Alpha-lipoic acid

Alpha-lipoic acid has been called the universal antioxidant.

This is because alpha-lipoic acid is both fat- and water-soluble and therefore could prove to be more potent than other antioxidants.

What is alpha-lipoic acid?

The antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid is produced naturally in the body. It can also be obtained from healthy foods like spinach, broccoli, and beets.

Approved in Europe as a prescription drug, alpha-lipoic acid is used to treat diabetic neuropathy. 

It is also being used as a potential therapeutic agent to treat diseases related to intercellular depletion of glutathione including HIV infection, congestive heart failure, and cataracts.  

Alpha-lipoic acid benefits

• Help boosting glutathione levels
• Offering potent antioxidant actions
• Providing benefits for the liver and nerves
• Alpha-lipoic acid can improve blood-glucose control 
• Help inhibitng the oxidation of LDL cholesterol

Protein oxidation has been implicated in aging and heart disease. Since alpha-lipoic acid is both fat- and water- soluble, it could prove to be more potent than other antioxidants. 

Besides preventing neuropathy, alpha-lipoic acid is especially important for diabetics because it may improve blood-glucose control by improving insulin action while also inhibiting the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, which contributes to heart disease. 

Diabetics are at increased risk of heart disease and have increased oxidative stress. Previous studies have shown that alpha-lipoic acid can interact with other antioxidants such as vitamin C to enhance their antioxidant activity.

Researchers have also discovered that alpha-lipoic acid can also promote better eye health, offer neuroprotection, preserve bone density, chelate metals, prevent migraines, maintain healthy skin, and more.

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