Benefits Of Alpha Lipoic Acid as an antioxidant and as an agent for controlling blood sugar are well known. Treating diabetes is an exciting application of this potent supplement. Here’s why!
What Is Alpha Lipoic Acid?
The scientific description is an organo-sulfur compound derived from octanoic acid. In more simple terms it is a powerful antioxidant that is both fat and water-soluble thus it can protect all tissues from oxidative stress.
Treatment of diabetes is a relatively new use for this potent nutritional substance. It can help not only in diabetes , but in other areas of metabolic syndrome that affect so many people these.
Benefits of Alpha Lipoic Acid
There are many positive effects that this supplement can provide. Below are some of the more important ones:
- Combats metabolic syndrome
- Lowers blood pressure
- Improves lipid (cholesterol) profile
- Protects against cataracts
- Prevents bone loss
- Improves insulin sensitivity
- Reduces pain and frequency of migraines
- Helps remove heavy metals from the body
- Improves skin tone
- Improves eyesight in glaucoma patients
- Improves nerve health in diabetic neuropathy
ALA is both an antioxidant and a pro-oxidant. Thus some scientists suspect that it could increase oxidative damage, however the evidence suggest that those same “pro-oxidant” characteristics account for the benefits of lipoic acid.
Alpha Lipoid Acid for Diabetes
What is alpha lipoic acid? It is a very effective supplement for treating diabetes by lowering blood sugar, improving insulin sensitivity and decreasing insulin resistance. It also improves conditions of diabetic neuropathy (nerve deterioration).
Lipoic acid also has a beneficial effect on the brain helping to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, which is considered by some scientists to be another form of diabetes. Its ability to lower blood sugar makes close monitoring of diabetics necessary to prevent hypoglycemia. It’s that powerful!
Supplement Form and Dosage
There are two forms of lipoic acid:
Alpha Lipoic Acid
R-dihydrolipoic acid or (R-ALA)
The R-ALA form has recently become available as a supplement. It is more potent as an antioxidant, and is more bioavailable to the body than ALA.
R-ALA is particularly effective in destroying both oxygen and nitrogen based free radicals, and inhibiting the development of chronic inflammation, nervous system damage, and Atherosclerosis.
Benefits can be achieved with doses from 300 mg to 1,800 mg per day. Some experts feel that for maximum benefits in using alpha lipoic acid for diabetes, it should be combined with biotin and vitamin B complex.
What is alpha lipoic acid? It is one more super effective tool to attack the free radicals and oxidative stress that damage your cells and accelerate the aging process. The benefits of alpha lipoic acid will help you live a much longer and healthier life.
Dr. Joseph Kaye of Optimal Wellness MD