Alpha-lipoic acid, or ALA, is a potent antioxidant that is made naturally in the body and found in every cell; it helps turn glucose into energy. If you are in good health, you probably produce enough alpha-lipoic acid; however, it is also available from food sources.
Antioxidant Action
Antioxidants are substances that attack free radicals, which are waste products that form when the body turns food into energy. Free radicals can damage tissue and lead to disease. Unlike other antioxidants your body produces -- namely vitamins C and E -- ALA is both water- and fat-soluble, which means it can work to prevent damage throughout your body. Antioxidants are often depleted after they attack free-radicals. Evidence suggest that ALA can help make these antioxidants active again, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Other Effects
According to the Linus Pauling Institute, ALA is thought to increase the sensitivity of the insulin receptor to insulin molecules circulating in your blood. In obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome, the insulin receptor is unable to sense or respond to insulin, and thus cells in your body are unable to absorb nutrients such as sugar and protein. Supplementation with ALA has been shown to improve symptoms of diabetes such as diabetic neuropathy -- pain in the arms and legs due to poor blood flow -- and high blood sugar.
ALA in Meat
ALA is found in all meats, but is especially concentrated in organ meats such as hearts and livers. Unlike skeletal muscle that can rest, organs are working constantly and produce a higher level of ALA to prevent damage from energy production and use. In meat, ALA is normally found linked to the amino acid L-lysine. The levels of ALA in meats are not well characterized. Unlike supplementation with large amounts of free ALA in pill form, consumption of ALA from foods has not yet been found to result in detectable increases of free ALA in human plasma or cells, notes the Linus Pauling Institute.
Effective Dosage
According to the Linus Pauling Institute, beneficial effects in healthy adults are found at 200 to 400 mg per day, while the University of Maryland Medical Center notes that improvement in diabetic neuropathy and insulin sensitivity are seen at doses greater than 800 mg per day. These doses are hundreds to thousands of times greater than the amounts found in meat. It is best to take ALA in divided doses. Because of natural balancing mechanisms in your body, elevated levels of ALA in the blood are quickly diminished. It is not known whether a diet rich in meat will have any of the benefits of ALA supplementation.
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