Alpha lipoic acid counteracts many of the elements and events that transform a brain's healthy state to a toxic environment. For example, alpha lipoic acid:
CONDITION | Anti-Inflammatory | ↑ Natural Antioxidants | ↑ or Reverses ↓ of Brain Growth Factors | Quenches Free Radicals & ↓ Free Radical Damage | Helps Regulate Immune System | Protection from Toxins and/or Metal Chelation Effects | Antidiabetic Activity | Improves/Protects Mitochondria & Cell Function | Helps Regulate & Improve Brain Chemical Levels |
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Alzheimer's Disease | ♦ (iii.34) | ♦ (iii.34) | ♦ (iii.34) | ♦ (iii.2) | ♦ (iii.34) | ♦ (iii.13) | ♦ (iii.34) | ||
Autism | ♦ (iii.35) | ♦ (iii.35) | ♦ (iii.3) | ||||||
Bipolar Disorder (Mania) | ♦ (iii.35) | ♦ (iii.4) | ♦ (iii.4) | ♦ (iii.4) | ♦ (iii.35) | ||||
Cerebral Ischemia (Stroke) |
♦ (iii.2, 21) | ♦ (iii.21) | ♦ (iii.36) | ♦ (iii.21-22) | |||||
Epilepsy | ♦ (iii.10) | ♦ (iii.10) | ♦ (iii.37) | ||||||
Hearing Loss | ♦ (iii.38) | ♦ (iii.12) | ♦ (iii.12) | ♦ (iii.12) | ♦ (iii.30) | ||||
Migraine | ♦ (iii.39) | ♦ (iii.39) | |||||||
Mitochondrial Disorders | ♦ (iii.3) | ♦ (iii.3) | |||||||
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) | ♦ (iii.2) | ♦ (iii.23) | ♦ (iii.15) | ♦ (iii.15) | ♦ (iii.15) | ||||
Nerve Damage (including carpal tunnel syndrome, diabetic and peripheral neuropathy, and sciatica) | ♦ (iii.7) | ♦ (iii.19) | ♦ (iii.7) | ♦ (iii.19) | ♦ (iii.15) | ♦ (iii.7) | |||
Parkinson's Disease | ♦ (iii.35) | ♦ (iii.40) | ♦ (iii.16) | ♦ (iii.35) | ♦ (iii.41) | ♦ (iii.18, 31) | |||
Schizophrenia | ♦ (iii.35) | ♦ (iii.1) | ♦ (iii.1) | ♦ (iii.35) | ♦ (iii.1) | ||||
Vision Loss | ♦ (iii.42) | ♦ (iii.43) | ♦ (iii.43) | ♦ (iii.43) | ♦ (iii.43) | ♦ (iii.43) |
Alpha lipoic acid may be particularly beneficial when used along with other antioxidants and vitamins. When combined with conventional medicines, it may reduce side effects.
Alpha lipoic acid works with B vitamins to convert the food we eat to cell energy. In the brain, the combination of alpha lipoic acid, biotin, and other B-complex vitamins (e.g., folate,
Although most research so far is preliminary, some clinical studies have been done with alpha lipoic acid alone or with other treatments. They indicate that alpha lipoic acid supplements can reduce symptoms and/or slow down the progression of neurological disease. Alpha lipoic acid also reduced unwanted side effects of psychiatric medications. Patients helped by alpha lipoic acid include those suffering from: (iii.16)
Condition | Alpha Lipoic Acid Benefit |
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↓ Cognitive and functional decline in several small clinical studies and a randomized controlled clinical trial. (iii.48-49) |
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↓ Painful symptoms. (iii.6) |
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↑ Nerve function. (iii.7) ↓ Painful symptoms. (iii.7) |
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↑ Nerve function. (iii.2) ↓ Symptoms. (iii.2) |
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↓ Evidence of ear damage associated with hearing loss when taken prior to noise exposure (600 mg/daily for 10 days). (iii.12) |
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Mitochondrial Disorders |
↑ Mitochondrial function. (iii.3) ↓ Free radicals. (iii.3) ↓ Strength decline. (iii.3) Alpha lipoic acid showed benefits when used along with CoQ10 and creatine monohydrated in the randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial. (iii.3) |
Migraine |
Dosage used was 600 mg/day of alpha lipoic acid for 3 months, and results showed: (iii.50) ↓ Frequency of migraine attack in the approximately 31% who responded to treatment. ↓ Length of attack. ↓ Headache severity. |
Schizophrenia |
Alpha lipoic acid reduced weight gain from medication. (iii.47) |
Experts in integrative medicine recommend the following doses of alpha lipoic acid for the following neurological conditions: