Alpha-lipoic acid and Lycopene

Alpha-lipoic acid and Lycopene

Published June 21, 2011

When it was isolated 50 years ago, alpha-lipoic acid was identified as a vitamin. It has since been reclassified as an antioxidant, and can scavenge free radicals intracellularly and extracellularly. It is both fat- and water-soluble, which means that it can access all parts of our cells.  Numerous clinical trials have shown that supplementing with alpha-lipoic acid is beneficial in moderating blood sugar concentrations, symptoms of cardiovascular ailments, blurred vision, and liver complication. Individuals who display limitations in moderating blood sugar concentrations often have a serious problem with glycation caused by higher than normal levels of blood sugar due to low insulin production or insulin resistance.

Glycation happens when blood sugar reacts quickly and spontaneously with proteins to form damaging cross-linking. This cross-linking causes severe tissue damage and leads to kidney ailments, plaque buildup in the arteries, and retinopathy. Lipoic acid curtails glycation and enhances the transfer of blood sugar into the cells by stimulating insulin activity. One of the more severe complications of noncontrolled blood glucose levels is reduced circulation to the lower extremities. Studies show that patients suffering from symptoms of diabetic neuropathy improved significantly when they supplemented with 600 mg of lipoic acid daily.

Children treated with alpha-lipoic acid alone or in combination with vitamin E showed normalized organ function and less oxidative damage following radiation exposure in the Chernobyl incident.

Current research indicates that alpha-lipoic supplementation may help increase human T lymphocytes. Alpha-lipoic acid has the ability to regenerate other antioxidants, including vitamins C and E, glutathione, and coenzyme Q10.

Lycopene is a member of the carotenoid family. It is the pigment that gives fruits and vegetables its red color.

Predominantly available in tomatoes, lycopene has been found to be twice as effective as beta-carotene and 100 times more effective than vitamin E in counteracting the dangerous free radical singlet oxygen. Lycopene has been found to be a more potent inhibitor of human cancer cells than all other carotenoids. A study in Europe found that there was a statistically significant association between high dietary lycopene and a 48 percent lower risk of cardiac disease.

 

AIM’s Proancynol 2000 has Alpha-lipoic acid and Lycopene, check it out at my on-line store www.aimforbalance.com

Reference AIM Proancynol 2000 data sheet 200