Alpha lipoic acid

[Stavia]

Julie suggested last year that I should add some supplements targeting mitochondria.
I'm slowly adding stuff one at a time over the past 18 months.
Did curcumin first. Then D3. Then HRT. Then omega 3s. Then the homocysteine lowering stuff. Then zinc and magnesium. Didn't really feel hugely different just generally incrementally healthier.
Two weeks ago started the alpha lipoic acid.
Omg what a noticeable effect within 2 days. Not so tired. Sharper in my thinking. Definitely.
Nothing else I've taken has really made me feel any different.

Thoughts anyone?

https://examine.com/supplements/Alpha-Lipoic%20Acid/

[hill dweller]

Stavia -- you might want to search a few bodybuilder forums for info. These guys have been n=1 on this trinity for years and years: alpha lipoic acid, n-acetyl-cysteine, acetyl l-carnitine. Reddit is always a good start, altho you'll need to separate the wheat from the chaff. Bodybuilding, at heart, is enhancing mitochondrial efficiency, through diet and hormesis. Sounds like Alzheimer's prevention strategy ?

[BerniF]

My alpha lipoid acid arrived today, I'll let you know how I get on! Sounds great Stavia.

[Stavia]

Hilldweller - very clever advice. There was a lot on examine.com about performance.
I shall head to reddit.

[GenePoole0304]

use the R form
which I use

[SusanJ]

Timely discussion since my doc has suggested I look at ALA and NAC. I'm already on ALCAR. Now I just have to find some time to do some reading!!!

[Thx4thegenes]

Been doing NAC for awhile now, but R-Alpha Lipoic Acid gave me indigestion! Unfortunately, I never feel any difference with taking supplements! I hope they are working........

[Stavia]

Arrgghh so much detail. Bought the ordinary one.
Oh well...next order....I guess I could double it in the meantime ?

[Silverlining]

Off topic.... Reddit is my new addiction....so many smart and witty posters; also features the very best and the very worst humanity has to offer. Stumbled on stuff I wish I could "unread"!

I've been on NAC for two years, it's one of my three never miss supps (along with dha, curcumin). My previous ALA smelled like vinegar! Weird, but might try again.

[aphorist]

This is a topic I've been thinking about recently, given the history of ALA + Carnitine. I've been concerned over the Carnitine --> TMAO --> heart disease hypothesis, but I've not had time to get into it.

I suspect that since E4 carriers tend to have reduced triglyceride rich lipoprotein clearance rates [1] and that lipoic acid is seen as reducing lipogenesis and causing carbohydrates to instead be retained as glycogen content in the liver [2], it may be that ALA is especially beneficial in E4's. I suspect that ALA might be useful for anyone who has a more significant elevation in their postprandial de novo lipogenesis or maybe elevated trigs on a basal lab value (especially elevated trigs, lowered HDL).

If anyone has deeper thoughts on this matter, I'd be interested.


1. Warnick, G., & Nakajima, K. (2007). Fasting versus Nonfasting Triglycerides: Implications for Laboratory Measurements. Clinical Chemistry, 54(1), 14-16. doi:10.1373/clinchem.2007.098863

2. Butler JA, Hagen TM, Moreau R. Lipoic acid improves hypertriglyceridemia by stimulating triacylglycerol clearance and downregulating liver triacylglycerol secretion. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2009;485(1):63-71.