent diabetic patients
- L-5-hydroxytryptophan induced increase in salivary cortisol in panic disorder patients and healthy volunteers
- Effects of 5-hydroxytryptophan on distinct types of depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
- Comparative study of efficacy of l-5-hydroxytryptophan and fluoxetine in patients presenting with first depressive episode.
- A functional-dimensional approach to depression: serotonin deficiency as a target syndrome in a comparison of 5-hydroxytryptophan and fluvoxamine.
- Efficacy and safety of 5-hydroxytryptophan on depression and apathy in Parkinson's disease: a preliminary finding.
- The combined therapy with myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol reduces the risk of metabolic disease in PCOS overweight patients compared to myo-inositol supplementation alone
- Effects of inositol on ovarian function and metabolic factors in women with PCOS: a randomized double blind placebo-controlled trial
- Differential insulin response to myo-inositol administration in obese polycystic ovary syndrome patients
- Inositol administration reduces oxidative stress in erythrocytes of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome
- Effects of d-chiro-inositol in lean women with the polycystic ovary syndrome
- Insulin sensitiser agents alone and in co-treatment with r-FSH for ovulation induction in PCOS women
- Efficacy of myo-inositol in the treatment of cutaneous disorders in young women with polycystic ovary syndrome
- Metabolic and hormonal effects of myo-inositol in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a double-blind trial
- Myo-inositol administration positively affects hyperinsulinemia and hormonal parameters in overweight patients with polycystic ovary syndrome
- Pharmacological and Non-Pharmacological Interventions for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in Indian Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
- Inositol is an effective and safe treatment in polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
- Effects of myo-inositol supplementation on oocyte's quality in PCOS patients: a double blind trial
- Myo-inositol rather than D-chiro-inositol is able to improve oocyte quality in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles. A prospective, controlled, randomized trial
- Myo-inositol may prevent gestational diabetes in PCOS women
- Inositol for subfertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
- Myo-inositol treatment increases serum plasmalogens and decreases small dense LDL, particularly in hyperlipidemic subjects with metabolic syndrome
- One-year effects of myo-inositol supplementation in postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome
- A phase I study of myo-inositol for lung cancer chemoprevention
- Treatment of hirsutism with myo-inositol: a prospective clinical study
- Inositol for depressive disorders.
- Double-blind, controlled trial of inositol treatment of depression
- Treatment-resistant bipolar depression: a STEP-BD equipoise randomized effectiveness trial of antidepressant augmentation with lamotrigine, inositol, or risperidone
- Inositol addition does not improve depression in SSRI treatment failures
- Effect of inositol on bulimia nervosa and binge eating
- Inositol Nutritional Supplementation for the Prevention of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
- The effect of myoinositol supplementation on insulin resistance in patients with gestational diabetes
- Dietary supplementation with myo-inositol in women during pregnancy for treating gestational diabetes.
- A phase 2 randomized trial of ELND005, scyllo-inositol, in mild to moderate Alzheimer disease
- Inositol treatment of Alzheimer's disease: a double blind, cross-over placebo controlled trial
- Lack of effect of inositol treatment in chronic schizophrenia
- CSF inositol in schizophrenia and high-dose inositol treatment of schizophrenia
- Double-blind, controlled, crossover trial of inositol versus fluvoxamine for the treatment of panic disorder
- Double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of inositol treatment for panic disorder
- Acute inositol does not attenuate m-CPP-induced anxiety, mydriasis and endocrine effects in panic disorder
- Myo-inositol in the treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder
- Myo-inositol has no beneficial effect on premenstrual dysphoric disorder
- Inositol as an add-on treatment for bipolar depression
- Inositol treatment of autism
- Inositol treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Inositol treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder
- Lack of effect of 6 g inositol treatment of post-ECT cognitive function in humans
- The effect of inositol supplements on the psoriasis of patients taking lithium: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial
- Pretreatment with myo-inositol in non polycystic ovary syndrome patients undergoing multiple follicular stimulation for IVF: a pilot study
- The effects of inositol supplementation on lipid profiles among patients with metabolic diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
- The efficacy and safety of inositol supplementation in preterm infants to prevent retinopathy of prematurity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.