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View Full Version : What exactly is ALA?  What does it do?



Z-monster
05-21-2002, 07:19 PM
I've been around for a while on the different boards and I keep hearing about ALA, what is it?  

Is it the legal DNP?

Z-monster <!--emo&**--><img src="http://musclechemistry.mantisforums.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/devil.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='**'><!--endemo-->

bigjim33
05-21-2002, 11:22 PM
it is a good liver and body supporter at 600-1200mg a day. &nbsp;also in high doses, 3-4g a day, it can put your body into ketosis while eating 200-300g of carbs a day. &nbsp;i am currently doing 4g a day, and i believe superchicken is doing 3g a day. &nbsp;i am having good results and last i heard he liked it a lot too.

BStrongBwell
05-23-2002, 09:01 AM
It's best known for it's antioxidant properties, that's why it's talked about as a liver detoxifier. As far as ketosis goes, I've not seen any research on that, just some posts on people trying it.


Alpha-Lipoic acid:
Quite Possibly the "Universal" Antioxidant

Copyright © 1996 by Jack Challem, The Nutrition Reporter™
All rights reserved.
This article originally appeared in the July 1996 issue of The Nutrition Reporter™ newsletter.


If it's essential role in health is any indication, alpha-lipoic acid may very well join the ranks of vitamins C and E as part of your first-line of defense against free radicals. Discovered in 1951, it serves as a coenzyme in the Krebs cycle and in the production of cellular energy. In the late 1980s, researchers realized that alpha-lipoic acid had been overlooked as a powerful antioxidant.

Over the past few years, the pace of research on lipoic acid has increased dramatically. Last year, Lester Packer, PhD, of the University of California, Berkeley, published a lengthy review article on alpha-lipoic acid in Free Radical Biology & Medicine (1995;19:227-50). In April 1996, he presented a short review of it in the same journal (FRBM;20:625-6).

Several qualities distinguish alpha-lipoic acid from other antioxidants, and Packer has described it at various times as the "universal," "ideal," and "metabolic" antioxidant. It neutralizes free radicals in both the fatty and watery regions of cells, in contrast to vitamin C (which is water soluble) and vitamin E (which is fat soluble).

The body routinely converts some alpha-lipoic acid to dihydrolipoic acid, which appears to be an even more powerful antioxidant. Both forms of lipoic acid quench peroxynitrite radicals, an especially dangerous type consisting of both oxygen and nitrogen, according to a recent paper in FEBS Letters (Whiteman M, et al., FEBS Letters, 1996; 379:74-6). Peroxynitrite radicals play a role in the development of atherosclerosis, lung disease, chronic inflammation, and neurological disorders.

Alpha-lipoic acid also plays an important role in the synergism of antioxidants, what Packer prefers to call the body's "antioxidant network." It directly recycles and extends the metabolic lifespans of vitamin C, glutathione, and coenzyme Q10, and it indirectly renews vitamin E.

In Germany, alpha-lipoic acid is an approved medical treatment for peripheral neuropathy, a common complication of diabetes. It speeds the removal of glucose from the bloodstream, at least partly by enhancing insulin function, and it reduces insulin resistance, an underpinning of many cases of coronary heart disease and obesity. The therapeutic dose for lipoic acid is 600 mg/day. In the United States, it is sold as a dietary supplement, usually as 50 mg tablets. (The richest food source of alpha-lipoic acid is red meat.)

"From a therapeutic viewpoint, few natural antioxidants are ideal," Packer recently explained in Free Radical Biology & Medicine. "An ideal therapeutic antioxidant would fulfill several criteria. These include absorption from the diet, conversion in cells and tissues into usable form, a variety of antioxidant actions (including interactions with other antioxidants) in both membrane and aqueous phases, and low toxicity."

"Alpha-lipoic acid...is unique among natural antioxidants in its ability to fulfill all of these requirements," he continued, "making it a potentially highly effective therapeutic agent in a number of conditions in which oxidative damage has been implicated."

Other research on alpha-lipoic acid has shown that it might:


help people with genetic defects leading to muscle myopathies (Barbiroli B, et al., Journal of Neurology, 1995;242:472-7);

reduce ischemia/reperfusion injury to the heart and brain. (Schonheit K, et al., Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1995;1271:335-42; and Cao X and Phillis JW, Free Radical Research, 1995;23:365-70); and

inhibit the activation of "nuclear factor kappa-B," a protein complex involved in cancer and the progression of AIDS. (Suzuki YJ, et al., Biochemical & Biophysical Research Communications, 1992;189:1709-15).
"The therapeutic potential of alpha-lipoic acid is just beginning to be explored," observed Packer, "but this compound holds great promise."




The information provided by Jack Challem and The Nutrition Reporter™ newsletter is strictly educational and not intended as medical advice. For diagnosis and treatment, consult your physician.


================================================== ======
Alpha-lipoic acid and alpha-lipoamide prevent oxidant-induced lysosomal rupture and apoptosis.

Persson HL, Svensson AI, Brunk UT.

Division of Pathology II, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linkoping University, Sweden. lennart.persson@lio.se

Alpha-lipoic acid (LA) and its corresponding derivative, alpha-lipoamide (LM), have been described as antioxidants, but the mechanisms of their putative antioxidant effects remain largely uncharacterised. The vicinal thiols present in the reduced forms of these compounds suggest that they might possess metal chelating properties. We have shown previously that cell death caused by oxidants may be initiated by lysosomal rupture and that this latter event may involve intralysosomal iron which catalyzes Fenton-type chemistry and resultant peroxidative damage to lysosomal membranes. Here, using cultured J774 cells as a model, we show that both LA and LM stabilize lysosomes against oxidative stress, probably by chelating intralysosomal iron and, consequently, preventing intralysosomal Fenton reactions. In preventing oxidant-mediated apoptosis, LM is significantly more effective than LA, as would be expected from their differing capacities to enter cells and concentrate within the acidic lysosomal compartment. As previously reported, the powerful iron-chelator, desferrioxamine (Des) (which also locates within the lysosomal compartment), also provides protection against oxidant-mediated cell death. Interestingly, although Des enhances the partial protection afforded by LA, it confers no additional protection when added with LM. Therefore, the antioxidant actions of LA and LM may arise from intralysosomal iron chelation, with LM being more effective in this regard.

PMID: 11778851 [PubMed - in process]

BStrongBwell
05-23-2002, 09:01 AM
here's another:

=========================================
What is Alpha-Lipoic Acid?
Alpha-lipoic acid (also called lipoic acid or thioctic acid) is a sulfur-containing substance that is readily converted to and from its reduced form, dihydrolipoic acid. It acts as a coenzyme in reactions that occur in the Krebs cycle; specifically it is involved in the decarboxylation of pyruvate and some other alpha-keto acids. It may well be the perfect antioxidant. It has also shown great promise in the treatment of HIV and in diabetes.
Why Should I Supplement with Alpha-Lipoic Acid?
Your body does in fact manufacture Alpha-Lipoic Acid, but supplementing it provides benefits beyond its involvement in carbohydrate metabolism. For starters, Alpha-Lipoic Acid is able to deactivate both fat and water soluble free radicals and thereby protect both lipoproteins and membranes; no other anti-oxidant can do this. Take a look at this list of reactive oxygen species (ROS) ("ROS" is an umbrella term that includes both radicals and other chemicals that, while not technically radicals, are damaging to the body):
Hydrogen atom
Peroxyl
Peroxynitrate
Superoxide anion
Hydroxyl
Alkoxyl
Semiquinone
Trichloromethyl
Nitric oxide
Hydrogen peroxide
Singlet oxygen
Note that the last two are not radicals, that is, they do not have an unpaired electron, yet they are Reactive Oxygen Species. Alpha-Lipoic Acid "quenches" the oxygen singlet, hydroxyl, and superoxide species, while its reduced form, dihydrolipoic acid, stabilizes the peroxyl and peroxynitrate radicals. Both forms (initial and reduced) regenerate through redox cycling other antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E, and increase intracellular glutathione levels1. Please see our selenium page for more on glutathione. The hydroxyl radical is considered to be the most damaging; peroxynitrate is perhaps a close second. Lipoprotein peroxidation is important to stop because this is the reaction that leads to such undesirable health problems as atherosclerosis.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid and Diabetes
Alpha-Lipoic Acid is prescribed in Germany for adult onset of diabetes. It helps for the following reasons:
Alpha-Lipoic Acid increases the sugar burning ability of insulin2
Alpha-Lipoic Acid decreases insulin resistance
Alpha-Lipoic Acid increases ATP production
Alpha-Lipoic Acid decreases the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy3
Recommended supplementation for diabetic neuropathy is 800mg/day3
Alpha-Lipoic Acid and HIV
NOTE: It is with the utmost sensitivity to those unfortunate enough to be infected with HIV that we present this information. The benefits of Alpha-Lipoic Acid in cases of HIV infection are touted on many websites, with little offered to back up the claim. We do not want to be just another site making claims to sell our product. Here is what we have found.

Michael Murray, ND, in his fine book, Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, notes that "Lipoic acid has antioxidant effects and is able to inhibit the replication of HIV by reducing the activity of reverse transcriptase-the enzyme responsible for manufacturing the virus from the DNA of lymphocytes. Based on these actions, it was suggested that lipic acid might be of value in treating HIV-positive patients."4 It is this quote that you will find cited in various places throughout the internet. Murray's claim is based on the following two studies, which a careful reading of his text clearly indicates: A. Baur et al., Alpha lipoic acid is an effective inhibitor of human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV-1) replication, Klin Wochenschr 69 (1991): 722-4. Suzuki YJ Aggarwal BB Packer L, Alpha-lipoic acid is a potent inhibitor of NF-kappa B activation in human T cells. Biochem-Biophys-Res-Commun. 1992 Dec 30; 189(3): 1709-15 1992 0006-291X.
In addition to these citations, we have been able to find the following additional citations on the IBIDS and MEDLINE databases (regrettably, as searches of their websites indicate, neither the Journal of the American Medical Association nor the New England Journal of Medicine has apparently ever published a single word on the topic of Alpha-Lipoic Acid):

Merin JP Matsuyama M Kira T Baba M Okamoto T, Alpha-lipoic acid blocks HIV-1 LTR-dependent expression of hygromycin resistance in THP-1 stable transformants. FEBS-Lett. 1996 Sep 23; 394(1): 9-13 1996 0014-5793.

Grieb G, [Alpha-lipoic acid inhibits HIV replication]. Med Monatsschr Pharm 1992 Aug;15(8):243-4. (Article in German).
Dr. Murray goes on to describe a follow-up study designed to test this hypothesis. The study yielded promising results. (that study: Fuchs J Schofer H Milbradt R Freisleben HJ Buhl R Siems W Grune T, Studies on lipoate effects on blood redox state in human immunodeficiency virus infected patients. Arzneimittelforschung. 1993 Dec; 43(12): 1359-62 1993 0004-4172.)

That is, to the best of our knowledge, the entirety of research on Alpha-Lipoic Acid and HIV. While certainly promising in all five cases, this is not a large body of research by any measure. What the first three studies above indicate is that reactive oxygen species are implicated as signaling chemicals in the activation of NF-kappa B, which is required in HIV transcription. By blocking the activation of NF-kappa B, the transcription of HIV is subsequently stopped. Please note that the latest study cited above is dated 1996. We do not know of any further studies as of December, 1999.

Packer L Tritschler HJ Wessel K, Neuroprotection by the metabolic antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid. Free-Radic-Biol-Med. 1997; 22(1-2): 359-78 1997 0891-5849.
Jacob S Streeper RS Fogt DL Hokama JY Tritschler HJ Dietze GJ Henriksen EJ, The antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid enhances insulin-stimulated glucose metabolism in insulin-resistant rat skeletal muscle. Diabetes. 1996 Aug; 45(8): 1024-9 1996 0012-1797.
Ziegler D Gries FA, Alpha-lipoic acid in the treatment of diabetic peripheral and cardiac autonomic neuropathy. Diabetes. 1997 Sep; 46 Suppl 2: S62-6 1997 0012-1797.
Murray, Michael, ND, Pizzorno, Joseph, ND. Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, second ed. Prima Publishing, Rocklin. 1998.
Merin JP Matsuyama M Kira T Baba M Okamoto T, Alpha-lipoic acid blocks HIV-1 LTR-dependent expression of hygromycin resistance in THP-1 stable transformants. FEBS-Lett. 1996 Sep 23; 394(1): 9-13 1996 0014-5793.
Grieb G, [Alpha-lipoic acid inhibits HIV replication]. Med Monatsschr Pharm 1992 Aug;15(8):243-4. (Article in German).

Z-monster
05-23-2002, 06:41 PM
Thanks for the info you guys are the best.


Z-monster(hey where the hell is my little devil face, aw crap)

Iceburg
05-31-2002, 11:58 PM
Bump for the best prices on ALA and quick shipping @ www.anabolical.com
Compare to the rest...Then visit Anabolical
Plenty of good refs of Elite