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It makes sense to cover all the nutritional bases. Start here with Vitalive.
Alpha lipoic acid
Alpha lipoic acid (or simply “lipoic acid”) is a natural antioxidant compound synthesized by the body and found in every cell. An essential cofactor for many enzymatic reactions, lipoic acid plays a crucial role in cellular energy production. In addition, although it possesses weak antioxidant capacity, lipoic acid has the unique ability to restore many essential antioxidants like vitamins C and E, glutathione, and CoQ10, so that they can be reused and recycled over and over again.
Lipoic acid first drew major attention from the medical community when researchers affiliated with the National Institute of Health reported that lipoic acid administration during acute liver failure could help reverse hepatic damage and restore liver function. Since that time, lipoic acid has been used to successfully treat chronic liver disease from viral and autoimmune hepatitis, as well as mushroom poisoning. Additional studies indicate that lipoic acid also protects liver function by acting as a potent heavy metal chelator, especially of mercury. In other work, lipoic acid has been experimentally shown to increase glucose uptake in cell culture, an attribute that may help it to stabilize blood sugar levels and combat diabetes. In Europe, it is often recommended for use by diabetics to treat both peripheral neuropathy (numbness, tingling, and pain in the limbs) and autonomic neuropathy, which afflicts nerves supplying the heart muscle. Preliminary data suggest alpha-lipoic acid may also be helpful in treating or preventing glaucoma, stroke, dementia, and cancer.
Lipoic acid is found in miniscule amounts in most foods, with slightly higher concentrations found in organ meats, spinach, broccoli, and yeast extracts.
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