Alpha-Lipoic Acid - Nutrient Reference (AKA: , lipoic acid, ALA, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, alphalipoic acid, alpha lipoic acid, alfa lipoic acid)

What alpha-lipoic acid does :
Alpha Lipoic Acid is one of the most potent antioxidants known to man. Coined "The Universal Antioxidant", alpha lipoic acid is both fat and water soluble; allowing it to reach the majority of the body's systems.

Where alpha-lipoic acid is found :
Alpha-lipoic acid is found in only a few foods including broccoli, spinach, and organ meats. The body does produce small ammounts of alpha-lipoic acid, but not enough to give any significant antioxidant benefits.

How much alpha-lipoic acid to take :
Alpha-lipoic acid can be taken in dosages of 50-200 mg up to three times daily.

Comments about alpha-lipoic acid:
Alpha-lipoic acid is one of the most potent and versatile antioxidants known. Its ability to reach almost all of the body's systems has given it the name of "Universal Antioxidant".

Common mispellings of alpha-lipoic acid :
alphalipoic acid, alpha lipoic acid, alfa lipoic acid

Where to buy alpha-lipoic acid:
You can get alpha-lipoic acid by clicking here.

Detailed Information on Alpha-Lipoic Acid:

What is Alpha Lipoic Acid?

Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a powerful antioxidant that was first discovered in the 1950's. However, its importance as an antioxidant was not recognized until 1988(1). Since its discovery, Alpha-Lipoic Acid has been the study of numerous tests and studies by scientists around the world.

How does Alpha Lipoic Acid work?

Alpha-Lipoic acid is important to the body in many ways. First, it is a powerful antioxidant. Second, it acts as a "recycler" of vitamins C, E, and glutathione, thus adding to its total antioxidant effect. It "recycles" these vitamins by restoring their antioxidant properties after they have acted to neutralize free radicals. Thirdly, the body needs alpha-lipoic acid to produce energy. That is, alpha-lipoic acid is necessary for the mitochondria to carry out its energy producing process. This process is called cellular respiration. Without ALA, the mitochondria cannot use sugar to produce energy. And lastly, the body converts alpha-lipoic acid into dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA), which acts as another antioxidant against free radicals. The body is able to produce alpha-lipoic acid, but just enough for the basic metabolic functions. However, having such small amounts of alpha-lipoic acid present in the body does not allow for any significant antioxidant effect. This is where taking an alpha-lipoic acid supplement becomes very important.

The Universal Antioxidant

Alpha-lipoic acid is unique in its ability to reach the majority of the body's systems. It has this characteristic because alpha-lipoic acid is both water soluble and fat soluble. This enables alpha-lipoic acid to be biologically active in the lipid environment of the cell membrane and the aqueous environment of the cell's interior. It therefore offers a high level of protection from a variety of damaging free radicals. In fact, alpha-lipoic acid has been used for nearly thirty years in Europe to treat peripheral nerve degeneration, lower cholesterol, detoxify the liver, and to help diabetics control blood sugar levels. Moreover, alpha-lipoic acid has been found to help protect the mitochondria and the DNA throughout the aging process. In protecting the functionality of the mitochondria, one may be able to effectively combat the effects of aging.

Current Research on ALA

According to researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, specifically Lester Packer, Ph.D., alpha-lipoic acid could play an important role in helping prevent and treat cardiovascular disease. Currently, alpha-lipoic acid is being studied for its potential to prevent and treat Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, stroke and diabetes as well. Alpha-lipoic acid is also being studied as a way to combat loss of muscle strength, brain function, energy, and immune function. In fact, recent in vitro studies are indicating that lipoic acid increases the ATP synthesis in the mitochondria of rat heart cells. These studies are also showing that alpha-lipoic acid can increase glucose utilization in nerve and muscle cells. As a result, subjects have exhibited improvement in glucose metabolism. Not surprisingly, alpha-lipoic acid is already being prescribed to help combat the effects of diabetes of humans in Germany. The result has been an increase in the glucose uptake by the cells and protection against diabetes related nerve degeneration.

Some very exciting research regarding alpha-lipoic acid is being conducted at the University of California, Berkeley by Dr. Bruce Ames. He has administered a combination of alpha-lipoic acid and acetyl-l-carnitine to elderly rats and has observed that they regained much of the function they had in their youth. Human studies are soon to be underway.

r-lipoic acid?

Interestingly enough, most of the alpha-lipoic acid supplements are only 50% available to the body. This is because the commonly available form of alpha-lipoic acid is actually a combination of the natural form r-lipoic acid and the synthetic s-lipoic acid. This may prove to be a useless combination since the synthetic form may actually block the activity of the natural r-lipoic acid. Taking a supplement of pure r-lipoic acid is up to ten times more effective, since it is completely available to the body. In fact, in vitro studies have shown that r-lipoic acid is much more effective at producing cellular energy than the combination form. Thus, r-lipoic acid may be an even better antioxidant as well.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid Supplement Info and Products

Alpha-Lipoic Acid Benefits, Side Effects, and Research