Lipoic acid may provide ‘inexpensive’ MS treatment

[MSUK]

Results from a "highly promising pilot study" presented at the 68th annual American Academy of Neurology meeting in Canada have shown Lipoic acid is safe, well tolerated, and offers neuroprotection in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS)....Read more - http://www.ms-uk.org/MSnews

[David1949]

I have Primary Progressive MS, but I'm going to try this. It's available at Amazon at reasonable prices, many brands to choose from. I ordered one with the best reviews.

This is something I'm willing to try. What do I have to lose? I'll report back on the results.

[PointsNorth]

Thanks David. I have used alpha lipoic acid in the past but only at standard doses of around 100mg. It sounds like 1200 mg was tolerated quite well.

PN

[David1949]

Hi PointsNorth

Did this have any effect for you?
I bought 600mg tablets. I'm going to start with one a day and then try two.

I have three rules for what I'm willing to try:
1. I won't try anything that might kill me or make me worse. (So cobra venom is out.)
2. There has to be a reason for thinking it might work. In this case the referenced article seems to suggest that it is helpful.
3. It can't be too expensive. And this certainly isn't.

[MStranslate]

Hi David and PointsNorth,

Just to let you know, I conducted an interview the other day with Dr Rebecca Spain - the researcher who is presenting the findings about her research into lipoic acid at the AAN conference. It will be published over the next few days, I'm sure you will find it interesting - we discussed what the research has shown, how they think it is working and what the future steps are for the research. It might help answer some of the questions that you have.

Thanks,

[PointsNorth]

I ordered some and hopefully I will start it this weekend. The capsules I have ordered our 600 mg each. I will take two per day. I will Watch for the AAN piece this week.

Thanks, PN

[jackD]

That Lipoic acid helps MSers has been known for a long time. I have posted a lot on this in the past.

The best version is R-Lipoic Acid. You need to take only 50% of the normal Alpha-Lipoic Acid amount to get the same effect. I take the LEF product. This link explains why R-Lipoic may be better. I think the S-Lipoic may "get in the way" of the good R-Lipoic Acid activity.

http://www.lifeextension.com/Vitamins-S ... ipoic-Acid

jackD

J Neuroimmunol. 2002 Oct;131(1-2):104-14.

Alpha lipoic acid inhibits T cell migration into the spinal cord and suppresses and treats experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Marracci GH1, Jones RE, McKeon GP, Bourdette DN.

Oxidative injury may be important to the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). We tested the antioxidant alpha lipoic acid (ALA) in an experimental murine model of MS, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). ALA was administered to SJL mice 7 days after immunization with proteolipid protein (PLP) 139-151 peptide. Mice that received 5-100 mg/kg/day of ALA had dose-dependent reductions in their 10-Day Cumulative Disease Scores (10-Day CDS) by 23-100%. Minimal inflammation, demyelination and axonal loss occurred in the spinal cords (SC) of ALA-suppressed mice, and there was a marked reduction in CD3+ T cells and CD11b+ monocyte/macrophage cells within the SC. Mice treated with ALA (100 mg/kg/day) commencing on the first day of clinical EAE had a significant reduction in 10-Day CDS. SC of ALA-treated mice had reduced demyelination and axonal loss and a rapid reduction in CD3+ T cells.

In vitro, ALA and its reduced form, dihydrolipoic acid, inhibited the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in a dose-dependent fashion. ALA is highly effective at suppressing and treating EAE and does so by inhibiting T cell trafficking into the SC, perhaps by acting as a matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor.

PMID: 12458042 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE

[NHE]

The best version is R-Lipoic Acid. You need to take only 50% of the normal Alpha-Lipoic Acid amount to get the same effect. I take the LEF product. This link explains why R-Lipoic may be better. I think the S-Lipoic may "get in the way" of the good R-Lipoic Acid activity.

http://www.lifeextension.com/Vitamins-S ... ipoic-Acid

There's a negative physiological cost associated with consuming the S isomer of lipoic acid. I discussed this some time ago in a prior post. http://www.thisisms.com/forum/natural-a ... c4347.html

[MStranslate]

The interview with Dr Rebecca Spain on this project is now available online via the following link:



The written transcript of the interview is also available on our website:

http://www.mstranslate.com.au/dr-rebecc ... ting-2016/

I have contacted Dr Spain with the questions mentioned above and I will update you when I hear back.

Thanks,

[CureOrBust]

The best version is R-Lipoic Acid. You need to take only 50% of the normal Alpha-Lipoic Acid amount to get the same effect. I take the LEF product. This link explains why R-Lipoic may be better. I think the S-Lipoic may "get in the way" of the good R-Lipoic Acid activity.

http://www.lifeextension.com/Vitamins-S ... ipoic-Acid

I did some surfing today, and what I read actually presented Na-R-ALA as the better form of taking R-Alpha-Lipoic-Acid. I also looked at the doses used in the current studies for MS and they were 10x that of a common tablet, meaning it isn't cheap to mimic the study doses using the common tablets purchased on line. I did however find the following product if you are willing to purchase in bulk and encapsulate your own, and trust the source. I know nothing about this supplier.
http://nootropicsdepot.com/r-lipoic-acid/

[PointsNorth]

@CorB, you can buy 600 mg capsules cheaply. Look on Amazon. I intend on taking two per day.

[CureOrBust]

@CorB, you can buy 600 mg capsules cheaply. Look on Amazon. I intend on taking two per day.

I Did search on Amazon, and did not find any Na-R-ALA anywhere near as cheap as this bulk powder. Do you have a link?

[NHE]

@CorB, you can buy 600 mg capsules cheaply. Look on Amazon. I intend on taking two per day.

I Did search on Amazon, and did not find any Na-R-ALA anywhere near as cheap as this bulk powder. Do you have a link?

Most likely, it's the racemic R/S form which is usually just labeled as alpha-lipoic acid.

[David1949]

Did Dr. Spain ever say what type of Lipoic Acid was used in her study?

[PointsNorth]

After listening to her entire video I don't recall her ever saying what type was used.