Alpha Lipoic Acid Helps Chemotherapy Work Better
Evidence shows that alpha lipoic acid can reduce the side effects of conventional cancer therapy. Alpha lipoic acid may also improve the effectiveness of some chemo drugs. Some examples include: (iv.7, 26)
CANCER TYPE | ALPHA LIPOIC ACID DOSAGE | CHEMOTHERAPY | OVERALL ACTIVITY |
---|---|---|---|
COLORECTAL CANCER (Advanced Metastatic) |
Clinical Study 600 mg alpha lipoic acid by i.v. once a week for |
Oxaliplatin Raltitrexed |
↓ Severity, intensity, and duration of peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage) caused by chemo in over 50% of patients. (iv.7) The remaining patients did not respond to alpha lipoic acid treatment, but were not worsened by it either. The only reported adverse side effects possibly due to alpha lipoic acid were moderate stomach pain or nausea in a few patients. (iv.7) |
GASTRIC CANCER (Advanced) |
Clinical Study 600 mg alpha lipoic acid by i.v. once a week for 3-5 weeks followed by 1800 mg/day for up to 6 months. |
Docetaxel Cisplatin |
↓ Peripheral neuropathy within |
LEUKEMIA |
Animal Study |
↑ Survival. (iv.26) ↓ Heart damage. (iv.26) ↓ Liver damage and secondary cancers in pregnant females, as well as liver damage in offspring exposed in utero. (iv.28) |
PANCREATIC CANCER (Metastatic) |
Case Report 1200 mg/day; 80 year old woman with advanced ductal adenocarcinoma. |
Gemcitabine Celecoxib Prosure (following surgery) |
↑ Survival. (iv.5) ↓ Markers for cancer cell metabolism. (iv.5) ↓ Metastatic tumors in liver. (iv.5) ↑ Quality of life (excellent, with no complaints). (iv.5) ↓ Loss of weight due to cancer. (iv.5) |
SARCOMA; WALKER CARCINOMA |
Animal Study 10-40 mg/kg body weight oral alpha lipoic acid. |
Cyclophosphamide | ↓ Negative side effects. (iv.13) |
Animal Study 10-40 mg/kg body weight oral alpha lipoic acid. |
Vincristine sulfate |
↑ Survival. (iv.26) |
|
Animal Study 25-100 mg/kg body weight alpha lipoic acid injection. |
Cisplatin | ↓ Hearing loss. (iv.13) ↓ Kidney damage. (iv.13) |
VARIOUS CANCERS |
Animal Studies |
Bleomycin (iv.32) |
↓ Usually irreversible lung damage. (iv.32-33) ↓ Drug-induced diabetes. (iv.26) ↓ DNA damage to sperm and testicular cells. (iv.31) ↓ Risk of chemo-induced male infertility and sterility. (iv.31) |