Alpha Lipoic Acid: A Powerful Antioxidant
Rosa parks
Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)
In 1999 we looked at a relatively new antioxidant supplement called Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) also known as thioctic acid and concluded that it might one day prove to be very important, but that it was too early to recommend it. Since then more studies on it have been done. Is the evidence today strong enough to support its use?
Scientists first discovered the importance of Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) in the 1950s, and recognized it as an antioxidant in 1988. It has been the subject of a tremendous amount of basic research around the world, some being done at the University of California, Berkeley by Dr. Lester Packer, a leading expert on antioxidants.
Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) is a unique nutrient shown to have a potent effect on glucose disposal. It is also a natural antioxidant with free radical scavenging abilities as well as the ability to regenerate oxidized antioxidants. This actually makes other antioxidants more potent. ALA increases the levels of intra-cellular glutathione. Glutathione has been shown to enhance recovery from heavy training by reducing intra-cellular damage. Alpha Lipoic Acid is one of the latest fatty acid supplements to make the news.
The body needs ALA to produce energy. It plays a crucial role in the mitochondria, the energy-producing structures in cells. The body actually makes enough ALA for these basic metabolic functions. This compound acts as an antioxidant, however, only when there is an excess of it and it is in the free state in the cells. But there is little free ALA circulating in your body, unless you consume supplements or get it injected. Foods contain only tiny amounts of it. What makes ALA special as an antioxidant is its versatility it helps deactivate an unusually wide array of cell-damaging free radicals in many bodily systems.
ALA helps protect the mitochondria and the genetic material, DNA. As we age, mitochondrial function is impaired, and it's theorized that this may be an important contributor to some of the adverse effects of aging. ALA also works closely with vitamin C and E and some other antioxidants, recycling them and thus making them much more effective.
ALA is being studied in animals and in humans as a preventive and treatment for many age-related diseases. These range from heart disease and stroke to diabetes and Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, as well as declines in energy, muscle strength, brain function, and immunity. It is also being studied for HIV disease and multiple sclerosis. In Germany, in particular, it is already prescribed to treat long-term complications of diabetes, such as nerve damage, thought to result in part from free-radical damage; there is also evidence that it can help decrease insulin resistance and thus help control blood sugar. Many studies have yielded promising results; others are still underway.
Lipoic acid shows evidence of being effective in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy and may be useful in treating some other aspects of diabetes. It may help prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and may be protective, generally, against oxidative stress and, specifically, against atherosclerosis, ischemia-reperfusion injury and various radio logic and chemical toxins. It may also be useful in some inborn metabolic disorders. There is less evidence that it might be helpful in some neurodegenerative conditions. There is preliminary evidence that it might have some immune-modulating effects. It has been suggested that lipoic acid may slow aging of the brain and that it may be an anti-aging substance, in general.
Nearly everyone knows someone who has suffered from a stroke. They hit quickly and usually without warning, often leaving the victim crippled in the wake. Research is showing a strong connection between stroke recovery and Alpha Lipoic Acid. ALA is also crucial for energy production. It helps break down sugar for the production of ATP, the fuel used by cells to keep the body running.
More Detail About Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)
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