It can be found in wines aged in oak wood barrels.

The proposed biosynthesis of 5-deoxyinositol begins with the conversion of D-glucose to myo-inositol.

The NAD+ dependent enzyme inositol 1-phosphate synthase (I1PS) then catalyzes the subsequent oxidation, enolization, aldol cyclization, and reduction of D-glucose 6-phosphate to form myo-inositol 1-phosphate.

Hydrolysis of the phosphate group on this molecule gives myo-inositol.

This final reduction is thought to be catalyzed by one or more unidentified reductases or dehydrogenases.