This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Somewhat promising link regarding Lipoic Acid:

Lipoic acid stimulates cAMP production in T lymphocytes and NK cells.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2007 Mar 2;354(1):259-64.

Velly intelesting! Thanks Brock!

This from Wikipedia about Lipoic Acid because I was trying to determine if it was something natural in the human or exactly what it was...

Following other links I get the impression that body builders have been taking it, although at this point I have no idea to what effect.

Bob

Bob,

I was taking (alpha lipoic acid) but ran out a while back and just haven't gotten anymore. I'm not sure if it is the same or not? Any idea?

Brock

Hi Brock,
I can't find a reference to "beta lipoic acid" anywhere.

In searches, I do find results but so far they have been to lipoic acid and "beta" has unrelatedly been elsewhere in the page.

At this point it seems that alpha lipoic acid is lipoic acid.

This is an interesting link with enough respectibility to be considered a valid information source http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/othernuts/la/

I think in the original link you provided the researchers injected it into the bloodstream.

It always has to be considered that drastically different results/no results can sometimes/most times be found between injecting or ingesting something.

Then again it also has to be considered a separate issue that injecting directly into the bloodstream is the method of choice for researchers because that method makes measurements so much more accurate, even in situations when ingesting would provide results.

I guess that's a blonde way of saying that I have no idea if the positive results in that study might be found by ingesting Lipoic Acid as a supplement.

The good thing is that it seems hard to take enough of it to cause a problem.

Bob

Alpha lipoic acid is a synthetic mix of two possible chiral isomers, also known as enantiomers. Essentially, these are the R and S forms which are mirror images of each other and differ in atom connectivity at one carbon. As such they are analogous to left and right handed forms of the molecule much in the same way that your hands are non-superimposible mirror images of each other. The R form in the natural form which is found in mitochondria. However, the S form is a synthetic isomer. Unless the two forms are distinguished as such, alpha lipoic acid is a 50/50 mixture of the two isomers. The Linus Pauling Institute refers to "racemic LA", this is the same thing as a 50/50 mixture of the R and S forms. The R form has been reported to be about 6-12 times more biologically effective as an antioxidant than the S form. For a more detailed explanation of lipoic acid please see one of my earlier posts in this thread in the Natural Approach forum.

In addition to the info in that post, I should note that you will find lipoic acid discussed in the science literature as either alpha lipoic acid or dihydrolipoic acid. In this type of comparison, the term alpha lipoic acid is often used to refer to the oxidized form (where the two sulfer atoms are bonded to each other via a disulfide bond) and the term dihydrolipoic acid is used to refer to the reduced form (where the two sulfer atoms exist as separate sulfhydryl groups, i.e., -SH). Another note, sometimes you will run into a form called potassium lipoate. Lipoic acid has a carboxyllic acid group in it and this is the potassium salt of the acid. There are a couple of supplement manufacturers, e.g., http://www.hu-max.com/, that claim that this form has increased bioavailability and stability.

NHE

NHE,
Thanks for the link NHE. I see we're a little behind the times since that thread was from 2004 Oh well, it's all new to me!

You seem very well versed on the subject....have you ever read that there might be advantage to injecting lipoic acid as opposed to consuming it? Not that injecting it is anything anyone could or should do.
Bob

NHE,

WOW!! Are you a chemist? I would say you are more then well versed, I would say you are practically an expert. Thank you for this information.

Brock