Lipoic acid is a compound which acts as an antioxidant and a coenzyme in metabolism. It can be found in food sources and is also synthesized by the body. The amount of lipoic acid the body makes, however, may be inadequate. Lipoic acid is advantageous because it is both fat and water soluble. This makes it available for use throughout the body. It is essential for the conversion of carbohydrates into glucose, or blood sugar. Lipoic acid further converts blood sugar into usable energy, thereby normalizing blood sugar levels. Lipoic acid increases the amount of glucose available to muscle cells and decreases the amount taken in by fat cells. This reduces the amount of fat stored by the body and increases the amount of energy produced.
As an antioxidant, lipoic acid is involved in scavenging harmful metabolic by-products known as free radicals. A growing number of diseases are attributed to free radical damage. In addition, lipoic acid is thought to preserve and protect other antioxidant nutrients such as Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and glutathione. Lipoic acid's ability to preserve Vitamin E is considered an important factor in the prevention of heart disease. In the presence of lipoic acid, Vitamin E, which exhibits many protective effects against heart disease, is protected from damage and can be recycled to continue acting as an antioxidant. Research from Russia suggested lipoic acid might be a treatment for atherosclerosis, as it was found to increase the amount of oxygen available to the heart. This animal study indicated lipoic acid lowered total and LDL cholesterol, particularly in the aorta. More recent research suggests that rather than protecting antioxidants, lipoic acid may mimic their functions when levels are low.
Because of its small molecular size, lipoic acid is able to pass through the nuclear membrane to the cell nucleus. It is able to exert its antioxidant effect and prevent free radicals from damaging genetic material (DNA) in the nucleus. Lipoic acid may potentially be of great benefit in cancer, as it is able to protect DNA from carcinogens. Lipoic acid also increases the amount of glutathione, a cellular antioxidant, in cells. It also works to detoxify pollutants, and potential carcinogenic heavy metals.
Because of its ability to act as an antioxidant and reduce glycation, lipoic acid may be able to retard the aging process. Glycation occurs when high blood sugar levels react spontaneously with the protein collagen to create sugar-damaged proteins. Sugar- and oxygen-damaged proteins help explain much of the secondary aging effects and some of the primary aging process. These two in combination create several health problems including kidney damage, and facilitation of atherosclerosis.
Lipoic acid is of particular importance in diabetes. When blood sugar is high, glycation damage occurs. In combination with free radical damage, this can result in many diabetic complications like cataract, stiffened arteries and heart tissue, retinopathy, damaged lipoproteins and nerve destruction. This supplement can influence glucose levels in diabetics, which may have an effect on blood sugar level. It also protects against the complications given above. This supplement has been used for the treatment of these diabetic complications in Germany for over thirty years. Research also indicates that lipoic acid improves peripheral blood flow.
Due to its shown promise in promoting nerve regeneration and protecting nerve tissue, lipoic acid has potential in the treatment of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Its immune boosting effects also indicate this supplement may be important in the treatment of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In a pilot study, lipoic acid supplements significantly improved immune response in patients with HIV. Researchers in 1992 found the supplement inhibits the replication of HIV in vitro.6
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