Research has found that the popular antioxidant supplement Alpha-Lipoic Acid may possess small but significant weight loss benefits and help to treat obesity.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid is a naturally occurring antioxidant, which is present in the mitochondria and is involved in energy metabolism.
Studies have already confirmed many impressive health benefits of Alpha-Lipoic Acid such as it’s ability to treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy, where it is commonly prescribed by physicians in Europe.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid may have other therapeutic benefits such as antioxidant properties, the ability to recycle antioxidants such as Vitamin C, E & Glutathione, improve insulin sensitivity, protect against metabolic syndrome, diabetes and atherosclerosis, chelate toxic heavy metals, reduce blood pressure, support the mitochondria and energy metabolism, boost levels of antixoidant glutathione, anti-inflammatory effect, improve endothelial dysfunction and much more.
Let’s take a look at some of the highlights from the current scientific research on Alpha-Lipoic Acid, weight loss and obesity.
A study from 2017 conducted a meta-analysis of the effect of ALA on weight and body mass index (BMI).
The results from a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials concluded:
Alpha-lipoic acid treatment showed small, yet significant short-term weight loss compared with placebo. Further research is needed to examine the effect of different doses and the long-term benefits of ALA on weight management.
Another study published this year(2017) in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition(Edinburgh, Scotland) performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials on the supplement Alpha-Lipoic Acid in obesity treatment.
The study concluded:
The present study revealed that supplementation with ALA slightly but significantly decreased body weight and BMI. Safe dosage for ALA is up to 1200 mg/day. However, it seems that ALA cannot be cost-effective. Further studies are needed to clarify the effects of ALA on metabolic parameter in unhealthy obese individuals.
Always consult a healthcare professional before taking any dietary supplements or making any significant lifestyle changes.
References
[1] Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) as a supplementation for weight loss: results from a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28295905
[2] Alpha-lipoic acid supplement in obesity treatment: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28629898
[3] Alpha-lipoic acid as a pleiotropic compound with potential therapeutic use in diabetes and other chronic diseases
https://dmsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1758-5996-6-80
The information in this article has not been evaluated by the FDA and should not be used to diagnose, cure or treat any disease, implied or otherwise.
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