Potential benefits of Thioctic Acid, otherwise known as Lipoic Acid, R-Lipoic Acid seems

[HysteryDiagnosis]

to be the one to watch

Edited to save my arse from copyright jail.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipoic_acid

It was also recognized that lower endogenous concentrations of RLA were found in tissues of humans with various diseases, and lower levels of RLA were found in the 24 hour urine of patients with various diseases than in healthy subjects.<23><24><25><120><121> Injections of R/S-LA as low as 10–25 mg normalized daily urinary output and, in many cases, improved patient health. When it was demonstrated that mammals have the genes to endogenously synthesize RLA, it lost vitamin status, but is today considered to be a “conditionally essential nutrient”.<122>


Several papers found RLA and acetyl carnitine reversed age-related markers in old rats to youthful levels.<125><126><127><128><129><130><131>

RLA may function in vivo like a B-vitamin and at higher doses like plant-derived nutrients, such as curcumin, sulphoraphane, resveratrol, and other nutritional substances that induce phase II detoxification enzymes, thus acting as cytoprotective agents.<132><133> This stress response indirectly improves the antioxidant capacity of the cell.<36>

A recent human pharmacokinetic study of RLA demonstrated the maximum concentration in plasma and bioavailability are significantly greater than the free acid form, and rivals plasma levels achieved by intravenous administration of the free acid form.<134> Additionally, high plasma levels comparable to those in animal models where Nrf2 was activated were achieved.<134>

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. Potential benefits include:

Once again, the woomakers will have a hard time refuting this "alternative medicine" which really isn't alternative at all. It is one of the molecules that your body normally protects itself with and it can and does diminish with age.


Possible beneficial effects

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipoic_acid

Lipoic acid has been the subject of numerous research studies and clinical trials. Lipoic acid was shown to be hepatoprotective,<37><38><39><40> to improve liver circulation,<41> and treat chronic liver diseases,<42><43><44><45><46><47><48> including <49> jaundice,<50> hepatitis,<51><52> cirrhosis,<53><54> and hepatic coma,<55><56><57><58><59><60>

to treat diabetes,<61><62><63> and diabetic neuropathy <64><65> to alter carbohydrate metabolism,<66><67> histidine metabolic disorders,<68> blood pyruvate and lactate levels,<69><70><71> to treat psychiatric diseases,<72> Botkin’s disease,<73> antimony poisoning,<74> mercury poisoning,<75> atherosclerosis,<76> coronary atherosclerosis,<77> cerebrovascular diseases,<78> ethionine-damaged liver,<79><80> potassium cyanide poisoning,<81> streptomycin intoxication,<82> mushroom poisoning,<83><84> lower cholesterol,<85> reverse barbiturate anesthesia,<86>

experimentally reduce voluntary alcohol intake,<87><88> and augment potassium tolerance .<89> One of the most studied clinical uses of LA is the treatment of diabetes and diabetic neuropathy<90> LA has also been used experimentally and/or clinically to prevent organ dysfunction,<91> reduce endothelial dysfunction and improve albuminuria,<92><93> treat or prevent cardiovascular disease,<94> accelerate chronic wound healing,<95> reduce levels of ADMA in diabetic end-stage renal disease patients on hemodialysis,<96> burning mouth syndrome,<97><98><99> reduce iron overload,<100>

treat metabolic syndrome,<101><102><103> improve or prevent age-related cognitive dysfunction,<104><105> prevent or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease,<106><107><108> prevent erectile dysfunction (animal models but anecdotally applies to humans as well),<109><110> prevent migraines,<111> treat multiple sclerosis,<112><113><114>

treat chronic diseases associated with oxidative stress <115> reduce inflammation,<116> inhibit advanced glycation end products (AGE),<117> treat peripheral artery disease.<118>

[leeroysphitz]

2. I've found that taking 1200 mg a day has reversed the nueropathy in my feet caused by diabtes.

YMMV.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

3. Wow, just wow, you are the first person I've ever heard state that even though I've read

the papers indicating that for YEARS. If you meet a Joe Blow on the street and find they have neuropathy and are being treated by a doc... you will most often hear that they have never heard of the stuff.

Now, it has helped your neuropathy, think about the laundry list of stuff it "may" be helping to prevent in the rest of your body....

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. How did you know what doseage to take, if I may ask?

I am taking it as a blood sugar control.

edited to add: I did find this just now, via google:
A daily Dose of 20 mg to 50 mg (milligrams) of ALA, or alpha lipoic acid, is the minimum requirement of healthy person, with 600 mg per day being used to treat diabetic neuropathies and 150 mg per day for glaucoma.

[leeroysphitz]

7. My methodology wasn't exactly scientific.

IWO I read everything I could find and then took my best guess. The results from the German studies were obtained using IV as opposed to oral so I was on my own when figuring dosage.

[postulater]

5. Didn't know about the stereoisomerism

Thanks

[European Socialist]

6. 600mg/day has helped my feet quite a bit....

some days I forget the problem is there. However, ALA has not done anything for my high blood sugar like it has for shooting nerve pain.