Is it safe to take the “anti-aging” Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)?

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) is a substance with some of the most powerful anti-ageing, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties known to date. However, certain news items published recently have called into question whether taking it is advisable, raising doubts about the possibility that it could be dangerous for health. We will address the matter as objectively as possible, while also taking a closer look at this powerful “anti-aging” compound.

What is Alpha Lipoic Acid?

ALA is a type of fatty acid present in every cell of the human body, and it is also synthesised by animals and plants. At mitochondrial level, it is involved in the process of converting glucose into fuel available to the body (energy metabolism).

For many people this substance is somewhat unknown, but suffice it to say that it is known as the “universal antioxidant”, due to its ability to reduce free radicals present in the body.

It should be noted that it is soluble in both fat and water. What does this mean? That it is easily assimilated in the lipid layers of the skin, working perfectly to combat free radicals in the external membrane of the cell and in its aqueous interiors.

Think about how, day after day, your skin is exposed to countless oxidising substances such as air pollution, solar radiation or cigarette smoke. Even your own body, against all expectations, works against itself by producing oxidising substances as a result of breathing and other metabolic functions, such as transforming food into energy. The result? You are continuously exposed to free radicals.

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What is the “universal antioxidant” used for?

One of the main functions attributed to ALA is to combat the oxidative action of free radicals, reducing inflammation and slowing down the ageing process. Therefore, its “anti-aging” effect is beyond dispute.

This does not prevent its properties for improving insulin sensitivity from being those that give Alpha Lipoic Acid its potential benefits for diabetes, as recent research shows.

ALA provides the body with essential energy. Your cells need its vital nutrients to produce energy. In addition, thanks to its antioxidant effect, taking Alpha Lipoic Acid will help prevent the ageing of your cells, while also supporting the optimal functioning of your heart, liver and brain.

What is oxidative stress?

It is nothing more and nothing less than the stress to which your body is constantly subjected. Once oxygen enters the body, it divides into atoms with unpaired electrons. These particles seek atomic balance and do everything possible to achieve it, even “stealing” electrons from other atoms, which form part of other tissues and systems.

These particles are free radicals, and the damage they cause may affect the cell membrane, enzymes and DNA.

Learn about the functions of free radicals: are they dangerous?

Free radicals can be very harmful, although they also play an essential role in your immune system. Your body produces free radicals for different reasons:

Keep in mind that the danger of free radicals lies in the fact that they are unstable elements. The effect of searching for atoms from which to remove electrons from their orbits in order to achieve this atomic balance triggers a chain reaction.

Under normal circumstances, free radicals coexist in balance with the body’s antioxidants; however, the moment this harmony is broken is when problems arise: your body begins to “clean” and can lose control, affecting the whole body, including healthy cells.

Have you ever noticed how a cut apple oxidises when exposed to air? A similar process takes place in your body.

What happens if you have low antioxidant levels?

When your body’s antioxidant levels are low compared to the presence of free radicals, the latter can end up causing damage by harming the cellular environment made up of tissues, organs and other body systems, causing mutations in the DNA code and overloading the immune system.

The decrease in antioxidant levels may be due to multiple factors, such as a poor diet or the fact that they have been used to combat other toxins.

The risks of oxidative stress must be stopped

The measure of oxidation in the body is oxidative stress. Thus, high stress levels can negatively affect any organ in the body, even leading to conditions or diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis, asthma, leaky gut syndrome or diabetes.

How does the ageing process affect your body?

There are several ways in which your body reacts to the ageing process, which taking ALA may help to slow down.

We explain the four main ones!

Oxidation

It would be rare for oxidation not to be occurring in your body at any given moment, as it is a constant process caused by the chemical reactions produced simply by eating, moving or breathing. In addition, simple exposure to the environment already entails the presence of harmful agents that can even lead to abnormal cell growth and reproduction, causing adverse effects on metabolic efficiency.

Physiological Level

Mitochondria are small organelles that control energy production for each of the cells that work in synergy with your body. Each cell contains many mitochondria, depending on its function and the energy demand of the organ involved.

More than 85% of the oxygen contained in each breath is consumed by these small energy producers, so it is easy to understand that low mitochondrial function is related to ageing and low energy levels.

Energy Function

Starting from the fact that an aged cell is characterised by deficient energy production, it becomes easier to determine the importance of any substance capable of increasing energy levels in the cell, contributing to cellular repair, in the same way as young cells do.

Accumulated Oxidation

The mitochondrial theory of ageing has been considered valid since the early 1970s, revealing the mechanism by which a lifetime of accumulated damage to mitochondrial DNA can trigger increased free-radical stress and a decrease in cellular energy production, as well as chronic diseases.

What is ALA’s mechanism of action?

Explaining, in a simple way, how Alpha Lipoic Acid works means talking about its functions in the body:

Increase in ALA

Although Alpha Lipoic Acid is not considered an essential nutrient, it is true that its administration helps raise the levels circulating in your body, amplifying its presence and, therefore, allowing you to enjoy its benefits even more.

Neutralisation of free radicals

Among the primary functions of Alpha Lipoic Acid is combating the unwanted effects of free radicals, as we have been mentioning in previous paragraphs.

In this way, these substances are prevented from posing a risk of deterioration, accelerating cellular ageing, a consequence derived from oxidation processes. Inside the cells, ALA is converted into dihydrolipoic acid, with important protective properties in cellular reactions.

Glycaemic control

Another function of ALA is to improve insulin sensitivity or, in other words, to improve glucose absorption by muscle fibres, rather than by fat adipocytes. This is especially important in people who suffer from a disorder related to glucose metabolism, such as diabetics.

Likewise, insofar as it helps regulate blood glucose, its intake encourages a reduced feeling of hunger between meals. This is why you may have heard about ALA’s properties for weight loss.

Antioxidant agent

Glutathione synthesis

ALA is capable of increasing your body’s ability to synthesise glutathione, which is closely related to energy metabolism, to the point that athletes and sportspeople use it to support their sports performance.

Energy metabolism

In this regard, the functioning of ALA could be compared to that of B vitamins and other enzymes, which are required for the conversion of all macronutrients (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) into molecules available at energy level, which can later be used according to their function within the organs and systems of your body.

Metal chelating agent

A unique feature of ALA is its property as a chelating agent, or in other words, its ability to bind to other metals identified as toxic within your body. Some examples would be mercury, arsenic, iron and other forms of free radicals, which can enter your body through the air or food.

What are the properties of this rejuvenating compound?

The main health-related properties of Alpha Lipoic Acid can be summarised as follows:

Without the help of antioxidants, you would be defenceless against the action of free radicals. This is one of the reasons why ALA plays an essential role in maintaining your overall well-being. For this reason, and many others, it has earned the nickname “universal antioxidant”.

Where is this fatty acid found?

Its benefits, the best endorsement

There are numerous studies suggesting that Alpha Lipoic Acid helps the body to:

Do you want to know more about the health benefits of ALA? We know this is one of the aspects that generates the most interest about this fatty acid.

ALA and sports performance: is it worth it?

Over the years, it is inevitable that mitochondrial mass will decrease and, with it, your body’s capacity to generate energy. As a result, you will see your muscle mass decrease and the action of free radicals increase.

And this is where Alpha Lipoic Acid comes into play, increasing mitochondrial activity, decreasing peroxidation and promoting energy synthesis. Thus, you will help prevent the loss of muscle tissue, ensuring adequate muscle function.

Added to this is the fact that physical exercise contributes to increasing the production of free radicals. This means that endogenous antioxidants, such as glutathione or vitamin E, begin to decrease, while oxidative stress and tissue damage increase.

Numerous studies point towards the idea that ALA supplements help protect the body from the enemy to be fought, namely the excess free radicals that attack it during physical exercise.

High oxidative stress alters the regulation of muscle contraction and may even affect myofibrillar proteins. Likewise, a decrease in oxidative stress helps reduce muscle fatigue.

Does this supplement have side effects and contraindications?

Several studies suggest that Alpha Lipoic Acid can be consumed completely safely at the indicated doses, which are between 300 and 600 mg/day.

At higher doses (1200-1800 mg/day), it may cause side effects that usually subside when intake is stopped, such as:

Experts consider that using ALA for prolonged periods does not produce side effects, since there are studies lasting two years in which hardly any notable adverse effects are observed from supplementation with Alpha Lipoic Acid.

Regarding possible interactions, keep in mind that taking this supplement may interfere with the use of oral hypoglycaemic agents, due to this substance’s action in reducing and regulating blood glucose levels. This circumstance affects those who suffer from altered blood sugar levels, such as diabetics.

Are you pregnant or breastfeeding? In that case, you should not consume ALA supplements either, as they have not been proven to be completely safe during this period.

How should the recommended dose be taken?

We have already indicated that a reasonable amount of ALA could be between 300 and 600 mg daily.

Why is it interesting to take supplements containing ALA?

Because there is sufficient scientific evidence indicating that ALA:

In conclusion, is Alpha Lipoic Acid dangerous?

In principle, Alpha Lipoic Acid is not dangerous, insofar as it is an adjuvant treatment for various conditions. The key, as with so many other substances, is NOT to exceed the recommended daily dose.

The most commonly used dose today, as we have already mentioned, is between 300 and 600 mg/day, with 600 being the figure approved in Japan and Germany for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy.

However, when taken in excessively high doses, ALA may cause discomfort, as we have also indicated.

Even in more extreme cases, it could be very toxic to the liver, meaning that irresponsible consumption, greatly exceeding the maximum indicated dose, COULD indeed lead to serious consequences for the body.

Therefore, we can conclude that, when ingested at the indicated doses, Alpha Lipoic Acid IS A COMPLETELY SAFE PRODUCT.

We hope we have shed light on the controversy surrounding ALA in recent times. Do you still have questions? Share them with us and we will try to give you the most accurate answer possible.

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