Alpha lipoic acid is a compound the body uses as an antioxidant and in energy production by all cells. The body produces alpha lipoic acid. It is not an essential nutrient; but some experts contend that supplementation with alpha lipoic acid may benefit certain health conditions, including diabetes. Consult your doctor before using alpha lipoic acid to treat diabetes.
Kidney Protection
A study published in "Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications" in August 2010 reported that alpha lipoic acid exerted kidney-protective effects on diabetic laboratory mice. In the study, alpha lipoic acid supplementation protected insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, lowered cholesterol levels and decreased protein levels in the urine -- a sign of kidney malfunction. Alpha lipoic acid was equally effective whether it was supplemented four weeks before diabetes was induced, simultaneously with induction, or four weeks afterward. The researchers concluded that alpha lipoic acid was effective at inhibiting development and progression of diabetes in this preliminary animal study.
Combination Therapy
Combination therapy using alpha lipoic acid together with vitamin E improved glucose tolerance and lowered blood pressure when added to a high-fructose diet in a study on laboratory animals published in 2011 in "Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine." In addition to improvements in blood sugar and blood pressure, doses of 0.84 g per kg of vitamin E and 1.6 g per kg of food improved heart structure and function by decreasing collagen deposits, which lead to scar tissue formation, and making the heart chambers more flexible. From the results of this preliminary animal study, the researchers concluded that these two antioxidants show potential for preventing and reversing cardiovascular damage related to type 2 diabetes.
Brain Effects
Alpha lipoic acid may not protect the brain from degenerative effects associated with diabetes, according to a study in the December 2010 issue of "Cell Biochemistry and Function." In diabetes, levels of proteins known as heat shock proteins, which assist with adaptation to stress, decrease. In this study on laboratory animals, alpha lipoic acid did not have any significant effect on brain levels of heat shock proteins after the animals were subjected to aerobic exercise as a form of stress.
Cholesterol and Insulin Sensitivity
Alpha lipoic acid was not effective at lowering cholesterol or improving insulin sensitivity in a study published in the March 2011 issue of "Diabetes Research in Clinical Practice." The study tested alpha lipoic acid by itself and in combination with vitamin E in patients with type 2 diabetes. Vitamin E alone and the combination therapy improved the ratio of vitamin E to total cholesterol, and there were minor improvements in cholesterol levels in all groups. However, the effects were not significant, and the researchers concluded that alpha lipoic acid alone or in combination with vitamin E did not benefit insulin sensitivity or cholesterol in type 2 diabetes in this study.
References
- "Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice"; The Effects of Lipoic Acid and α-Tocopherol Supplementation on the Lipid Profile and Insulin Sensitivity of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; A.M. De Oliveira et al.; March 2011
- "Cell Biochemistry and Function"; Alpha Lipoic Acid Does Not Alter Stress Protein Response to Acute Exercise in Diabetic Brain; J. Lappalainen et al.; December 2010
- "Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine"; A Regenerative Antioxidant Protocol of Vitamin E and α-Lipoic Acid Ameliorates Cardiovascular and Metabolic Changes in Fructose-Fed Rats; J. Patel et al.; 2011
- "Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications"; Alpha-Lipoic Acid Protects Diabetic Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice From Nephropathy; X. Yi et al.; August 2010
Member Comments