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The Innovation Nutrition > 2026 Vol. 1 > No. 2 > 100031
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Beyond nutrients: Inositol as a signaling architect of the gut-host axis and a global health imperative

  • 1.

    Department of Environmental Hygiene, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China

  • 2.

    Key Laboratory of Biomechanics and Mechanobiology, Ministry of Education, School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China

  • 3.

    State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao 999087, China

  • 4.

    Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China

  • 5.

    South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China

  • 6.

    These two authors contributed equally to this perspective

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The Innovation Nutrition  1(2),  https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-nutri.2026.100031  |  Cite this article
    ABSTRACT
  • Inositol is a naturally occurring hexahydroxycyclohexane that participates in a wide range of physiological processes, including signal transduction, glucose and lipid metabolism, osmotic regulation, and communication between the gut microbiota and the host. Among its isomers, myo-inositol (MYO) and D-chiro-inositol (DCI) are the most biologically active. They play central roles in insulin signaling and metabolic homeostasis. When inositol metabolism is disrupted, it has been linked to conditions such as metabolic syndrome, polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS; conventionally termed polycystic ovary syndrome, PCOS), neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer. This perspective summarizes the challenges and future development trends related to inositol research, providing a comprehensive understanding of its application in public health and clinical settings.
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    • REFERENCES
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  • Cite this article:

    Xue X.-Y., Gao Y.-Z., Zhang D., et al. (2026). Beyond nutrients: Inositol as a signaling architect of the gut-host axis and a global health imperative. The Innovation Nutrition 1:100031. https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-nutri.2026.100031
    Xue X.-Y., Gao Y.-Z., Zhang D., et al. (2026). Beyond nutrients: Inositol as a signaling architect of the gut-host axis and a global health imperative. The Innovation Nutrition 1:100031. https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-nutri.2026.100031

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