Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA), also known as thioctic acid, or simply lipoic acid, is a vitamin-like substances that has generated much interest in the last few years, especially with regards to both its ability to act as a powerful antioxidant and its role in energy production.
Since it is difficult to obtain therapeutic amounts of Alpha Lipoic Acid through the diet alone, supplementation has become popular and is now widely recommended by practitioners, particularly for those worn down by oxidative stress (free radical damage).
Free radicals are the highly active and very unstable molecules that travel around the body interfering with cellular function. Whether created in the body during metabolic processes or introduced from the environment, free radicals are thought to play a role in over 50 health conditions.
Antioxidants can work in several ways but ultimately aim to minimise free radical damage by reducing their energy and rendering them harmless.
