Lipoic acid - an antioxidant contained in some foods, including red meat, spinach, broccoli, potatoes, yamse, carrot, beet, and yeast. It is also produced in small amounts in the human body.
Lipoic acid plays an important role in the metabolic processes of the body. Recently, scientists have found that it helps to treat nerve damage in diabetes. It may also prevent the spread of cancer, but this function is lipoic acid has not enough acknowledgments. Additionally, while still not entirely clear how it acts as a means for reducing the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Story
In 1937, scientists discovered bacteria containing a chemical compound that was later called lipoic acid. Its antioxidant properties were known and studied in 1939. In 1957, lipoic acid found in yeast extract.
For a time it was considered a vitamin (one in which the body needs, but can not produce its own), and only relatively recently been shown that lipoic acid is produced in the body.
How does lipoic acid?
Lipoic acid is one of the antioxidants which protect the human body from cancer and other diseases. Antioxidants - are chemical compounds that block the action of free radicals, activated oxygen molecules that can damage cells. The oxidation process is also harmful to health when a person ages, some scholars suggest that lipoic acid may help slow the aging process.
Lipoic acid is used in the treatment of diabetic polyneuropathy, affecting many patients with diabetes. This disease is characterized by pain and numbness in the hands and feet. It is assumed that the lipoic acid also has the property of lowering blood sugar level
Blood sugar - one of the main indicators of human health
.
By itself, a powerful antioxidant
Antioxidants: the truth about the notorious benefits
, Lipoic acid enhances the effects of other anti-oxidants (such as vitamins C and E).
Lipoic acid prevents liver disease, cataracts and the formation of fatty plaques in the arteries.
There is a theory, yet unproven, that lipoic acid inhibits genes that trigger the growth of cancer cells.
With age, the human body produces less lipoic acid. Therefore it is recommended to take supplements
Food additives - basic classification
Which contain this substance. During clinical trials, patients administered intravenous lipoic acid, but in pharmacies solution for injection is not for sale. Tablets and capsules are effective. The safety of these drugs is still in question. 300-600 mg of lipoic acid is considered a safe dose, but the excess of the recommended dose may lead to cell damage.
Dietary supplements of lipoic acid has few side effects, but sometimes causing diarrhea or skin rashes. Lipoic acid, which is contained in food, is perfectly safe.
Like all strong antioxidants, lipoic acid may reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Therefore, patients undergoing such treatment, it is necessary to consult with your doctor before you start taking supplements.
The consequences of prolonged supplementation with lipoic acid is unknown. Pregnant and lactating women should not take it without first consulting your doctor.
So far there have been no single study involving people in the course of which would have been obtained clear evidence that lipoic acid helps prevent the development or spread of cancer.
Early laboratory studies suggest that lipoic acid can cause cancer cells to destroy themselves - a process called apoptosis. But to confirm this effect requires much more information, obtained in the tests on animals and humans.
Mechanism of action
Lipoic acid (thioctic acid) relates to means for regulating the metabolic processes in the human body. In many pharmaceutical companies, it is available under the names: lipoic acid, Valium, lipamid, oktolipen, tiogamma, Thioctacid, tiolepta, Espa-lipon.
Lipoic acid on the biochemical nature of the action is close to the B vitamins It is part of enzymes involved in the normalization of carbohydrate and fat (lipids, including cholesterol) metabolism has hepatoprotective (restores the liver cells) and detoxification (neutralizes toxic products of metabolism , heavy metals and other harmful substances) effect, improves nutrition of nerve cells, restores their membrane. Lipoic acid reduces blood glucose levels and it promotes the formation of glycogen in the liver. It has the ability to bind free radicals (antioxidant properties), thereby preventing the toxic effects on the cells and preventing premature aging.
In the body, lipoic acid is in different organs, especially a lot of it in the liver, kidneys, heart. For use as a drug it is obtained by a synthetic (artificial) means.
Lipoic acid is used with the defeat of nerves (neuropathy), diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, atherosclerosis with the defeat of the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle, liver diseases (hepatitis, cirrhosis), visual function disorders, poisonings.
Once in the human body, lipoic acid is rapidly and almost completely absorbed after oral administration and excreted by the kidneys mainly in the form of metabolic products.
This shows the use of
Lipoic acid is used in the following conditions:
- fatty degeneration of the liver cells;
- cirrhosis (swelling of the connective tissue in the liver and her liver cells substitution);
- All types of hepatitis (inflammation of the liver);
- poisoning (such as mushrooms, salts of heavy metals);
- elevated levels of lipids (fats) in the blood, including cholesterol (atherosclerosis);
- polyneuropathy (multiple lesions of the peripheral nerves) against alcoholism and diabetes.
Release form and method of use
Basically lipoic acid is available as tablets and capsules, which are used in, at a dose prescribed by the doctor 2-3 times a day after meals. But sometimes in severe forms of polyneuropathy (especially emerging diabetes mellitus) is assigned first course of treatment in the form of intravenous injections for a period of about a month, after which go to the reception of the drug inside.
During the treatment it is necessary that the admission of liquor, since it reduces the therapeutic effect of lipoic acid on the body.
Lipoic acid - the active substance, which is involved in metabolism and has a comprehensive effect on the human body.
Contraindications lipoic acid and side effects
Contraindications lipoic acid are hypersensitivity to the drug, children under 6 years of age, pregnancy and lactation
Breast-feeding: feed - and no nails!
Child (clinical research on this group of patients have not been conducted).
C care, after consultation with the doctor lipoic acid should be taken for patients with diabetes, gastritis with high acidity, gastric ulcer and 12 duodenal ulcer, prone to allergic reactions.
When receiving lipoic acid can have side effects such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headaches, allergic reactions (urticaria, various rashes, anaphylactic shock), decrease of blood glucose. With rapid intravenous sometimes observed a feeling of heaviness in the head, increased intracranial pressure, difficulty in breathing, which are themselves. Very rarely, after intravenous administration occurred seizures, double vision, pinpoint hemorrhages in the form of a rash on the skin and mucous membranes, bleeding tendency.
In case of overdose and possible nausea, vomiting, and headaches. Treatment - gastric lavage and reception of adsorbents (substances which are deposited and removed from the body toxins).
Patients with diabetes lipoic acid (particularly, injection) is assigned under the control of blood glucose (the amount of glucose can dramatically decrease, resulting in a serious condition - hypoglycemic coma).