ALA is a fatty acid that might have been classified as a vitamin except that by definition, a vitamin is a micronutrient the body cannot synthesize. The body is capable of manufacturing Alpha Lipoic Acid and it does so on a regular basis as an integral part of metabolism. The research on ALA is legit and extensive and I'm surprised it hasn't yet been packaged and sold as a fat burning miracle. It's only a matter of time.
ALA helps us by activating enzymes which are critical to energy production. It also helps to break down amino acid chains for protein synthesis. The body does manufacture enough to support these metabolic processes, however, high intake of ALA has proven to be a stunningly effective antioxidant. Unlike the commonly accepted anti-oxidants, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc, and CoQ10, ALA exerts its antioxidant activity in the mitochondria of the cell. When we actually "burn fat," that incineration of fatty acids takes place in the mitochondria, the activity center, of the muscle cell. Supplemental ALA can help to keep the fat burning environment in an ideal state.
Another unique property of ALA is its ability to increase glucose storage in muscle tissue and NOT in adipose tissue. This can lead to greater performance, increased muscle activity and growth, greater support of lean body mass, and a further reduction in the likelihood of fat storage.
Antioxidant properties, enhanced protein synthesis, and contribution to effective fat loss make this a supplement that has far-reaching benefit for virtually every population. An important note . . . the "R" isomer of alpha lipoic acid is the form of this compound that exerts the properties described. Biologically, there is a lock-and-key relationship between compounds and cellular activity and the "R" form of this unique fatty acid is the precise form the body recognizes. When ALA is synthesized, it takes on a sort of mirror image and loses its bioactive properties. It's cheaper for supplement sellers to make and sell ALA in its inactive form, but unless you ingest R-ALA, you are likely taking in something that will have no value at all. Be certain when you buy ALA it is R-ALA.
ALA helps us by activating enzymes which are critical to energy production. It also helps to break down amino acid chains for protein synthesis. The body does manufacture enough to support these metabolic processes, however, high intake of ALA has proven to be a stunningly effective antioxidant. Unlike the commonly accepted anti-oxidants, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc, and CoQ10, ALA exerts its antioxidant activity in the mitochondria of the cell. When we actually "burn fat," that incineration of fatty acids takes place in the mitochondria, the activity center, of the muscle cell. Supplemental ALA can help to keep the fat burning environment in an ideal state.
Another unique property of ALA is its ability to increase glucose storage in muscle tissue and NOT in adipose tissue. This can lead to greater performance, increased muscle activity and growth, greater support of lean body mass, and a further reduction in the likelihood of fat storage.
Antioxidant properties, enhanced protein synthesis, and contribution to effective fat loss make this a supplement that has far-reaching benefit for virtually every population. An important note . . . the "R" isomer of alpha lipoic acid is the form of this compound that exerts the properties described. Biologically, there is a lock-and-key relationship between compounds and cellular activity and the "R" form of this unique fatty acid is the precise form the body recognizes. When ALA is synthesized, it takes on a sort of mirror image and loses its bioactive properties. It's cheaper for supplement sellers to make and sell ALA in its inactive form, but unless you ingest R-ALA, you are likely taking in something that will have no value at all. Be certain when you buy ALA it is R-ALA.
