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Alpha lipoic acid is a powerful antioxidant used for treatment of the liver, diabetes, radiation sickness, relief of oxidative stress, and anti-aging.

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) is so powerful it is called the “universal antioxidant.” ALA is soluble in both fat and water and able to trap the free radicals that damage cells. A free radical is an unstable molecule that attempts to steal electrons from other molecules, therefore causing damage. Smoking, pollution and fried foods are all sources of free radicals.

It is the ONLY antioxidant that not only recycles and regenerates itself – but also stimulates other antioxidants like Vitamins C and E - so that they can resume their own attack against free radicals.

One of a few substances that can cross the blood/brain barrier – ALA enters the brain to directly protect cells by increasing glutathione – a major protector of the brain against free radical damage. Low levels of glutathione in the brain are associated with terrifying and incurable brain disorders like stroke, dementia, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

· Enhances and regenerates coenzyme Q10, an important preventive against heart disease

· Helps protect the lens and retina of the eye from deterioration, and helps improve glaucoma

· Has profound benefits for diabetics by speeding the removal of sugar from blood

· Crucial for energy production, it helps break down sugar for the production of ATP, the fuel used by cells to keep the body running

Jefferson Medical College, Board Certified in Internal Medicine & Board Certified in Neurology, Section Chief, Neurology, St. Barnabas Hospital, Livingston, NJ

We submitted four different alpha lipoic acid products for independent lab analysis to Alpha Laboratories. The products were from the better manufacturers, including Solgar, TwinLab, Natrol and Nutraceutical Sciences Institute (NSI).

Research in the last decade has strongly implicated oxidative damage within the cells, caused by free radicals, as the cause of many of the degenerative disorders of aging. Included in this group is Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's, arthritis, cancer, heart disease and a host of other conditions. Studies have shown that oxidative damage is seen throughout various portions of the brain cells in Alzheimer's patients. Anti-oxidants have been shown in numerous studies to halt or reduce oxidative damage in cells and, in many cases, stabilize and even reverse the cell damage. There have been multiple studies in the medical literature indicating that anti-oxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E can have beneficial effects in slowing down and perhaps even reducing the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's, etc.

A little known but extremely powerful antioxidant nutrient is available in supplemental form called alpha lipoic acid. It is a vitamin-like substance that contains sulfur. Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) plays an extremely important role in energy production within the cell. What makes alpha lipoic acid so effective as an anti-oxidant is that it works on both water and fat soluble free radicals which are the cause of oxidation.

For those of you who think that alpha lipoic acid (ALA) is a nutrient that has not been well researched, think again. A recent Medline search indicated 1,378 articles in the medical literature on alpha lipoic acid. Alpha lipoic acid appears to be a wonder nutrient. It seems to work particularly well in diabetic patients. Experimental studies show that it has a potential renal protective effect. In a study out of Germany published last year, diabetic patients treated with 600 mg. of ALA daily had stabilization in urinary albumin concentration over an 18 month follow-up whereas patients in the control group had an increase in urinary albumin excretion. In animal studies the renal protective effects of ALA were not attributable to improved glycemic control alone but also likely related to its antioxidant activity. Alpha lipoic acid increases glucose uptake in the cells and appears to reduce symptoms of diabetic complications including cataract formation, vascular damage and even polyneuropathy (nerve damage). In a study published in the journal Diabetic Medicine from 1999, those patients treated with 600 mg. of ALA, three times daily for 3 weeks had improvement of diabetic symptoms from polyneuropathy. In another study using 600 to 1,800 mg of ALA daily those individuals treated were found to have improvement of insulin sensitivity. In animal studies it has been found to reduce oxidative DNA damage within heart cells.

More recent experimental studies have shown that ALA can actually reverse the damage in aging cells of the brain. This was a study published in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of science from February of this year. In the study, aging rats were treated with either acetyl-L carnitine or ALA. Both of these nutrients improved performance in memory tasks by lowering oxidative damage and improving mitochondrial function. Electron microscopic studies of the brains of these animals indicated these nutrients reversed age associated mitochondrial structural decay. Alpha lipoic acid has also been used both in oral and topical form as a treatment for keeping skin healthy and young in appearance. There have been studies in the medical literature indicating that supplemental ALA can even be beneficial in patients with glaucoma.

Most studies have used 600-1,800 mg per day of alpha lipoic acid for optimal benefits in people with specific health concerns. If you are healthy and want to promote optimal health, a dose of 30 - 300 mg per day may be sufficient. Beware of products that contain 500 mcg (1/2 mg)-10 mg; these doses are probably too little to provide any benefit.

References:
Diabetes Res Clin Pract 2001 Jun;52(3):175-83
J Am Soc Nephrol 2002 Jan;13(1):108-16
Diabet Med 1999 Dec;16(12):1040-3
Free Radic Biol Med 1999 Aug;27(3-4):309-14
Free Radic Biol Med 1999 Nov;27(9-10):1114-21
FASEB J 2001 Mar;15(3):700-6
Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2002 Feb 19;99(4):2356-61

Claims, Benefits: Prevents or treats many age-related diseases, from heart disease and stroke to diabetes and cataracts.

Bottom Line: This potent and versatile antioxidant may some day be seen as a very important supplement. But for now, not enough is known to recommend it. If you have diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s, or Alzheimer’s and decide to take it, tell your doctor.

In 1999 we looked at a relatively new antioxidant supplement called alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) 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 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.

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.

In particular, 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/or 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.

One of the best-known proponents of ALA is Dr. Bruce Ames, professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of California, Berkeley. He has helped develop and study an ALA supplement called Juvenon, which has been patented by UC Berkeley. Juvenon, in addition, contains another promising compound, acetyl-L-carnitine, which is also involved in energy production in the mitochondria. Ames and his colleagues have found that high doses of these compounds, in combination, enable elderly rats to function like younger ones. Of course, the same results may not occur in humans. Human studies are just getting started.

Though evidence has been accumulating, it is clear that the research on ALA is still in its early stages. Large, long-term, well-controlled studies on human are needed. No one knows what dose should be used for what ailment. Most studies have used 100 to 600 milligrams a day, but higher doses have also been studied.

Though ALA so far appears to be safe, the long-term effects of large supplemental doses are unknown. If ALA is as powerful as it seems, there may be a danger in too much of a good thing. In addition, while in Germany it is sold only by prescription and (like other supplements) is monitored by the government, in the U.S. you have no way of knowing what’s in the bottles.

Bottom line: We still advise waiting until more research has been done. If you have diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s, or Alzheimer’s, you may be unwilling to wait. In that case, talk to your doctor before taking ALA. The supplement may, for instance, affect the dosage of your diabetes medication.

Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) is a vitamin-like antioxidant, sometimes referred to as the “universal antioxidant” because it is soluble in both fat and water.¹ ALA is manufactured in the body and is found in some foods, particularly liver and yeast.

ALA is capable of regenerating several other antioxidants back to their active states, including vitamin C,² vitamin E,³ glutathione,⁴ and coenzyme Q10.⁵

ALA has several potential benefits for people with diabetes. It enhances glucose uptake in type 2 (adult onset or non-insulin-dependent) diabetes, inhibits glycosylation (the abnormal attachment of sugar to protein), and has been used to improve diabetic nerve damage and reduce pain associated with that nerve damage.⁶ Most studies have used intravenous alpha lipoic acid, but oral supplementation has nonetheless proved partially helpful in treating at least one form of diabetic neuropathy, using 800 mg per day.⁷

Preliminary evidence indicates that 150 mg of alpha lipoic acid, taken daily for one month, improves visual function in people with glaucoma.⁸

ALA has been shown to inhibit the replication of the HIV virus in the test tube; however, it is not known whether supplementing with ALA would benefit HIV-infected people.⁹

Intravenous administration of ALA has significantly increased the survival rate of people who have eaten poisonous mushrooms.¹⁰ Such a treatment should be prescribed by a doctor and should not be attempted on one’s own.

Where is it found?

The body makes small amounts of alpha lipoic acid. There is only limited knowledge about the food sources of this nutrient. However, foods that contain mitochondria (a specialized component of cells), such as red meats, are believed to provide the most alpha lipoic acid. Supplements are also available.

Who is likely to be deficient?

Although alpha lipoic acid was thought to be a vitamin when it was first discovered, subsequent research determined that it is created in the human body—and thus is not an essential nutrient. For this reason, deficiencies of alpha lipoic acid are not known to occur in humans.

How much is usually taken?

The amount of alpha lipoic acid used in research to improve diabetic neuropathies is 800 mg per day and 150 mg per day for glaucoma. However, much lower amounts, such as 20–50 mg per day, are recommended by some doctors for general antioxidant protection, although there is no clear evidence that such general use has any benefit.

Are there any side effects or interactions?

Side effects with alpha lipoic acid are rare but can include skin rash and the potential of hypoglycemia in diabetic patients. People who may be deficient in vitamin B1 (such as alcoholics) should take vitamin B1 along with alpha lipoic acid supplements. Chronic administration of alpha lipoic acid in animals has interfered with the actions of the vitamin, biotin. Whether this has significance for humans remains unknown.¹¹

At the time of writing, there were no well-known drug interactions with alpha lipoic acid.