Alpha Lipoic Acid Shows Weight Loss & Heart Health Benefits

In March we reported on a study that found that the combination alpha-lipoic acid and acetyl-l-carnitine may fight obesity and diabetes. This month we came across a recent study that found distinct weight loss and heart benefits from alpha lipoic acid alone.¹

The study conducted at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, and published in the journal Circulation tested the in vivo effects of orally administered alpha lipoic acid on mice. The researchers noted that atherosclerosis, a disease affecting arterial blood vessels, is strongly associated with vascular inflammation and lipid deposition on the vessel walls. Previous research has found that alpha lipoic acid exerts anti-inflammatory effects on the blood vessels. In the study, groups of mice were feed either "a Western-type chow diet containing 15% fat and 0.125% cholesterol" with alpha lipoic acid or without it (control), or a normal, low fat chow diet containing 4% fat with alpha lipoic acid or without it (control). The amount of alpha lipoic acid distributed to the mice was based on body weight and would be equal to about 2000mg in an average adult human.

The researchers found that the mice fed the alpha lipoic acid from both groups reduced the development of atherosclerotic lesions by as much as 55 percent, as compared to those mice that did not get the alpha lipoic acid. The mice that received the alpha lipoic acid also gained 40 percent less body weight than their cohorts who did not receive the alpha lipoic acid. The researchers also noted that the mice that received the alpha lipoic acid also had significantly lower serum (blood level) triglycerides and significantly lower "very low-density lipoprotein levels of triglycerides" than the mice in the control groups. The researchers concluded that "dietary [alpha lipoic acid] supplementation inhibits atherosclerotic lesion formation in 2 mouse models of human atherosclerosis, an inhibition that appears to be due to the 'antiobesity,' antihypertriglyceridemic, and antiinflammatory effects of [alpha lipoic acid]."

Alpha lipoic acid occurs naturally in very low levels in some dark leafy greens, such as spinach. Learn more about the potential benefits of alpha lipoic acid here.

New VitaBev drinkable multivitamin contains 100mg alpha-lipoic acid per serving, in addition to 31 other important nutrients.
 

1. Zhang, W. J., K. E. Bird, et al. (2008). "Dietary alpha-lipoic acid supplementation inhibits atherosclerotic lesion development in apolipoprotein E-deficient and apolipoprotein E/low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice." Circulation 117(3): 421-8.