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IP6: every public report we counted

41 first-person reports from 6 websites: 21 said it helped, 10 said it did not help or made things worse, and 10 were mixed or too early to tell. None of these reports has been verified.

How much these count: reports are the lowest-weight evidence here, below any study. People who post are not a random sample, most take other treatments at the same time, and nobody checks the diagnosis. We have checked 23 of 41 for signs of marketing so far. How we weigh reports

Where these came from

Cancer

24 reports: 11 helped, 5 no effect or worse, 8 mixed or too early.

  • Helped After years of slowly rising PSA despite other treatments, PSA stopped rising and fell to a stable level within months of starting IP6+inositol. HealthUnlocked, 2022-07-27 (Prior Lupron and radiation history; PSA-only measure; poster says 'if this is helping me'.)
  • Helped Reports PSA dropping after six months of three scoops daily on an empty stomach. HealthUnlocked, 2024-01-30 (Small PSA values; in another thread the same poster reported a drop from 0.3 to 0.2 after three months; no follow-up given.)
  • Too early Thinks it may make a difference and feels better mentally, but says he does not know its effect on the cancer until his next PSA. HealthUnlocked, 2022-08 (Self-described uncertainty; no PSA result reported; exact reply date not shown.)
  • Helped PSA levelled off while taking IP6+inositol, but the poster says it could be IP6, metformin, MCP or coincidence. HealthUnlocked, 2022-08 (Concurrent metformin and MCP; poster explicitly cannot attribute; exact reply date not shown.)
  • Mixed Took IP6 for a period; says the cancer eventually 'found a work-around' and PSA began rising again. HealthUnlocked, 2016-08 (Implies a temporary benefit without data; many supplements tried; date inferred from thread timestamps.)
  • Too early After three weeks at 12 g daily the PSA rise slowed sharply; plans to retest to see whether it was coincidence. Side effects: gas (first 7-10 days). Inspire, 2018-11-13 (Only three weeks; poster flags possible coincidence.)
  • No effect PSA went from 0.52 to 0.564 after 23 days of 16 scoops of IP6 daily. Inspire, 2022-04-13 (Only 23 days; many concurrent supplements.)
  • Worse Gained 12 pounds in ten days on IP6 and stopped; says he does not know whether IP6 works. Side effects: weight gain. Inspire, 2019-05-05 (Very short use; on Lupron, which itself can cause weight gain.)
  • Too early PSA is down, but he is unsure IP6 played a role and says it is too early to tell. ExcelMale, 2019-03-28 (Irregular use; poster's own 'too early' statement.)
  • Worse Mother became tired, weak and unable to eat within three weeks of starting IP6; she improved within days of stopping it. Side effects: fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, difficulty swallowing. Inspire, 2013-01-11 (Caregiver report; grape seed extract taken too and iron supplement stopped; suspected iron deficiency not confirmed by a lab test.)
  • Helped Had a complete pathologic response after chemotherapy while taking 6 g IP6+inositol daily, but stresses he cannot know whether it contributed. Inspire, 2010-01-02 (Standard chemotherapy and surgery; the poster himself disclaims attribution.)
  • Helped Platelets recovered to their highest level in months after adding IP6; a later scan showed a clear liver and shrinking lung tumors. Inspire, 2010-02-25 (On Tarceva and Gemzar; the poster says he is not sure which is working; in 2011 he reported stable cancer and no side effects.)
  • Helped A seven-year survivor taking two tablets daily since diagnosis believes it helps because she is still alive. Inspire, 2011-03-09 (Survival is not attributable; other treatment not stated.)
  • Worse Felt all-day pain where her tumors are after starting five pills twice daily; unsure whether it signals harm or a response. Side effects: pain at tumor sites, rib cage and lower back pain. Inspire, 2012-12-01 (Cause unknown; untreated cancer can cause pain; she made a similar post a day earlier.)
  • Helped Diagnosed in 2002; says she has been completely healed for ten years and still takes IP6+inositol. Inspire, 2012-12-01 (Other treatments not stated; strong advocacy tone.)
  • Mixed Rib pain from metastasis almost disappeared after four months on IP6, but her CEA tumor marker rose from 9.7 to 39.4. Inspire, 2010-06-02 (On Tarceva; she later reported coughing up blood; no scan result was posted.)
  • Helped Took six capsules at a time for a long period and says he felt better while on it. Inspire, 2018-10-08 (Subjective and vague; condition inferred from the community.)
  • Helped In remission for about eight years and believes her supplements, including IP6+inositol, have helped keep her there. Inspire, 2008-09-02 (Credits a supplement combination, not IP6 alone; had chemotherapy earlier.)
  • Helped Scans showed significant reduction and then stability, with no metastases, while taking IP6 and curcumin alongside chemotherapy and radiation. Inspire, 2010-09-16 (Standard chemotherapy and radiation at the same time; the poster does not directly credit IP6.)
  • Helped Takes 12 tablets twice daily and says she is alive three years past her expected death, crediting IP6+inositol. Inspire, 2016-02-20 (Cancer type and treatments not stated; strong advocacy tone.)
  • Mixed Two months at 10 g daily had no effect on the BCR-ABL leukemia marker, but cholesterol improved significantly. CML Support (UK), 2024-03-29 (Short trial; cholesterol change unexplained.)
  • No effect Took it for a while and felt it did nothing, while noting it is hard to tell. HealthUnlocked, 2019-01 (Comment in a thread; no numbers.)
  • Mixed Cancer has not been stable but has grown unusually slowly; unsure whether supplements or a slow-growing cancer explain it. Inspire, 2011-03 (Poster states the uncertainty.)
  • Mixed Two years on a low dose. Credits supplements generally, but gas prevented a higher dose, and the poster doubts a small dose helps. Side effects: Foul-smelling gas. Inspire, 2013-11 (On Xalkori throughout.)

Chemotherapy side effects

2 reports: 1 helped, 0 no effect or worse, 1 mixed or too early.

  • Helped Says taking 6-8 pills twice daily throughout Taxol chemotherapy prevented neuropathy for her. Inspire, 2011-12-02 (Not everyone on Taxol develops neuropathy; another poster in the same thread reports the opposite.)
  • Mixed IP6 did not prevent severe Taxol neuropathy, but she credits it with far fewer colds over four years. Inspire, 2011-12-03 (Benefit claim is about colds, a subjective and unrelated measure.)

Other uses and general experience

15 reports: 9 helped, 5 no effect or worse, 1 mixed or too early.

  • Helped Caregiver reports husband's long-stable triglycerides fell from 154 to about 120 after three months of 8 g IP6 daily. HealthUnlocked, 2019-01 (Caregiver report; poster says she cannot prove IP6 caused it; single measurement.)
  • Helped Serum iron fell by about half after a little over a month of 1,000 mg IP6 daily on an empty stomach; liver enzymes stayed normal. ExcelMale, 2019-02-01 (Single before/after lab pair; men's health (TRT) forum.)
  • Helped Serum iron fell from 185 to 135 µg/dl after finishing a tub of IP6 powder taken irregularly, then daily. LongeCity, 2017-02-10 (Irregular dosing; earlier use of other chelating supplements.)
  • Worse Serum iron dropped from about 100 to 30 mcg/dL, below range, after a few weeks of 1.5 g IP6 daily. Side effects: low serum iron. LongeCity, 2010-01-21 (Reason for taking not stated; posted as a warning to monitor iron.)
  • Worse IP6 powder taken on an empty stomach at bedtime bothered their stomach, so they stopped using it. Side effects: stomach upset. LongeCity, 2010-01-21 (Brief report; purpose not stated.)
  • Worse Felt bad after nightly IP6, better within a day of stopping, and now feels terrible after a single dose. Side effects: feeling unwell / malaise. LongeCity, 2010-02-06 (Also donating blood; in 2008 the same poster wrote that he felt nothing from it.)
  • Helped Takes 3-4 g daily as needed to keep ferritin in check, checks ferritin regularly and says it works. LongeCity, 2010-01-06 (No numbers given.)
  • Helped Reports a very good effect on ferritin from 800 mg IP6 at bedtime on an empty stomach. LongeCity, 2015-06-01 (No numbers given.)
  • Helped 500 mg IP6 daily let him cut blood donation to a couple of times a year; he also credits cosmetic and liver-enzyme improvements. Side effects: slightly lower energy until lunch. LongeCity, 2015-06-02 (Combined with blood donation; cosmetic claims are subjective; he posts the same report in several threads.)
  • Helped Takes IP6 for a few days when back or urinary discomfort arises or before contrast scans, and says kidney function tests come back very good. LongeCity, 2015-12-21 (Intermittent use; no numbers; heavy water intake at the same time.)
  • Worse After about nine months of 1-2 g daily, noticed declining exercise capacity, cramps and injuries that stopped after quitting. Side effects: reduced exercise capacity, muscle cramps, more exercise injuries, reduced light sensitivity, possible hair whitening. LongeCity, 2016-05-22 (Poster is reasonably but not fully sure; was dieting at the time.)
  • Worse Developed pain in a back molar after five to six months of IP6, with no other changes; wonders whether IP6 is the cause. Side effects: molar pain (suspected cavity). LongeCity, 2015-01-21 (Cause unconfirmed; framed as a question.)
  • Mixed Ferritin fell from 88 to a flagged-low 11; says IP6 clearly works as a chelator but went too far with blood donation. Side effects: iron deficiency (ferritin 11). LongeCity, 2016-06-10 (Blood donations contributed to the drop.)
  • Helped Says IP6 helped after gadolinium exposure, with later tests showing low levels. Phoenix Rising (ME/CFS), 2014-02-22 (Vague; the main concern was arsenic, with no outcome given for it.)
  • Helped A six-year survivor says daily IP6 powder has kept her regular after decades of constipation, while allowing for placebo. Inspire, 2008-07-27 (Poster herself mentions a placebo effect; makes no cancer claim.)

Set aside as possible marketing

Not counted in any number on this site.

  • Helped Reports a PSA drop to 0.1, no palpable prostate nodules and an end to bone ache after high-dose IP6; lower doses did not work. Side effects: gas, more frequent bathroom trips. Inspire, 2018-10-24 (On hormone therapy throughout; a prominent advocate who posts widely; elsewhere says he is slightly anemic without blaming IP6.) (Names one brand and one retailer repeatedly and invites private messages. No proof of selling; set aside to be safe.)
  • Helped PSA fell from 55 to under 0.1 within months while taking nine scoops of IP6 daily alongside hormone therapy. Side effects: gas. Inspire, 2018-10-18 (Started hormone therapy at the same time, which alone usually lowers PSA sharply; cannot attribute.) (Posts product links and a shopping-discount app repeatedly and calls the product proven. No proof of selling; set aside to be safe.)
  • Helped Credits a high dose of IP6+inositol with reaching no evidence of disease; in 2016 reported three years in remission. Inspire, 2013-11-29 (Also had chemotherapy and radiation; strongly promotes a specific brand.) (Repeatedly promotes one brand as the purest and invites people to message for more. No proof of selling; set aside to be safe.)

Everything we know about IP6