This vitamin-like substance in the form of a crystalline powder of light yellow color and a bitter taste is independently synthesized by the body. But after they learned how to extract it from beef liver cells in the 50s of the last century, the world received a drug with great potential and a wide variety of properties. Lipoic acid (LA), like that Figaro, has time everywhere and reacts with many substances, forming numerous compounds with varying degrees of biological activity. Weight loss, improved liver function, antioxidant effect - this is an incomplete list of what it is subject to.
A tool for high-quality weight loss and not only
Lipoic or thioctic acid is an endogenous antioxidant capable of combining inherently aggressive free radicals. Fat and water soluble, it plays the role of a coenzyme in the transformation of substances, improves enzymatic hydrolysis in mitochondria, providing cells with energy. First of all, scientists discovered the protective properties of this substance, that is, its ability to protect cell membranes from the negative effects of reactive radicals, which are the result of both intermediate material metabolism and foreign elements entering the body from outside, for example, salts of heavy metals.
According to the specifics of the action, thioctacid is compared with B vitamins. Having a lipotropic and thermogenic effect, it accelerates the utilization of lipids and induces fatty acids to move from the liver to various organs and tissues. LA molecules can be called microscopic breeders of secondary recycling. They bind the products of amino acid processing and squeeze out the substances necessary for our body to the maximum, and dispose of the waste. Some scientists believe that it is lipoic acid that will become part of the elixir of youth in the future, because its ability to prevent damage to DNA cells, which means cellular aging and the extinction of vital functions, has already been proven.
How is effective weight loss achieved with thioctacid?
The mechanism of operation of this substance gives reason to actively use it to combat extra pounds and the higher the physical activity of the person losing weight, the brighter the effect. How it works? This weight loss tool is able to start the fat burning mechanism, and it is supported by intensive training. During exercise and changes in habitual nutrition, oxidation processes are triggered in tissues and muscles, and free radicals are formed along with them in large volumes. Thioctacid enters the antioxidant "battle", increasing fat burning, increasing the body's endurance and working for effective weight loss, improving the effectiveness of physical activity.
As already noted, it is able to cooperate with other nutrients. In regards to weight loss, its association with other antioxidant vitamins and glutathione may be of the greatest benefit. As a result, the metabolism of lipids and carbohydrates improves, the concentration of cholesterol in the blood normalizes, and liver function improves.
Who should take lipoic acid?
Part of thioctic acid is synthesized by the body on its own, and part we get from food, which is quite enough for a person who is completely healthy and not obese. Another thing is if the body is deficient in vitamins and other useful substances, suffers from overweight and diabetes, poisoning with salts of harmful metals, and liver ailments. In this case, you can discuss with your doctor the advisability of taking lipoic acid preparations, and as a bonus, you will receive a powerful antioxidant that acts as a means of preventing degenerative changes in the brain.
Currently, drug manufacturers produce two variants of thioctic acid - R-isomer and S-isomer. Their chemical composition is somewhat different, and it is known for certain that for effective weight loss and healing of the body, it is more useful to take the R-isomer, since its absorption is higher, as well as its potential properties, the ability to improve tissue sensitivity to insulin. However, R-analogue preparations are more expensive, and therefore on sale you can most often find alpha-lipoic acid in a more accessible form, in which the "right" and "left" chemical compounds are in the same proportions.
As for food products rich in natural LA and capable of making a feasible contribution to weight loss, they include most of the by-products, vegetables - Brussels sprouts, green broccoli inflorescences, spinach, fresh tomatoes, peas. The sources of this weight loss remedy include both unpolished rice and brewer's yeast.
How to take dietary supplements for weight loss?
As a means to maintain and strengthen the body, a standard dosage is recommended, ranging from 25 to 50 mg per day. If your goal is effective weight loss, which you plan to combine with physical training, then it makes sense to combine dietary supplements with levocarnitine. The amino acid included in its composition activates the metabolism of fats, releasing them from cells and stimulating energy consumption. In this case, the dose of alpha-lipoic acid itself can be increased to 100-200 mg per day. To prevent neurodegenerative changes and get rid of the consequences of long-term consumption of fast carbohydrates, the dose can be increased to 600 mg per day.
In recent years, American nutritionists have conducted numerous studies on the effect of LA on the human body and discovered the ability of this weight loss product to reduce weight even without adjusting the usual diet. So, by increasing the daily dose to 1800 mg, you can lose up to 9% of excess weight from the total body weight in 20 weeks. In any case, questions about the amount of LA taken daily should be resolved with your doctor, because an overdose of a weight loss drug can cause indigestion, nausea and vomiting, muscle pain and a sharp decrease in blood glucose concentration with the risk of developing hypoglycemia.
In addition, if for better weight loss you decide to purchase the innovative and expensive R-isomer of thioctic acid, then the recommended dosage should be reduced by a factor of two due to its higher bioavailability.