Alpha Lipoic Acid 100 mg by Natrol

 What does Alpha Lipoic Acid do?

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.