Alpha lipoic acid, or ALA, is a powerful antioxidant that is widely used in topical skincare applications. Like other antioxidants, ALA combats free radicals that the body produces as waste during the metabolism of food into energy. These free radicals can cause serious cellular damage throughout the body. What sets ALA apart from other antioxidants is its solubility in either water or fat, which makes it extremely versatile, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Combats Environmental Stressors
A group of European and American dermatology and cellular biology researchers conducted a study to determine what, if any, protection topical ALA application provided against everyday environmental stressors. Such stressors include UV radiation from sunlight, cigarette smoke, auto exhaust and ozone, and can cause oxidative damage to the skin that accelerates the aging process. Researchers' in vitro testing involved the incubation of normal human keratinocytes, or NHK, in a solution of ALA. NHK are the cells that make up 95 percent of the epidermis, the outermost layer of skin. Researchers then subjected the skin cells that had been treated with ALA to UV irradiation.
The European-U.S. study, results of which were published in a 2001 issue of "Current Problems in Dermatology," found that significant quantities of the ALA used to incubate the human skin cells were converted--or reduced--into dihydrolipoic acid, or DHLA, an even more potent antioxidant. Based on these findings, researchers concluded that ALA is an ideal candidate "for topical application and protection against oxidative stress in skin."
Fights Wrinkles
ALA has come to be recognized as one of the most effective wrinkle-fighters on the market, according to holistic nutritionist Allison Tannis, author of "Feed Your Skin, Starve Your Wrinkles." Part of the key to its success is its solubility in both water and fat, which allows ALA to "go anywhere in the cell to neutralize free radicals that cause damage to the skin's strength, structure and elasticity." Tannis reports that ALA can significantly reduce skin wrinkling and roughness in 12 weeks and is widely available as an ingredient in topical skin creams.
Exfoliating Properties
In addition to its solubility in both water and fat, ALA differs from most other antioxidants because it can be used as a superficial chemical peel to strip away damaged skin, revealing a new layer of fresh and youthful-looking skin, according to Leslie Baumann, M.D. In her book, "Cosmetic Dermatology: Principles and Practice," Baumann also points out that ALA appears to have powerful anti-inflammatory properties, which may make it helpful in treating post-laser erythema, or the extreme redness of skin that typically follows laser therapy.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Complementary Medicine: Alpha-Lipoic Acid
- "Current Problems in Dermatology"; Activity of Alpha-Lipoic Acid in the Protection against Oxidative Stress in Skin; M. Podda et al.; 2001
- "Feed Your Skin, Starve Your Wrinkles"; Allison Tannis; 2009
- "Cosmetic Dermatology: Principles and Practice"; Leslie Baumann; 2009
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