D-Pinitol
Summary
D-pinitol is an inositol-like sugar alcohol from carob and soy. A 90-person trial in fatty liver found 300–500 mg/day for 12 weeks lowered liver fat and enzymes. A single 6 g dose lowered post-drink glucose and insulin, and a pinitol-rich carob drink improved insulin sensitivity over 12 weeks. Trials are small.
Key facts
- 3-O-methyl-D-chiro-inositol, a relative of inositol, found in carob pods and soy[2]
- 300 or 500 mg/day for 12 weeks lowered liver fat, liver enzymes, post-meal triglycerides and an oxidative-stress marker vs placebo in 90 adults[1]
- A single 6 g dose (not 2.5 or 4 g) lowered glucose and insulin at 45–60 minutes after a drink[2]
- A carob inositol drink (2.23 g inositols twice daily) lowered insulin and HOMA-IR over 12 weeks vs a sucrose drink[3]
- 3 graded human outcomes on this page
- October 13, 2026
How it works
ProposedPinitol is proposed to act as an insulin-signalling mediator, as D-chiro-inositol does. Metabolomics in the fatty liver trial pointed to changes in glutathione-related lipid and energy metabolism.[1][3]
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
At a glance: strongest evidence per outcome
| Outcome | Grade | Effect | Strongest evidence | Rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liver | Grade D | Improved | RCT · n = 90 · 2019 | 1 row |
| Blood sugar | Grade D | Improved | RCT · n = 40 · 2016 | 2 rows |
Every graded row
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liver fat, liver enzymes and oxidative stress in NAFLD | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 90 · 2019 Adults with ultrasound-confirmed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease Form: Pinitol · Dose: 300 or 500 mg/day · Duration: 12 weeks Liver fat, liver enzymes, urinary malondialdehyde and post-meal triglycerides were lower, and glutathione peroxidase higher, with pinitol than placebo; the abstract reports the pinitol groups together. | 31030165 (opens PubMed)Source [1] |
| Insulin sensitivity and postprandial glucose | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 40 · 2016 Healthy adults Form: Inositol-enriched carob extract beverage (pinitol-rich) vs sucrose beverage · Dose: 2.23 g inositols twice daily · Duration: 12 weeks Insulin, HOMA-IR and Apo B fell and LDL particle size rose; mean post-meal glucose was about 14% lower; the sucrose group gained BMI and fasting glucose. | 26051494 (opens PubMed)Source [3] |
| Post-drink glucose and insulin | Mixed | Grade D | Crossover RCT · n = 30 · 2013 Healthy adults Form: Pinitol-enriched carob beverage vs energy-matched placebo · Dose: Single dose of 2.5, 4.0 or 6.0 g · Duration: Single day per condition Only the 6.0 g dose lowered serum glucose and insulin at 45 and 60 minutes; plasma pinitol rose with dose. | 23790912 (opens PubMed)Source [2] |
Forms
| Form | Elemental % | Absorption (human data) | GI tolerance | Studied for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-pinitol (powder or capsules) | Varies[1][2] | Plasma pinitol rose in proportion to dose after a single drink.[2] | No adverse effects reported in the cited trials.[1][2] | Fatty liver and glucose studies |
| Carob pod inositol extract | Varies[3] | No head-to-head human absorption data. | Well tolerated over 12 weeks in a beverage.[3] | Insulin sensitivity (one trial) |
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from 300–500 mg/day for 12 weeks (fatty liver) to single 2.5–6 g servings (glucose response) and about 4.5 g/day of carob inositols for 12 weeks.[1][2][3]
Interactions
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
Who should be careful
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
How to read the label
Frequently asked questions
Does pinitol lower blood sugar?
A single 6 g dose lowered post-drink glucose and insulin in healthy adults; lower doses did not.[2]
Can pinitol help fatty liver?
One 90-person trial found 300–500 mg/day for 12 weeks lowered liver fat and liver enzymes.[1]
Sources
- [1]Pinitol consumption improves liver health status by reducing oxidative stress and fatty acid accumulation in subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.. J Nutr Biochem, 2019. RCT
- [2]A single acute dose of pinitol from a naturally-occurring food ingredient decreases hyperglycaemia and circulating insulin levels in healthy subjects.. Food Chem, 2013. crossover-RCT
- [3]Chronic consumption of an inositol-enriched carob extract improves postprandial glycaemia and insulin sensitivity in healthy subjects: A randomized controlled trial.. Clin Nutr, 2016. RCT
What changed
- Independent adversarial review: fatty-liver row and key fact said fasting and post-meal lipids fell; the abstract (PMID 31030165) reports lower post-meal triglycerides, urinary MDA, liver fat and enzymes and higher glutathione peroxidase only. Corrected.
- First draft. Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (title and year taken from the record) and abstracts read for the cited rows.
- Self-review pass (strict second read): carob trial comparator noted as sucrose drink. Drug interactions checked explicitly: diabetes drugs (listed); anticoagulants, blood-pressure drugs, antibiotics, levodopa, chemotherapy (no data, stated).