Nutritional Factsheet

Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) is a vitamin-like substance that has two main functions in the body. Firstly, it acts as a powerful antioxidant, helping to prevent and reverse the damage caused by the effects of free radicals upon our cells. Secondly, it is involved in metabolising the food we eat, helping it to be converted into energy.

ALA is manufactured in small amounts by the body and also found in a few foods such as liver, beef, yeast and spinach. It is believed that the small amount found in foods and that which the body is able to manufacture, is adequate for its role in metabolic processes. However, to benefit from the antioxidant properties of lipoic acid, it is believed that supplementation is necessary.

Most of us are familiar with more common antioxidant nutrients such as vitamins C and E. Lipoic acid has been shown to work together with these antioxidants as well as enhancing their effectiveness in the body.

Alpha-Lipoic acid has been shown to be a useful supplement for many conditions including poor blood sugar control and nerve degeneration. More commonly, it used for anti-ageing, liver detoxification and for protecting the brain from degenerative conditions caused by free radical damage.