R-alpha lipoic acid for weight loss?

Veröffentlicht am: October 04, 2024

Nutritionist and dietician

Simply lose weight without pain? What sounds like it would be too good to be true has now been proven by American researchers.

The key? The R-alpha lipoic acid

Most people know R-alpha lipoic acid for its ability to relieve diabetes symptoms and detoxify.

This is how R-alpha lipoic acid works:

improve insulin sensitivity in diabetes,
Relieve symptoms of diabetic polyneuropathy
Bind heavy metals such as mercury
and act as an antioxidant to scavenge free radicals.

But as American researchers have now discovered, R-alpha lipoic acid can do even more!

➤ Every 3rd person is unhappy with their weight!

Lose weight with R-alpha lipoic acid? A new study brings clarity

A new study from last year (2020) shows that you can actually lose weight by taking R-alpha lipoic acid.

The study investigated whether supplementation with R-alpha lipoic acid leads to better fat levels, weight loss, less oxidative stress and a reduction in inflammation in the body. A total of 81 overweight adults took part in the 24-week controlled study and received either R-alpha lipoic acid or a placebo. Neither diet nor physical activity was adjusted during the study period.

The results after six months were clear. Although the blood lipid level did not change, the test subjects in the R-alpha lipoic acid group were able to achieve a greater reduction in BMI compared to the placebo group, lost a significant amount of weight and the inflammatory potential and oxidative stress were reduced overall.

The R-alpha lipoic acid provided:

Loss of a whole kilo of pure body fat (the placebo group even gained a little weight on average)
Improvement of the BMI by 0.6
Reduction in body weight by 1.7 %

➤ In Germany, every 2nd man and every 3rd woman is already considered overweight!

Sources (in English):

Garcia-Alcala, H., Santos Vichido, C. I., Islas Macedo, S., Genestier-Tamborero, C. N., Minutti-Palacios, M., Hirales Tamez, O., García, C., & Ziegler, D. (2015). Treatment with α-Lipoic Acid over 16 Weeks in Type 2 Diabetic Patients with Symptomatic Polyneuropathy Who Responded to Initial 4-Week High-Dose Loading. Journal of diabetes research, 2015, 189857. doi: 10.1155/2015/189857

Patrick L. (2002). Mercury toxicity and antioxidants: Part 1: role of glutathione and alpha-lipoic acid in the treatment of mercury toxicity. Alternative medicine review : a journal of clinical therapeutic, 7(6), 456-471.

Bobe, G., Michels, A. J., Zhang, W. J., Purnell, J. Q., Woffendin, C., Pereira, C., Vita, J. A., Thomas, N. O., Traber, M. G., Frei, B., & Hagen, T. M. (2020). A Randomized Controlled Trial of Long-Term (R)-α-Lipoic Acid Supplementation Promotes Weight Loss in Overweight or Obese Adults without Altering Baseline Elevated Plasma Triglyceride Concentrations. The Journal of nutrition, 150(9), 2336-2345. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxaa203

Oregon State University. (2020, August 12). Lipoic acid supplements help some obese but otherwise healthy people lose weight. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 27, 2021 Available at: [www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200812094902.htm]

Mendes, P. R., Félix, D., Silva, P. C., Pereira, G. H., & Simões, M. O. (2014). Effect of alpha lipoic acid on the blood cell count and iron kinetics in hypertensive patients. Nutricion hospitalaria, 31(2), 883-889. doi: 10.3305/nh.2015.31.2.7403