What’s In Your Supplements – Alpha Lipoic Acid
This is part of an ongoing series looking into what is in the substances humans ingest, whether food, supplements, drugs, beverages, or others. The series is a consequence of the forthcoming book, Natural Versus Synthetic Vitamins, scheduled to be released sometime next year.
This is an assessment of the nature of chemically based substances that are commonly ingested, in this case lipoic acid as well as thiamine.
Chemicals, whether used in the manufacture of drugs, vitamin tablets, dyes, or flavorings, cannot be held safe simply because they are allowed in the system. People need to do their own independent research to degree the degree of safety or, rather, the element of toxicity. By nature, a synthetic chemical cannot be deemed innocuous. Surely, no such chemical can be regarded as therapeutic, that is a healing agent. By healing agent it is meant a substance that heals the tissues of the body.
In that investigation the following abstract was uncovered, dated 1965. Here, investigators were evaluating a decided chemically based ‘nutrient,’ alpha lipoic acid. What they found, perhaps inadvertently, was that the substance was toxic to rats, a toxicity which was somehow related to thiamine. If sufficient thiamine was given, the toxicity was reversed.
That begs the question; what in the world could be in alpha lipoic acid to cause such a toxic reaction and/or what is it made from? Regarding its source could this be an issue of a noxious reaction to the raw material? What is discovered is that this substance is rather than a food or food-like nutrient is merely instead a condensation of synthetic compounds:
The MSDS is revealing, which lists the key molecule used in the creation of the nutrient, 6,8-dichloroctanoic acid, as an industrial toxin:
An industrial toxin is the base material for the production of an ingested compound? How in the world does that make any sense? Clearly, lipoic acid itself is nothing other than an industrial chemical.
It is so noxious that it is not allowed to seep or get into the waterways, as it will cause “long-lasting” toxicity to fish, among other creatures. Notice, too, the precautions necessary to avoid direct human contact. How can it be healthy to ingest such a substance, regardless of its final semi-synthesized form?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15059240
This degree of toxicity to cats cannot be disregarded as a minor issue. It is, essentially, a sign that this substance is unfit for animal consumption, any animal, including humans. There is additional animal research which is disturbing. Consider the following mice study conducted by investigators publishing in the Journal of Alzheimer, 2012:
The lifespan study, however, provided less encouraging results. In this study, 50 11-month old SAMP8 (that is specially bread) mice were given alpha-lipoic acid every day until the day they died. Their longevity was compared with a control group of 50 SAMP8 mice that were not given the drug. The team found that mice receiving the drug lived for an average of 20 weeks after the drug was first administered, and those who did not receive the drug lived an average of 34 weeks from the beginning of the test—a significant difference
NOTE: This is not merely a “significant difference” but is, rather, a massive one. Incredibly, the control mice who got none of this admitted ‘drug’ lived some 60% longer. That’s right, the alpha lipoic acid-treated mice hardly made it to half the normal expected lifespan. One gets a chlorinated hydrocarbon in its food, the other is given a pass.
Dogs are by no means immune to its noxious effects. Here, it is demonstrated, that a mere single dose, incredibly, only a few hours after ingestion, led to destruction of the internal organs and also fatality:
Yet, what about humans? Does it prove to be poisonous to them as well? It must be thoroughly investigated. After all, there are articles throughout the Internet touting the substance as a virtual ‘cure-all,’ one example being as follows:
Love Your Liver With Alpha Lipoic Acid – NaturalNews.com
So, once again, are there any reports of human toxicity with this synthetic compound? Perhaps there are, but these could not be found in the preperation of this article.
It was found, though, that in primates exceptionally high doses cause liver cellular damage, the same kind of damaged suffered by the injured dogs.
There are, though, anecdotal complaints about this chemical, a few of those listed as follows:
I find that in particular, Alpa Lipoic Acid causes me occasional stomach pains comparable to acid reflux. Milk helps to calm my stomach.
The problem: I’ve been having less and less energy. Muscles feel tired and heavy. Can’t concentrate much. Heaps more time spent lying in bed.
I’ve tried it many times, but found it to be irritating to my nerves, causing pain.( It’s acidic) I didn’t find it to increase fatigue, though.
***
Since this substance is a derivative of a chlorinated hydrocarbon it is unfit for human consumption. In particular, daily consumption is ill-advised. This is merely another example of a substance which, in theory, should be valuable for human use but where there are issues that invalidate this. The fact that the base material is an industrial toxin is one key issue. So is the fact that the alpha lipoic acid that is consumed by humans and animals is never food-source but is, rather, exclusively industrially produced. Therefore, it lacks entirely the healing power of the truly natural-source lipoic acid, which is protective against degenerative diseases.
Now, it is realized that alpha lipoic acid may have some usage, as in medical emergencies. Here, it is used to attempt to manage acute toxicity from poisonous substances, natural as well as synthetic. Yet, regarding routine use, that is daily use, this must be carefully considered in light of the findings above. Plus, there are alternatives, one of the most significant of which is oil of wild oregano, edible type, high-mountain source, which is an antidote for acute poisoning of the system, including toxicity from poisonous mushrooms and toxic mold.
As a routine supplement alpha lipoic acid has been heavily promoted as a means for the removal of heavy metals. This claim must be reassessed, because of the potential for human toxicity.
References:
http://www.research.va.gov/news/features/Alpha-lipoic-acid.cfm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15059240
http://www.naturalnews.com/024513_liver_lipoic_acid_alpha.html
http://forums.questioningaids.com/archive/index.php/t-6819.html
http://forums.phoenixrising.me/index.php?threads/taking-alpha-lipoic-acid-supplement-feel-awful-what-do-i-do.19845/
http://www.academia.edu/8437519/Adverse_Effects_of_High_Doses_of_Intravenous_Alpha_Lipoic_Acid_on_Liver_Mitochondria