What Is Alpha Lipoic Acid?
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Lipoic Acid |
Alpha lipoic acid, commonly known as lipoic acid, is a powerful antioxidant found in the body. Antioxidants are necessary for the body to fight “free radicals”. The terms antioxidant and free radical are commonly used when describing nutritional supplements but most people don’t have a real understanding of what they are.
Free radicals can be created naturally as part of the body’s normal functions as well as being introduced into the body as toxins from outside sources. When the body utilizes nutrients and oxygen for energy production a common by-product is electrons that have been separated from a paired electron. Electrons need to be paired and now this newly created “free radical”, the unpaired electron, looks for a new electron to partner with. During this process it can attack healthy body tissue. If it is successful in finding a new electron it has then created a new unpaired electron that must find a new partner.
Anti oxidants are substances that can quench these free radicals. They typically do this by one of two methods. They can either donate an electron to complete the pair or absorb an unpaired electron.
A number of foods and vitamins act as antioxidants. Alpha lipoic acid has gained a reputation as being one of the most cost effective anti oxidants available. It has been shown to stimulate the production of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant, as well as its ability to recharge the anti oxidant properties of both vitamins E and C.
Excessive glucose in the blood, due to the body’s acquired resistance to insulin, increases free radical activity in human tissue. Alpha lipoic acid is an excellent, way to deal with this situation.
Additionally, research has shown that lipoic acid improves glucose and insulin sensitivities, thus lowering blood glucose. Lipoic acid comes in an R form and an S form. The R form has been reported to be the more biologically form. Due to its reported broad benefits for both glucose utilization and free radicals, alpha lipoic acid is an extremely beneficial nutrient.
