What Is Alpha Lipoic Acid?

Increasingly, since the 1990’s, Alpha Lipoic Acid is becoming a major player in the nutraceutical market place. While it was primarily noted for its incredible antioxidant properties, other benefits are being evidenced as research continues. What is known is that Alpha Lipoic Acid is naturally found in every cell of our bodies and it is necessary for the production of energy during metabolism. It converts blood sugar (glucose) into energy.

Alpha Lipoic Acid is an amazing antioxidant in that it functions in both fat as well as water. Where Vitamin C is a water soluble antioxidant and Vitamin E is fat soluble, Alpha Lipoic Acid functions equally in either environment! This means that it is extremely effective in fighting free radicals anywhere in the body.

One of the areas that its unique antioxidant properties is especially beneficial is that it can help to reduce or heal nerve damage because it is able to function both in water as well as fat, thus it is able to penetrate every part of the nerve.

Some other properties that make it an especially useful antioxidant is that is also able to cross the blood-brain barrier which appears to help protect the brain and nerve tissue by protecting against free radical damage. It has been used to counteract the ravages of aging in the skin and it has been suggested to be used to treat cataracts, glaucoma, and even Alzheimer’s disease.

There is still so much research that is needed in order to fully comprehend all of the benefits Alpha Lipoic Acid can provide. But for the time being, there is plenty known to give us something to celebrate.