Alpha Lipolic Acid

[Temple]

I have seen references to its use but don't really understand how it works. Can someone explain it to me and also at what doses?

[blueyedkowgrl]

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) is a unique nutrient shown to have a potent effect on glucose disposal. It is also a natural antioxidant with free radical scavenging abilities as well as the ability to regenerate oxidized antioxidants. This actually makes other antioxidants more potent.

ALA also increases the levels of intra-cellular glutathione. Glutathione has been shown to enhance recovery from heavy training by reducing intra-cellular damage.

ALA's ability to enhance glucose uptake is a very exciting effect that could enhance other nutrient distribution. By mimicking insulin, ALA increases uptake of glucose into the muscle cell by 65%. This glucose transport stimulation is accomplished through Lipoic Acid's participation in the insulin signaling pathway. Lipoic Acid provokes an upward shift of the glucose-insulin dose-response curve. This is an important function that enhances muscle cell nutrient uptake and protein turnover.

ALA may also increase creatine's ability to enter the muscle cell further enhancing creatine's muscle building effects.

Alpha-Lipoic acid treatment decreases serum lactate and pyruvate concentrations and improves glucose effectiveness in lean and obese patients with type 2 diabetes.

Konrad T; Vicini P; Kusterer K; H¨oflich A; Assadkhani A; B¨ohles HJ; Sewell A; Tritschler HJ; Cobelli C; Usadel KH

Department of Internal Medicine, J.W. Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany.

Diabetes Care, 22(2):280-7 1999 Feb

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE:

We examined the effect of lipoic acid (LA), a cofactor of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDH), on insulin sensitivity (SI) and glucose effectiveness (SG) and on serum lactate and pyruvate levels after oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) and modified frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance tests (FSIGTTs) in lean (n = 10) and obese (n = 10) patients with type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS:

FSIGTT data were analyzed by minimal modeling technique to determine SI and SG before and after oral treatment (600 mg, twice a day, for 4 weeks). Serum lactate and pyruvate levels of diabetic patients after glucose loading were compared with those of lean (n = 10) and obese (n = 10) healthy control subjects in which SI and SG were also determined from FSIGTT data.

RESULTS:

Fasting lactate and pyruvate levels were significantly increased in patients with type 2 diabetes. These metabolites did not exceed elevated fasting concentrations after glucose loading in lean patients with type 2 diabetes. However, a twofold increase of lactate and pyruvate levels was measured in obese diabetic patients. LA treatment was associated with increased SG in both diabetic groups (lean 1.28 +/- 0.14 to 1.93 +/- 0.13; obese 1.07 +/- 0.11 to 1.53 +/- 0.08 x 10(-2) min-1, P < 0.05). Higher SI and lower fasting glucose were measured in lean diabetic patients only (P < 0.05). Lactate and pyruvate before and after glucose loading were approximately 45% lower in lean and obese diabetic patients after LA treatment.

CONCLUSIONS:

Treatment of lean and obese diabetic patients with LA prevents hyperglycemia-induced increments of serum lactate and pyruvate levels and increases SG.

this is something i found a while back i'll try to find the others i have them here somewhere.
I started using it a few weeks ago. I take 200mg in the evening and 200 mg in the morning before cardio. seems to have helped me i am leaning out a bit more. but i have bordeline type 2 diabetes. as long as i keep with the program and don't ingest any "white death" I can keep it under control.

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[Temple]

Y'all are gonna think I'm nuts and I am but...
I sleepwalk and usually eat when I do it. My kitchen used to be a mess alot of mornings but I have started leaving a protein something in the fridge which has worked pretty well as I don't wake up and don't know that I do it other than the eveidence that I leave behind. Last night I took the ALA and woke up at 2am sitting on my couch munching my way thru the bucket of May Day candy - judging from the pile of wrappers I had been there awhile. Is there any connection to the ALA or did I just lose it?????

[blueyedkowgrl]

no i don't think your nuts!! I actually do the same thing. I always thought i was the only that did that. i seem to be asleep most of the way through then i wake up and i think what the hell am i doing????? it really makes dieting tough!!! lol I was always a sleep walker. i've done it for years but it's been years since i ate in my sleep. now since i had the kids i do it all the time. i used to do it when i was a kid and my mom and dad always though i was lying about being asleep. it seems to happen in times of stress with me. i have yet to find an answer except maybe a padlock on the fridge door. which is really starting to sound like a good idea.

[retropump]

I'll vote for a padlock, and get someone else to be keeper of the key! The ALA may not help if you take it near bedtime since it can decrease insulin levels. How much ALA are you taking, and when?

[blueyedkowgrl]

yup retro i think i might just do the padlock and have my husband hold the key. it is so weird to find yourself somewhere in the house doing something you don't remember. i've done it for years, that on top of emotional eating really did me in!!!

[Temple]

I took 100mg at bedtime (first dose last night). I have been almost totally sugar free for 7 weeks so for me to dive into the candy bucket like that was pretty abnormal. Tonight that candy bucket will be out in the shop before I hit the sack. Blue - my sister woke up in her car with her keys in the ignition one time. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]

[retropump]

Wow how freaky. Of course, ya gotta wonder what you might get up to if you can't get to food! double yikes.

Why don't you start out just taking the ALA twice per day (morning and mid-afternoon) and see how that goes?

[Temple]

That sounds like a better idea -no more new supplements at bedtime for me!!! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[blueyedkowgrl]

i only left the house once and i ended up on my neighbors front porch sleeping on the bench on his front porch. that was more embarassing than dangerous. good thing i had clothes on! lol

[skydancer]

LMAO! Sorry ladies but thats just toooo funny! I know its got to be disconcerting to wake up and you are somewhere else or eating or something. But the image that leaves in my mind is hilarious!

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Those who dare to fail miserably, can achieve greatly. - R.F. Kennedy

[archive_Mr. Nobody]

is a disorder and can be treated with some kind of parkinsons medication, I saw that on TV. Some person once woke up next to a cut raw potato with the knife under her pillow, so see a sleep specialist

Disclaimer:
Mr. Nobody is presenting fictitious opinions and does in no way, shape or form encourage nor condone the use of any illegal substances or the use of legal substances in an illegal manner.
The information discussed is strictly for entertainment purposes only.

[blueyedkowgrl]

like i don't have enough problems these days now i'll have to see a sleep specialist!! damn my days are just full of dr. appts!!!
I'm so glad you think it's funny sky!! you and my husband should talk to each other he thinks it's hyserical. especially the time i was on the neighbors front porch, they all got a good laugh about it! I cried from embarassment later that day, but he's damn lucky i don't smother him in my sleep!!! trust me if i can eat a piece of cake in my sleep i think i can put a pillow over his head!! LOL
when i was pregnant with my first daughter we had to put a hook and eye lock on the top of the door because i was walking in my sleep all the time and i was afraid i was going to fall or do something that would hurt the baby. we put on the top of the door just out of my reach. sad huh?!?!

[skydancer]

Well the pic it puts in my head is funny. But I know it must be scary!! I'd be afraid to fall asleep if that was happening to me...so its funny strange, not funny ha ha. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

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Those who dare to fail miserably, can achieve greatly. - R.F. Kennedy

[Temple]

No Sky - it is funny Ha Ha. I can't begin to tell you what a mess my kitchen used to be in the a.m.. I think you wake up just before it gets dangerous. When I was a baby my dad was headed out the front door with me when he woke up - it did scare him so badly that he never walked in his sleep again and he was really bad from the time he was little, would wake up between the mattresses on his bed and stuff. He also used to rearrange my grandmas furniture which really had her freaked out until she figured out what was going on. Mine is pretty much under control but if it got worse I would see a sleep specialist.