7 Health Benefits of Alpha Lipoic Acid

Alpha lipoic acid is an antioxidant found in many of the foods we eat. Yet, new studies show that supplementing your diet with alpha lipoic acid could support your health in all kinds of ways! From supporting a healthy brain and liver to helping manage weight, keep reading to learn 7 health benefits of alpha lipoic acid.

What Is Alpha Lipoic Acid?

Alpha lipoic acid is an antioxidant used to break down carbohydrates and convert it into energy. The body makes alpha lipoic acid naturally, but you can also get it from certain foods.

As an antioxidant, alpha lipoic acid helps neutralize damaging free radicals and protects cells from oxidative stress. This helps maintain healthy cells as you age.

What foods contain alpha lipoic acid?

You can get small amounts of alpha lipoic acid in foods such as:

• Red meat
• Organ meats (such as liver)
• Carrot
• Beets
• Spinach
• Collard greens
• Broccoli
• Spinach

If you don’t get enough from your diet, you can take alpha lipoic acid supplements to ensure you enjoy the benefits of this antioxidant. You can get your daily dose of alpha lipoic acid from NeuroQ Daily Essentials multivitamin. Suggested doses range from 100 mg to 400 mg. When in doubt, consult with your doctor to find out the ideal amount to take daily for best results.

Alpha Lipoic Acid Benefits

So what does the science have to say about alpha lipoic acid? Mounting evidence shows many potential benefits of alpha lipoic acid.

1. It helps protect brain health.

Because alpha lipoic acid can cross the blood-brain barrier, it may help keep the brain and nervous system healthy. It boosts the production of acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter that helps neurons communicate.

It also shows potential in protecting neurons, the cells that make up your brain and nervous system.

Another study found potential therapeutic effects of alpha lipoic acid in reducing oxidative stress in the aging brain and preventing cognitive decline.

2. It supports liver health.

Alpha lipoic acid acts as an antioxidant, which means it protects cells from oxidative stress. When it comes to the liver, the antioxidant seems to protect liver cells from damage.

Alpha lipoic acid also shows promise as a therapeutic for conditions affecting the liver, including alcohol-induced damage, mushroom poisoning, and metal toxification.

3. It may soothe nerve pain.

Those looking for natural relief to nerve pain might find it with alpha lipoic acid. Studies show the potential for it to soothe neuropathic pain.

A clinical trial also found alpha lipoic acid safe and effective in pain management. Participants who took the antioxidant saw significant reductions in pain and discomfort compared to the placebo group.

4. It may help manage weight.

Losing weight is rarely easy. But recent evidence may indicate that taking alpha lipoic acid could help. In a randomized control trial, obese adults showed greater weight loss and loss of body fat when supplementating with alpha lipoic acid, without any changes in diet or physical activity.

Another study found that alpha lipoic acid supplementation resulted in significant weight loss and BMI reduction compared to placebo.

5. It helps curb altitude sickness.

If you consider your spend a lot of time in the mountains, alpha lipoic acid might help your body adjust to reduced oxygen and changes in air pressure from high altitudes.

During a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial, participants took an alpha lipoic alpha supplement blend at sea level for three weeks. Each participant took four capsules daily (two after breakfast and two after dinner) that each contained 250 mg of L-ascorbic acid, 100 IU of dl-a-tocopherol acetate and 150 mg of alpha-lipoic acid.

The participants continued taking the supplement blend during a 10-day ascent to the Mount Everest base camp (approximately 5,180 meters above sea level). The supplement blend helped reduce altitude sickness.

6. It helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

Your body needs cholesterol to do things like make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help you digest foods. It’s a fat-like substance found in all the cells in your body. However, too much cholesterol in your blood can cause a buildup and could lead to disease when arteries become too narrow or blocked.

Taking alpha lipoic acid supplements could reduce the risk of blockages. A study found that taking 600 mg/d of alpha lipoic acid significantly reduced total cholesterol levels.

7. It keeps skin looking young.

Because of alpha lipoic acid’s anti-flammatory properties, it seems to do wonders for the skin! A randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind study found cream containing 5% of alpha lipoic acid effective in keeping skin looking young.

Thirty-three women, at the average age of 54, participated in the study. Those who treated their face twice daily with cream containing alpha lipoic acid noticed significant improvement their skin’s appearance compared to those who didn’t use the cream.

Whether you’re looking to improve your brain’s performance, support liver health, or keep your skin looking fresh and young, alpha lipoic acid has you covered. Studies seem to confirm this antioxidant as a healthy addition to your diet, especially when taken as a supplement. Take NeuroQ Daily Essentialls multivitamin to your daily dose of alpha lipoic acid and enjoy all its amazing benefits!

Want to learn about more brain boosting ingredients? Read about the best nootropics to fire up your brain.