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Alpha Lipoic Acid & Metabolic Syndrome

Jun 13, 2011 | By Brandon Dotson

Alpha-lipoic acid is an antioxidant found in every cell in your body. Its main function is to attack and destroy free radicals, substances that can damage your healthy cells. Alpha-lipoic acid supplementation has been associated with improving brain function and eye health. Moreover, alpha-lipoic acid might also help reduce your risk for developing metabolic syndrome. Consult your health care provider before taking alpha-lipoic acid.

Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome refers to a group of metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease. For a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome, you must have at least three of several risk factors, which include increased blood pressure, glucose intolerance, obesity, high LDL cholesterol or low HDL cholesterol. Besides heart disease, metabolic syndrome also increases your risk of diabetes, stroke and kidney failure. Alpha-lipoic acid can help reduce the risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome.

Body Weight

Alpha-lipoic acid might be effective for reducing body weight, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Ulsan College of Medicine. Obese patients were assigned to receive either 1200 or 1800 mg of alpha-lipoic acid or a placebo daily for 20 weeks. Researchers reported in the January 2011 issue of the "American Journal of Medicine" that those in the 1800 mg alpha-lipoic acid group lost significantly more body weight compared to those in the placebo group.

Glucose Intolerance

Increasing your insulin sensitivity, or your cells response to insulin effects, can help lower your glucose levels and reduce the risk for glucose intolerance. Researchers at Buhl and City Hospital in Germany examined the impact of alpha-lipoic acid on insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes. They found that participants consuming 1800 mg of alpha-lipoic acid daily for four weeks experienced increases in insulin sensitivity compared with those in the placebo group. The findings were published in the August 1999 issue of "Free Radical Biology & Medicine."

HDL Cholesterol

Alpha-lipoic acid might improve your good HDL cholesterol levels, according to an animal study performed by scientists at McGill University in Canada. Researchers found that hamsters with high cholesterol that consumed alpha-lipoic acid for four weeks experienced improvements in HDL cholesterol. These findings were reported in the July 2004 issue of the "Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry." Further research on humans is necessary.

References

Article reviewed by Mia Paul Last updated on: Jun 13, 2011

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