Weight gain is a concern for so many these days. People are looking for a magic pill that will help them lose weight. While there is no magic pill, many experts agree that the nutritional supplement alpha lipoic acid (ALA) may not be magic, but it can help you maintain your current weight and in some cases, lose weight. Studies suggest that overweight people who follow a weight loss program including exercise tend to achieve better control over their blood sugar and cholesterol levels when they also use ALA.
Alpha lipoic acid has many useful properties. It breaks down amino acid chains, activates enzymes important in energy production and is an extremely powerful antioxidant. It is this last property that makes it helpful for fat reduction, because it is the most effective antioxidant inside the mitochondria of muscle cells. What does that mean in English? The only place in your body where fat is burned is inside muscle cells, so getting sufficient ALA keeps your fat-burning engine running as efficiently as possible. Who doesn’t want to burn fat more efficiently while increasing energy levels?
In weight gain studies on mice, ALA’s ability to increase energy expenditure was evident. Those treated with ALA were noted to be much more physically active and actually chose to eat less than those that did not receive the nutritional supplement, even when offered equal amounts of food. While both groups consumed the same diet, the group treated with ALA gained 40 percent less weight than the untreated rodents.
Another unique property of ALA is its ability to increase glucose (sugar) storage in muscle tissue and not in adipose (fat) tissue. This can lead to greater performance, increased muscle activity and growth, greater support of lean body mass and a further reduction in the likelihood of fat storage. This not only benefits those looking to lose a few pounds and tone up, it can mean help with daily management of glucose levels for diabetics, reduction in cholesterol levels, and protection against cardiovascular disease. ALA should not be taken with Omega 6 as some reports have claimed it can cause hair loss.
Weight gain is no laughing matter. Not only does taking alpha lipoic acid along with a healthy diet and moderate exercise help turn the gain into a loss, it has added benefits like helping diabetics manage their disease, reducing cholesterol and increasing energy. And unlike some “weight loss” supplements with harsh, sometimes embarrassing side effects, ALA has very few side effects. Instances of mild headache, rash, tingling sensations and muscle cramps have been reported in a small number of cases.
Any supplements should not be taken without reading the instructions carefully. A healthy diet is the best way of avoiding weight gain and you can find one that best suits you at the Top 10 Diets chart.
