Alpha-Lipoic Acid - The Near Perfect Antioxidant

Antioxidants. Study upon study shows they may be preventative and therapeutic for numerous health problems, from diabetes and cancer to failing eyesight and the onset of wrinkles. If you could design the perfect antioxidant, what would it be like?

Probably it would be as good as or better than Vitamins E and C, the antioxidant vitamin heavyweights. It might be both fat and water soluble, work inside and outside of cells, recharge other antioxidants already present to give them more quenching power, and above all, be perfectly safe.

Alpha-lipoic acid, a relatively new name on the "best antioxidant list" does all of those things, coming close to being the 'perfect' antioxidant.

Scientists have known about alpha-lipoic acid, a vitamin-like substance, since the 1930's when it was isolated from potatoes. Called 'the potato growth factor,' scientists changed the name to alpha-lipoic acid when they discovered that it was an essential coenzyme involved in energy production. It wasn't until 1988 that researchers saw its potential as an antioxidant.

Why is it unique?

We encounter free radicals every day, with every breath we take. Scientists estimate that the DNA in each cell takes about 10,000 free radical 'hits' per day - potential for a lot of cell damage. Exposure to cigarette smoke, polluted air, car exhaust, alcohol, even sunshine, increases the oxidative stress in our cells, and it shows.

Free radical damage is implicated in wrinkles, cataracts, even heart disease and cancer. So it makes good sense to increase our antioxidant protection wherever we can.

Alpha-lipoic acid has a number of things going for it: is a very small molecule, efficiently absorbed, and easily crosses cell membranes. Unlike Vitamin E which is primarily fat soluble and Vitamin C which is water soluble, alpha-lipoic acid is converted to dihydrolipoic acid, an even stronger antioxidant. Both alpha-lipoic acid and dihydrolipoic acid are good at stopping particularly nasty radicals before they can do much harm.

Recycles other Antioxidants

When antioxidants give up their electrons to quench free radical, they dies. Unless, of course, something comes along that recharges them. Alpha-lipoic acid extends the biochemical life of other antioxidants by restoring their missing electrons, allowing them to continue to be effective. Vitamins C and glutathione are directly recycled by alpha-lipoic acid, while Vitamin E is indirectly recycled.

Blood Sugar Control

Alpha-lipoic acid is used in Europe to treat peripheral neuropathy and cataracts, complications of diabetes. "Alpha-lipoic  acid improves nerve blood flow, reduces oxidative stress, and improves distal nerve conduction in experimental diabetic neuropathy... Lipoic acid did not affect the nerve blood flow of normal nerves but improved that of diabetic neuropathy in a dose-dependent manner."

The antioxidant ability of alpha-lipoic acid may be responsible for the improvement. "However, studies show it also leads to an improvement in blood sugar metabolism, reduces glycosylation of proteins, improves blood flow to the peripheral nerves, and actually stimulates the regeneration of nerve fibers."

When 80 diabetics were given either 600 mg of alpha-lipoic acid, 100 micrograms of selenium or 1200 IU of natural-source Vitamin E for three months, symptoms of neuropathy improved significantly with all three antioxidants, but not in the control group.

The study reaffirms that oxidative stress causes many of the complications of diabetes. As alpha-lipoic acid may affect how much insulin is required, diabetics should closely monitor their blood sugar levels if they take it.

Anticancer?

Well established research confirms that the occurrence of cancer increases when antioxidants are low. Antioxidants keep free radicals in check before they can impair the immune system or damage cell DNA. Richard Passwater explains why alpha-lipoic acid may be useful.

"Oncogenes are genes that cause cancer. Oncogenes normally play a role in the growth and proliferation of cells, but when they are altered in some way such as by the activated NF kappa-B or a carcinogen, they cause the cell to become malignant. Dietary lipoic acid can enter the cytosol of cells and protect NF kappa-B from activation by radiation, free radicals or even sunlight."

Other Conditions May Benefit from Alpha-Lipoic Acid

Alpha-lipoic acid is such a versatile antioxidant that it may prove useful in any number of conditions caused by free radical damage. In animal studies, alpha-lipoic acid supplementation improved the long term memory of aged mice. Experiments in newborn rats showed that alpha-lipoic acid prevented cataract formation.

Source: Natural Factors

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Scientific References

1. Ley, Beth, M., "Alpha-Lipoic Acid." Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients. November 1996.
2. Murray, Michael T., Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements. 1995. Prima Publishing.
3. Kahler, W., et. al. "Diabetes mellitus - a free radical-associated disease: Results of adjuvant antioxidant supplementation." Gesamte Inn. Med. 1993. 48: 223-232.
4. Passwater, Richard A. Ph.D. Lipoic Acid: the Metabolic Antioxidant. 1995. Keats Publishing.
5. Stoll, S. et. al. "The potent free radical scavenger alpha-lipoic acid improves memory in aged mice: putative relationship to NMDA receptor deficits.: Pharmacology. Biochemistry & Behavior. 1993. 46: 799-805.
6. Maitra I. et. al. "Alpha-lipoic acid prevents buthionine sulfoximine-induced cataract formation in newborn rats." Free Radical Biology & Medicine. 18: 823-829. 1995.
7. Passwater, Richard A. Ph.D. "Lipoic Acid Basics: an interview with Dr. Jim Clark." Whole Foods. January 1996 vol. 19. no. 1.