Effects of R-Alpha Lipoic Acid on HbA1c, Lipids and Blood Pressure in Type-2 Diabetics: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

R-alpha lipoic acid (R-ALA) supplementation improves blood glucose in diabetic animals, but there have been no long-term clinical trials in humans testing its use for glucose control (HbA1c). This double-blind study pre-/post-test control group (PL) design sought to determine the effect of R-ALA on HbA1c. Twenty type-2 diabetics were randomly assigned to 200 mg capsules of R-ALA (n=13; 8M 5F) or PL (n=7; 2M 5F) 3 times daily, 30 minutes before meals (600 mg total) for 91 days. Samples were obtained for HbA1c at baseline and day 91. No significant differences between R-ALA and PL groups were found at baseline or day 91. However, three distinct reactions to the supplement were noted. The first group (n=3) responded to R-ALA with a >25% drop in HbA1c range from 6.1-12.5 to 6.2- 9.0 mg/dL and/or halved their anti-diabetic medication. The second group (n=5) had no change in HbA1c. The third group (n=5) had changes in medication or concurrent chronic adverse events that should have raised HbA1c, but did not beyond that of the placebo. Conclusions: Three months of R-ALA supplementation may lower HbA1c in a small number of individuals. However, to further confirm these findings, larger studies of longer duration are needed

Alpha‐lipoic acid supplementation significantly reduces the risk of obesity in an updated systematic review and dose response meta‐analysis of randomised placebo‐controlled clinical trials

“…Additionally, study by Masharani et al and Konrad et al because of low sample size were not included in this study. As a result, totally, 24 studies were included in the current systematic review and meta‐analysis, whereas 21, 18 and 11 studies were included in the meta‐analysis of the effects of ALA on BMI, weight and WC, respectively.…”

“…Four studies employed a parallel design. Eighteen studies included both genders, and six studies included only female or male subjects. Most studies were conducted in China and Iran .…”

“…The remaining studies were performed in the Turkey, Mexico, Spain, South Korea, United States, Bosnia and Herzegovina, India, New Zealand and Germany . Included studies had recruited patient with type 2 diabetes, stroke, schizophrenia, chronic spinal cord injury, rheumatoid arthritis, metabolic syndrome, impaired fasting glucose, Parkinson's disease, subclinical hypothyroidism, non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), apparently healthy obese and overweight people, cardiac autonomic neuropathy and patients undergoing haemodialysis . All studies prescribed ALA alone while Huerta et al assessed the effect of ALA along with calorie restricted diet intervention in both placebo and intervention groups.…”

“…Forest plot demonstrating the effect size of ALA supplementation on body weight is illustrated in Figure 2A. Totally, 15 RCTs with 971 participants examined the effect of ALA supplementation on body weight . The study by Konrad assessed the impacts of ALA over three time periods (4, 8 and 12 weeks) and the study by Koh evaluated two dosages of ALA (1200 and 1800 mg/day).…”

“…Totally 18 RCTs studies evaluated the effect of ALA on body mass index with 1068 participants. The meta‐analysis showed that ALA administration significantly reduced BMI compared with placebo (WMD: −0.49 kg/m 2 , 95% CI: −0.83, −0.15, P = .005) with a significant between‐study heterogeneity (I 2 = 94.0%, P = .000) (Figure 2B).…”