How Alpha-Lipoic Acid Affects Blood Sugar Levels

What is Alpha-Lipoic Acid?

There are plenty of antioxidants out there. Some, like vitamin C, are water-soluble, meaning they only work in “watery” areas of the body, such as the bloodstream. Others, like vitamin E, are fat-soluble and do their job in the fatty cell membranes. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is an antioxidant that can work in both watery and fatty environments, making it effective throughout the entire body against oxidative stress caused by free radicals.

Another impressive feature is that ALA can regenerate other antioxidants like glutathione or vitamin C, which lose their antioxidant properties when they neutralise free radicals. By doing so, it helps to increase the body’s overall antioxidant levels.

Beyond its role as an antioxidant and booster of other antioxidants, ALA serves as an essential cofactor for enzymes in all cells, helping them generate energy from sugar.

It also modifies the activity of specific genes, enzymes, and receptors. For instance, ALA stimulates glucose uptake from the blood into cells and supports blood pressure regulation.

Small amounts of ALA are found in various foods, with the best source being red meat. Good plant-based sources include spinach and broccoli. The body can also synthesise ALA on its own, which is why it’s not considered a vitamin.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid’s Impact on Health: An Overview

The most significant health benefit of alpha-lipoic acid is its positive effect on glucose metabolism:

• ALA lowers blood sugar by stimulating the uptake of glucose by cells.
• As an antioxidant, ALA protects insulin-secreting cells in the pancreas from oxidative stress damage.

This means that ALA can improve blood sugar control in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, as well as those with prediabetes or insulin resistance. It can also help alleviate complications caused by chronically elevated blood sugar levels, such as nerve damage. This damage often results in pain, numbness, and impaired vision, particularly in the hands, feet, and eyes.

Improved blood sugar control through ALA can also assist women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in balancing their hormones.

As an antioxidant, ALA may also positively impact other conditions where oxidative stress plays a role, such as dementia and cancer. It also protects blood vessel walls from oxidative stress, helping maintain their elasticity and preventing high blood pressure and thrombosis.

Alpha-Linolenic Acid vs. Alpha-Lipoic Acid: Differences and Functions

The acronym ALA can refer to two different substances: alpha-lipoic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. This can easily lead to confusion. Both are beneficial to health, but they have distinct effects in the body:

• Alpha-linolenic acid is an essential unsaturated fatty acid, part of the omega-3 family. The body cannot produce it, so we must obtain it through food or supplements. Alpha-linolenic acid lowers blood fat levels, reduces inflammation, prevents atherosclerosis, and lowers the risk of heart disease.
• Alpha-lipoic acid is a sulphur-containing fatty acid that the body can synthesise. However, people with elevated blood sugar levels may still benefit from supplementation. Alpha-lipoic acid lowers blood sugar and is a powerful antioxidant.

Experiences with Alpha-Lipoic Acid: Scientific Studies

Alpha-lipoic acid is commonly used to treat nerve damage (neuropathy) in diabetics. Typically, ALA is administered via injection for this purpose. Whether it is equally effective when taken orally is still debated.

There is already extensive experience with ALA’s use to improve blood sugar control. In numerous scientific studies, ALA has proven effective in lowering blood sugar levels and improving insulin sensitivity. It has also been shown to positively affect blood lipid levels in individuals with diabetes or metabolic syndrome—a condition marked by obesity, high blood pressure, and elevated blood sugar and lipid levels.

Many people take ALA supplements outside of prescribed therapies. However, there are no official guidelines on daily requirements or maximum safe doses, such as those from the German Nutrition Society. A 2020 review of 71 studies evaluated the reported side effects of ALA supplementation and concluded that daily doses of 100 to 2,700 milligrams were safe. These ALA doses did not increase the risk of hypoglycaemia or cause any digestive, cardiovascular, infectious, dermatological, musculoskeletal, neurological, or psychiatric side effects compared to placebos.