Healthy Habits: Alpha Lipoic Acid

As I have mentioned previously, I really like the book and theories of Mark Sissal who wrote The Primal Blueprint. His primary premise (in addition to going back to the basics concering diet and exersise) is that of eating absolutely no grains. I have also mentioned that the all or nothing or the restriction of anything does not work for me. SO, while his wife and he look amazing and I am sure because of their diet and exersise, I feel everything can be incorporated in moderation. BUT, he has a wealth of great information to share and he does so in his email newsletter, Mark's Daily Apple, which i highly recommend you subscribe to. His book is fascinating too. It talks about he used to be a very serious marathoner but realized that all that exersise was just punishing his body rather than perfecting it. He developed several health issues concerning wear and tear mostly from pounding his body by training so hard. Now he does a much less strenuous routine and stresses the importance of sprinting (like our ancestors used to do to stay alive!)

I was ecstatic when he sent the newsletter containing the info about Alpha Lipoic Acid (see excerpt below). It was confirmation for me as I have been taking that for a year or so via the advice of the Perricone Prescription. READ:

Living a healthy "evolved" lifestyle in this high-tech modern world isn't easy. We all try to eat right, get regular exercise and control stress. But the reality is, this world we've created conspires at every turn to make us look and feel old, ill, and weak. We breathe polluted air, we don't get enough sun, we stress about bills, traffic and the economy, we don't always get enough sleep or exercise, we don't always eat as we should, and when we do, even the best natural foods are not as abundant in micronutrients as they once were. Some of the most critical nutrients are missing entirely - and it's only getting worse as the commercialization of food continues to spiral out of control. For these reasons and many others supplementation is an integral part of the Primal Blueprint. Which is why I started this series of newsletters: to provide insider information on the top supplements you should consider taking for optimum health and longevity.

This week we'll explore...


Alpha Lipoic Acid


WHAT IT DOES: Alpha lipoic acid is, in many ways, the alpha dog of antioxidants. Though it's commonly found in most foods, and especially in broccoli, spinach, liver, kidneys, heart, and grass-fed dairy, relying on dietary ALA is usually insufficient. Supplemental ALA, however, acts as a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, and it reduces the symptoms of Vitamin E and Vitamin C deficiency. Unlike most supplements, ALA is both water and fat-soluble, making it ideal for absorption.


STUDIES SHOW: In a lab experiment with animals, supplementing with alpha lipoic acid reduced triglyceride readings by as much as sixty percent. Triglycerides are increasingly being identified as major markers of cardiovascular disease, and they contribute to the accumulation of VLDL cholesterol, the small, dense lipoproteins that get stuck in artery walls and induce dangerous inflammation. The less triglycerides, the better. Another, earlier study shows that supplementary alpha lipoic acid might actually turn back the clock on aging by replenishing the body's supply of glutathione, which is implicated in reenergizing cellular signaling and reducing mitochondrial breakdown. ALA also targets free radicals, those dangerous compounds that attack cells and are thought to increase the effects of aging. Supplementing with alpha lipoic acid also seems to inhibit both arterial lesions and induce appetite-suppressing effects. Alpha, indeed.

WHY I LIKE IT: Combined with a healthy diet and plenty of regular exercise, supplementing with alpha lipoic acid seems to be an obvious path to good health. Its apparent health benefits seem to be far-reaching and numerous - lowered triglyceride readings, possible anti-aging effects, antioxidant replenishment, free radical destruction, and appetite suppression - and without negative consequences. All the evidence is, of course, preliminary, but everything thus far points to ALA as being a worthy component of any healthy person's supplementation regimen.


DR. PERRICONE calls ALA the universal anti-oxidant. ALA can increase energy levels of the cell. THe characteristic of an AGING cell is DECREASED energy, ALA helps cells repair themselves like younger cells do. Take it with meals. Perricone also suggests taking it with acetyl-L-Carnitine (take 200-400 mg per day. I buy a supplement with the two in one pill)