Alpha Lipoic Acid Treatments

Alpha Lipoic Acid is soluble in both fat and water. It is capable of regenerating several other antioxidants back to their active states, including vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione, and coenzyme Q10. ALA has several benefits for people with diabetes. It enhances glucose uptake in type 2 adult onset diabetes, inhibits formation of AGEs (advanced glycation end products). ALA has been used to improve diabetic nerve damage and reduce pain associated with that nerve damage. Take 300-600mg of  the proper form of Alpha Lipoic Acid daily.

Dr. Bert Berkson tells us, “An alarming number of adults, even adults in their 20s, suffer from a pre-diabetic state. The high-carbohydrate, high-sugar diet that is so popular in America overloads the body’s response to sugar. This has the effect of altering the body’s use of insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar levels. A lot of research has focused on ALA’s ability to stimulate the insulin response and get people back to normal blood sugar levels. I’ve seen fantastic results using ALA to reverse all stages of diabetes.” ALA also chelates mercury!

Several open studies show benefits for oral Alpha lipoic acid in reducing symptoms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy .7-11

The DEKAN (Deutsche Kardiale Autonome Neuropathie) study followed 73 people with diabetes who had symptoms caused by nerve damage affecting the heart. Treatment with 800 mg daily of oral ALA showed statistically significant improvement.7

Preliminary evidence suggests that Alpha lipoic acid may improve other aspects of diabetes as well, including circulation in small blood vessels, metabolism of sugar and protein, and the body’s response to insulin.2-6

One study by Dr. Bert Berkson has shown benefit for alpha-lipoic acid as part of a combination “triple antioxidant” therapy for hepatitis C with liver failure. 12
The amount of ALA used in research to improve diabetic neuropathies is 600-1800 mg per day and 200 mg per day for glaucoma. 200 mg per day is recommended for general antioxidant protection in healthy people.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid helps: deactivate free radicals, extend the action of other antioxidants, Release energy from food,  and maintain proper glucose metabolism. The body makes small amounts of alpha lipoic acid. ALA has several potential benefits for diabetics. It enhances glucose uptake in non-insulin-dependent diabetes (NIDDM), inhibits glycosylation (the abnormal attachment of sugar to protein), and has been used to improve diabetic nerve damage and reduce pain associated with that nerve damage.

There is preliminary evidence that ALA, taken in the amount of 150-200mg daily for one month, improves visual function in people with glaucoma. ALA has been shown to inhibit the replication of the HIV virus in the test tube. ALA has been given to people who have eaten poison mushrooms, significantly increasing the survival rate. ALA is presently used in therapy for a variety of liver and kidney disorders due to free radical damage.