Health Hotline Magazine | February 2021

1 METABOLIC SYNDROME Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that include high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels, and often precedes full-blown type-2 diabetes. When these conditions occur together, they increase a person’s risk of heart disease, stroke, and type-2 diabetes. iv According to studies on ALA, this potent antioxidant has been shown to improve insulin resistance, lower blood pressure, and lead to weight loss. v vi Studies have used 200-600 mg/day of ALA to correct the symptoms of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. vii viii ix x

4 A HEALTHY WEIGHT

6 BRAIN HEALTH + NEUROPROTECTION ALA readily crosses the blood-brain barrier and is easily taken up by brain cells, where it neutralizes the damaging e ects of oxidative stress and improves energy production in the brain, thereby supporting healthy brain aging, mental sharpness, and reducing the symptoms of dementia. xxxv Studies indicate that ALA is e ective for neurological and cognitive support and helps maintain memory and mental sharpness throughout the lifespan. xxxvi xxxvii ALA may also help guard against one of the most dreaded diseases associated with aging—Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Scientists believe that ALA may increase the production of acetylcholine, an essential nervous system messenger that is deficient in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. xxxviii In one study, 600 mg/day given to AD patients for 12 months resulted in a stabilization of cognitive functions. xxxix Animal studies have shown that ALA supplementation reduced brain damage after a stroke and that those animals who received ALA had a survival rate three times greater than those that did not. xl xli Studies have also shown that ALA is able to improve motor-impairment symptoms related to Parkinson’s disease, a major neurodegenerative disorder that leads to a variety of motor disturbances caused by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the brain. xlii xliii 5 LIVERHEALTH+DETOXSUPPORT Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition in which too much fat is stored in liver cells, has become the most common cause of chronic liver disease in the developed world and can be caused by obesity, type-2 diabetes, and eating poorly (especially foods containing high-fructose corn syrup). If left untreated, it can lead to cirrhosis, or hardening of the liver. xxx ALA has been shown to protect the liver in cases of NAFLD by reducing inflammation and oxidative damage in the liver. It also supports liver health by regenerating glutathione—the body’s master antioxidant—which is synthesized in the liver and plays a key role in detoxification and supporting general liver health. Studies investigating ALA’s e ect on NAFLD have used 1,200 mg of ALA daily. xxxi xxxii xxxiii xxxiv ALA encourages healthy weight loss and weight maintenance by supporting energy production and metabolism. A 2018 meta- analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials found that ALA supplementation in those with a high body mass index (BMI) resulted in reductions in weight and BMI. Substantial weight and BMI reductions with ALA supplementation in overweight or obese subjects was also reported in a separate meta-analysis. xxiii xxiv xxv xxvi Studies have used doses ranging from 300 mg/day to 1,800 mg/ day; one double-blind study showed promising results with just 300 mg of ALA daily, while two other double-blind studies examining ALA’s e ect on weight loss in obese subjects found results with 1,800 mg per day. xxvii xxviii xxix

2 BLOOD SUGAR SUPPORT A 2018 meta-analysis identified 20 randomized controlled trials that examined the e ect of supplemental ALA on markers of glucose utilization in 1,245

subjects with metabolic disorders (not limited to type-2 diabetes). ALA (in doses of 200 to 1,800 mg/day for two weeks to one year), alone or together with other nutrients, was found to lower fasting blood glucose and insulin, reduce insulin resistance, and lower blood HbA1c concentration, a marker of glycemic control over the past few months. xi xii 3 TYPE-2 DIABETES A 2006 study revealed the dramatic e ects of supplementing with ALA in improving insulin sensitivity in overweight adults with type-2 diabetes. Oral supplementation with 600 mg of ALA, twice daily, produced significant improvements in only four weeks. xiii xiv A separate placebo-controlled study showed that ALA reduced blood glucose levels by 10 to 30 percent, e ectively improving insulin function and reducing advanced glycation end products (AGEs), significant contributors to the aging process. xv xvi xvii AGEs are created in the body when excess blood glucose (sugar) binds to proteins, damaging body tissues and cells and also inducing inflammation and oxidation. They play a major role in the development or worsening of most major diseases, including type-2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and cardiovascular disease. xviii xix xx xxi xxii

12 | Health Hotline ®