Alpha lipoid acid (ALA) differs from other supplements, such as many vitamins -and minerals, in one important way: The human body already manufactures it throughout our lives. As children, our livers and every one of our cells produce large quantities of ALA. As we grow older, our bodies must maintain a high ALA level to stay healthy. Ironically, as we age, we manufacture less and less of it. ALA is not a new discovery; it was known to be a fundamental chemical required for the normal growth of bacteria as early as the late 1930s. It was not isolated, however, until 1951, when it was separated from ground-up liver tissue by a biochemist, Lester Reed, Ph.D. Dr. Reed purified only a very minuscule amount of delicate yellow ALA crystals from a sample of liver weighing more than two hundred pounds. He also separated a related substance from liver, beta lipoid acid (BLA). He noted that BLA had much less biological activity than AIA. Because AIA could dissolve in lipids (fats), it was named lipoic acid. Other scientists suggested that it should be named thioctic acid because it contained two sulfur atoms Today, many scientists still refer to AIA as thioctic acid. ALA works on the cellular level to help production. To do this, it acts as helper of enzymes-in the cell's major energy cycle. As a coenzyrne, ALA. takes part in multienzyme process preparing the fuel for the mitochondrion, the powerhouse of the cell. All foods-carbohydrates, fats, and proteins-are broken down into simple organic chemicals. Once foods are sufficiently processed, they enter the cell and are methodically burned to produce energy. Alpha lipoic acid changes certain chemicals that are required for energy metabolism, and it provides the means by which these essential substances can enter the mitochondrion. Some scientists believe that increasing the intake of AIA can greatly increase the amount of fuel burned in the cell, thereby augmenting the amount of energy available to your body for tasks such as muscle movement, growth, and repair of tissues. AIA also appears to have the extraordinary ability to prevent damage to the cell at the genetic level. It changes certain chemicals that are required for energy metabolism, and it provides the means by which these essential substances can enter the mitochondrion. Because ALA is operative in so many basic cellular functions it has a great future as a drug for any number of diseases. In short nearly everyone can benefit from Alpha lipoid acid and should consider its supplementation.
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