Alpha Lipoic Acid Can Smash Insulin Resistance and Autoimmune Disease

[Guest guest]

Alpha Lipoic Acid Can Smash Insulin Resistance and Autoimmune Disease

_http://integral-options.blogspot.com/2010/03/dr-joseph-mercole-alpha-lipoic

-acid-can.html_

(http://integral-options.blogspot.com/2010/03/dr-joseph-mercole-alpha-lipoic-aci\

d-can.html)

I am generally not a huge fan of Dr. Mercola - yet, while I sometimes

disagree with him, I am also sometimes by his articles in a good way. As some

of my long-time readers know, I am a huge fan of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) as

a supplement. Most of the time, I recommend this nutrient for improving

insulin function, and as a secondary benefit, it seems to be useful in

treating diabetic (and other forms) neuropathy, and it may have benefits in

delaying or preventing some neurological degeneration diseases (which are often

caused by oxidative stress).

I generally recommend 600-1800 mg/day of ALA in the racemic form (what we

generally get in supplements). If one is taking the more expensive, but

_more effective, R-Lipoic Acid_

(http://www.fasebj.org/cgi/content/full/13/2/411?maxtoshow= & HITS=10 & hits=10 & RESU\

LTFORMAT= & author1=Hagen,+T & author2=Ames,+B & t

itleabstract=Lipoic+Acid+Reverses & searchid=1 & FIRSTINDEX=0 & resourcetype=HWCIT

) , then I recommend 200-600 mg/day. The benefits of R-Lipoic Acid seem to

be _greater and more varied_

(http://smartlifeforum.org/2006/07/newsletter.htm) than the standard ALA:

The Benefits of R-Lipoic Acid (RLA)

-- RLA significantly reduces inflammation, an underlying cause of the

degenerative diseases of aging and is more potent by a factor of 10 over

commercial ALA.

-- RLA was found to reach higher plasma levels than S-lipoic acid (1.6:1)

when given orally as the racemic mixture in a human study.

-- RLA was more effective than the SLA in a battery of metal chelation

tests. One hypothesis of the cause of diabetic complications involves

overloading by transition metals which could explain the stereospecific effect

of

RLA.

-- RLA is the only form of lipoic acid found in nature and, therefore, the

only form recognized by the critical mitochondrial enzymes.

-- RLA was more effective than SLA in enhancing insulin-stimulated glucose

transport and metabolism in insulin-resistant rat skeletal muscle.

-- RLA was more effective than racemic ALA and SLA in preventing cataracts

in rats.

-- RLA increases cellular and mitochondrial antioxidant activity and

prevents mitochondrial decay. This effectively attenuates the reported increase

in oxidative stress with aging.

-- RLA improves memory, reverses cognitive dysfunction, and protects the

brain from neurodegeneration associated with aging.

-- RLA protects body fats against oxidative damage and reverses stress

damage in the heart.

-- RLA supplementation improves metabolic activity and lowers oxidative

stress and damage evidentin aging.

-- RLA significantly increase insulin sensitivity, enhances glucose

transport, increases metabolic rate and reduces the gain in body fat from

aging.

RLA has insulin-mimetic effects in glucose uptake in insulin resistant

cells and may have therapeutic implications in restoring glucose availability

in tissues such as the skeletal muscle.

-- RLA significantly increases or maintain levels of other antioxidants

including Coenzyme Q10, vitamin C, vitamin E and glutathione.

-- RLA prevents depletion of the glutathione pool within the cytoplasm and

mitochondria. Pre-treatment of PC12 cells with RLA leads to the

preservation of mitochondrial complex I activity lost due to glutathione

depletion.

-- RLA is much more effective than SLA at enhancing insulin-stimulated

glucose transport and non-oxidative and oxidative glucose metabolism.

-- RLA, through its positive effects on cellular energy metabolism,

attenuates metabolic dysfunction associated with advanced glycation endproducts

(AGEs). AGEs accumulate on long-lived proteins, including beta-amyloid

plaques in Alzheimer's disease and contributes to neuronal dysfunction and cell

death.

-- RLA , a membrane permeable antioxidant, prevents the up-regulation of

the AGE-induced gene expression responsible for regulating nitric oxide (NO)

production. NO oxidizes and nitrates proteins which are markers of a

chronic neuroinflammatory condition. This mechanism is relevant for Alzheimer's

disease and for many chronic inflammatory conditions.

For relief of neuropathy pain, I generally suggest a combination of ALA

and _N-Acetyl-Cysteine_

(http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1018-N-ACETYL+CYSTEINE\

..aspx?activeIngredientId=1018 & activeIngredientName=

N-ACETYL+CYSTEINE & source=3) . I am becoming more convinced that the R-LA

form may actually be better for this as well. Because this is a potent

anti-oxidant combination, I suspect that it may be more effective than either

alone in helping support liver function in those with Hepatitis C.

In this new column at _Huffington Post_ (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/) ,

Dr. Mercola outlines the many benefits of alpha lipoic acid. But as I have

noted above, the R-Lipoic Acid form may be even better for most

conditions.

[Guest guest]

Good post, thanks.

On Wed, Aug 10, 2011 at 2:32 PM, <surpriseshan2@...> wrote:

> **

>

>

>

> Alpha Lipoic Acid Can Smash Insulin Resistance and Autoimmune Disease

> _

> http://integral-options.blogspot.com/2010/03/dr-joseph-mercole-alpha-lipoic

> -acid-can.html_

> (

>

http://integral-options.blogspot.com/2010/03/dr-joseph-mercole-alpha-lipoic-acid\

-can.html)

>

> I am generally not a huge fan of Dr. Mercola - yet, while I sometimes

> disagree with him, I am also sometimes by his articles in a good way. As

> some

> of my long-time readers know, I am a huge fan of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) as

>

> a supplement. Most of the time, I recommend this nutrient for improving

> insulin function, and as a secondary benefit, it seems to be useful in

> treating diabetic (and other forms) neuropathy, and it may have benefits in

>

> delaying or preventing some neurological degeneration diseases (which are

> often

> caused by oxidative stress).

> I generally recommend 600-1800 mg/day of ALA in the racemic form (what we

> generally get in supplements). If one is taking the more expensive, but

> _more effective, R-Lipoic Acid_

> (

>

http://www.fasebj.org/cgi/content/full/13/2/411?maxtoshow= & HITS=10 & hits=10 & RESUL\

TFORMAT= & author1=Hagen,+T & author2=Ames,+B & t

>

> itleabstract=Lipoic+Acid+Reverses & searchid=1 & FIRSTINDEX=0 & resourcetype=HWCIT

> ) , then I recommend 200-600 mg/day. The benefits of R-Lipoic Acid seem to

> be _greater and more varied_

> (http://smartlifeforum.org/2006/07/newsletter.htm) than the standard ALA:

> The Benefits of R-Lipoic Acid (RLA)

>

> -- RLA significantly reduces inflammation, an underlying cause of the

> degenerative diseases of aging and is more potent by a factor of 10 over

> commercial ALA.

>

> -- RLA was found to reach higher plasma levels than S-lipoic acid (1.6:1)

> when given orally as the racemic mixture in a human study.

>

> -- RLA was more effective than the SLA in a battery of metal chelation

> tests. One hypothesis of the cause of diabetic complications involves

> overloading by transition metals which could explain the stereospecific

> effect of

> RLA.

>

> -- RLA is the only form of lipoic acid found in nature and, therefore, the

> only form recognized by the critical mitochondrial enzymes.

>

> -- RLA was more effective than SLA in enhancing insulin-stimulated glucose

> transport and metabolism in insulin-resistant rat skeletal muscle.

>

> -- RLA was more effective than racemic ALA and SLA in preventing cataracts

> in rats.

>

> -- RLA increases cellular and mitochondrial antioxidant activity and

> prevents mitochondrial decay. This effectively attenuates the reported

> increase

> in oxidative stress with aging.

>

> -- RLA improves memory, reverses cognitive dysfunction, and protects the

> brain from neurodegeneration associated with aging.

>

> -- RLA protects body fats against oxidative damage and reverses stress

> damage in the heart.

>

> -- RLA supplementation improves metabolic activity and lowers oxidative

> stress and damage evidentin aging.

>

> -- RLA significantly increase insulin sensitivity, enhances glucose

> transport, increases metabolic rate and reduces the gain in body fat from

> aging.

> RLA has insulin-mimetic effects in glucose uptake in insulin resistant

> cells and may have therapeutic implications in restoring glucose

> availability

> in tissues such as the skeletal muscle.

>

> -- RLA significantly increases or maintain levels of other antioxidants

> including Coenzyme Q10, vitamin C, vitamin E and glutathione.

>

> -- RLA prevents depletion of the glutathione pool within the cytoplasm and

> mitochondria. Pre-treatment of PC12 cells with RLA leads to the

> preservation of mitochondrial complex I activity lost due to glutathione

> depletion.

>

> -- RLA is much more effective than SLA at enhancing insulin-stimulated

> glucose transport and non-oxidative and oxidative glucose metabolism.

>

> -- RLA, through its positive effects on cellular energy metabolism,

> attenuates metabolic dysfunction associated with advanced glycation

> endproducts

> (AGEs). AGEs accumulate on long-lived proteins, including beta-amyloid

> plaques in Alzheimer's disease and contributes to neuronal dysfunction and

> cell

> death.

>

> -- RLA , a membrane permeable antioxidant, prevents the up-regulation of

> the AGE-induced gene expression responsible for regulating nitric oxide

> (NO)

> production. NO oxidizes and nitrates proteins which are markers of a

> chronic neuroinflammatory condition. This mechanism is relevant for

> Alzheimer's

> disease and for many chronic inflammatory conditions.

>

> For relief of neuropathy pain, I generally suggest a combination of ALA

> and _N-Acetyl-Cysteine_

> (

>

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1018-N-ACETYL+CYSTEINE.\

aspx?activeIngredientId=1018 & activeIngredientName=

> N-ACETYL+CYSTEINE & source=3) . I am becoming more convinced that the R-LA

> form may actually be better for this as well. Because this is a potent

> anti-oxidant combination, I suspect that it may be more effective than

> either

> alone in helping support liver function in those with Hepatitis C.

>

>

> In this new column at _Huffington Post_ (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/) ,

>

> Dr. Mercola outlines the many benefits of alpha lipoic acid. But as I have

> noted above, the R-Lipoic Acid form may be even better for most

> conditions.

>

>