Alpha lipoic acid, commonly known as lipoic acid, is a powerful antioxidant found inside every cell within your body. One of the benefits of lipoic acid is it turns glucose (blood sugar) into energy for your body. And because it’s an antioxidant, it helps decrease the effects of potentially harmful free radicals, which are waste products created when the body turns food into energy.
Without sufficient antioxidants to fight them, free radicals can cause harmful chemical reactions that can damage cells in the body. Free radicals can lower your body’s resistance to infections and damage internal organs and tissues.
Two of the best known antioxidants are vitamin C, which is soluble only in water, and vitamin E, which is soluble only in fat. Unlike vitamin C and vitamin E, however, lipoic acid is unique because it works throughout the body in both water and fat.
Alpha lipoic acid helps to remove glucose from the bloodstream, both by enhancing insulin function and decreasing insulin resistance, which is a primary factor contributing to coronary heart disease and obesity.
It’s no wonder that lipoic acid is being marketed as a cure for everything from heart disease, cancer and diabetes to depression, AIDS and cataracts.
There have been a number of studies researching lipoic acid’s ability to improve insulin sensitivity and prevent nerve problems in diabetic patients. In a healthy person, a sufficient amount of lipoic acid is produced so that supplements are not necessary. But in several medical conditions, including diabetes, the body may not produce enough alpha lipoic acid to fight free radicals. The lack of lipoic acid can lead to nerve disease such as diabetic neuropathy that is partially a result of damage from free radicals.
Can Lipoic Acid Decrease Neuropathy Symptoms?
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common and painful complications of diabetes. This devastating condition affects the nerves of the arms, hands, legs and feet, resulting in tingling, numbness, and pain in the extremities. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, nerve damage from diabetic neuropathy affects more than 60 to 70 percent of all diabetics.
In Germany, lipoic acid has been used for decades as an approved treatment for the symptoms and pain of diabetic neuropathy. Some studies have indicated that intravenous doses of alpha lipoic acid can help reduce the pain and symptoms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy, although more conclusive research about oral doses of the antioxidant still needs to be conducted.
Researchers believe that lipoic acid can ease the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy by permeating the entire nerve cell and increasing glucose uptake in the cells.
Supplementing with Lipoic Acid
If you are interested in taking alpha lipoic acid as a supplement to prevent or ease the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy, first discuss it with your doctor. The common dosage of alpha lipoic acid for complications of diabetes is 100 to 200 mg three times a day. However, some studies have found that you may need to take as much as 600 to 1,800 mg per day to realize the benefits. Dosages up to 1,800 mg daily appear to have no significant side effects. If you try lipoic acid, be patient. You may need to take it for several weeks to see any effect.
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