Structure, mechanisms, effects

• contains two sulfur molecules
• a required cofactor for several multi-enzyme complexes that catalyze critical energy metabolism reactions inside the mitochondria. (See Linus Pauling Institute's page Alpha-Lipoic Acid.)
• multiple antioxidant propeties
• affects cysteine .
  • some say it induces cysteine uptake
  • however this study indicates a slightly different mechanism: Lipoic acid increases de novo synthesis of cellular glutathione by improving cystine utilization. Han D, Handelman G, Marcocci L, Sen CK, Roy S, Kobuchi H, Tritschler HJ, Flohe L, Packer L. from Biofactors 1997;6(3):321-38. They say LA reduces cystine back to cysteine, with the result that it "acts mainly to normalize a subpopulation of cells severely compromised in thiol status rather than to increase thiol content beyond physiological levels."
• Chelates inorganic mercury from the liver, but not organic mercury, cadmium, zinc or copper. (Effect of lipoic acid on biliary excretion of glutathione and metals, by Gregus Z; Stein AF; Varga F; Klaassen CD, from Toxicol Appl Pharmacol, 1992 May, 114:1, 88-96, abstract posted on the AMALGAM email list by Ray Saarela [Message ID 35255B70.9C0F5465@primenet.com dated 3 Apr 1998; subject: Re: Alpha Lipoic Acid.] (See directions for AMALGAM access.)
• Appears to improve some fuctioning of damaged liver cells; see Pharmacokinetcis of preparations of lipoic acid and their effect on ATP synthesis, processes of microsomal and cytosol oxidation in hepatocyets in liver damage in man. Loginov AS; Nilova TV; Bendikov EA; Petrakov AV; Farmakol Toksikol, 52(4):78-82 1989 Jul-Aug. See CFS Nutrition's Lipoic Acid references page.
• Protects against liver damage from cadmium.
  • But in all the studies which show this, the ALA was administered before or concurrently with the cadmium.
    • For example, here's one that showed it could protect even when glutathione was depleted:
      Relationship between glutathione and DL alpha-lipoic acid against cadmium-induced hepatotoxicity. Sumathi R; Baskaran G; Varalaksmi P. Jpn J Med Sci Biol 1996;49(2):39-48.
    • And in this one the authors point out that LA protects "as long as Cd exposure is low enough to permit interaction with LA prior to interaction with cell structures":
      Protective effects of DL-alpha-lipoic acid on cadmium-induced deterioration of rat hepatocytes. Müller L; Toxicology, 58(2):175-85 1989 Oct 2. See CFS Nutrition's Lipoic Acid references page
  • I find no studies which show ALA will correct cadmium poisoning after the fact.

Sources

• Food:
  • kidney, heart, and liver
  • spinach, broccoli, and tomatoes.
  • (Somewhat less in peas, brussel sprouts, and rice bran)
• Supplements

Applications

• May improve insulin sensitivity in individuals with type II diabetes
• AIDS/HIV treatment

Considerations / Contraindications

• Persons with cysteine overload should not take it.
• “Both LA and DHLA can chelate heavy metals, but the R-form is more effective for chelation than alpha-lipoic acid [BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY; Ou,P; 50(1):123-126 (1995)].
• On the AMALGAM email list, Ray Saarela documented many problems with Lipoic Acid.
  • For example on 8 Mar 2001 he said "LA increases brain organic mercury intake, instead of pulling it out." [Message ID: 009c01c0a858$dc2d0420$4f3332d0@- Subject: Re: lipoic acid - My 1st and recent not very good experience with it]
  • For more, see the pages linked below
  • His points are seldom acknowledged in the nontechnical pages I found when searching the Web for information on Lipoic Acid. This discrepancy makes me very wary not only of the claims of supplement manufacturers, but also even of the information available on sites about alternative/holistic/complementary medicine.
• Lipoate uptake is selectively inhibited by medium-chain fatty acids.
  Hepatic lipoate uptake. Peinado J; Sies H; Akerboom TP; Arch Biochem Biophys, 273(2):389-95 1989 Sep: see CFS Nutrition's Lipoic Acid references page

For more information

• LIPOIC ACID
• Linus Pauling Institute's page Alpha-Lipoic Acid
• Ray Saarela on LA: on these pages I've reproduced some of Ray Saarela's comments on the AMALGAM list, and provided links to research he cited. I'm very grateful to Ray for doing the research he did, making it easier for me to understand the technical papers.
  • LA as a chelator - Ray's first message on the subject (assuming I've searched correctly), 3 April 1998.
  • LA poisons the brain - 6 March 2000
  • LA facts - 13 July 2000