The Low Down on Alpha Lipoic Acid

What It Is:

Alpha-lipoic acid (or lipoic acid) is the body's master anti-oxidant, able to neutralize harmful chemicals known as free radicals. Free radicals are at the root of many, many seemingly disparate diseases, such as high blood pressure, psychological and brain disorders and diabetic neuropathy.

It is naturally produced in the body and found in small amounts in foods such as liver and spinach. assisting in the conversion of glucose to energy.

It can fight free radicals that operate in both water and fat, as opposed to the anti-oxidants vitamin E (which works only in fat) and vitamin C (which works only in water). It also "stands in" for these antioxidants when they are unavailable. It also regenerates these other anti-oxidants after they have neutralized free radicals.

What It Does:

Diabetes:
As an oral supplement alpha-lipoic acid has been used to reduce symptoms of diabetic neuropathy in diabetes patients in Europe for 2 decades.

It treats and alleviates symptoms such as burning, pain, numbness, and prickling of the feet and legs. The numbness is especially serious as it can allow sores and wounds to fester without the knowledge of the patient, necessitating amputation when gangrene sets in.

There is evidence that alpha-lipoic acid supplements may also help diabetic patients in many areas including helping convert sugar to glycogen. It also lessens damage to the heart, kidneys and small blood vessel which also affects the onset of diabetic retinopathy which has made diabetes the leading cause of blindness.

Alpha-lipoic acid may also improve blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes, but it doesn't seem to lower glycosylated hemoglobin (HgbA1c) levels.

Other Conditions:
Alpha-lipoic acid may be helpful in treating burning mouth syndrome (BMS), a condition characterized by unexplained scalding sensations in the mouth. Preliminary studies suggest that it might also help prevent or treat a myriad of conditions including age-related hearing loss, glaucoma, cancer, and cataracts. Its antioxidant effects might provide protection in cerebral ischemia, other causes of damage to brain or neural tissue, mitochondrial dysfunction, liver disease, aminoglycoside-induced cochlear damage, heavy metal and chemical poisoning and radiation exposure. Alpha-lipoic acid inhibits replication of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in vitro and, in AIDS patients, might improve blood antioxidant status and increase T-helper lymphocytes and T-helper to T-helper suppressor cell ratio.

To find out more about the underlying causes of most chronic diseases and how antioxidants and alkalizers can help prevent, control or cure them, click here:

For more info call me:
Bill Young, Nutritional Therapy Coach
646-961-3818