If You Have Diabetes, You Must Include Alpha Lipoic Acid in Your Diet – Here’s Why

Four weeks ago, I was visiting my 84-year-old dad four week ago, who had just come out of the hospital for intestinal bleeding. In going over his tests, I discovered that he had pre-diabetes. At the same time, he started telling me that he was unable to walk very far because his feet hurt; he was having to get a ride-on cart in the store, and when he went to the fair, he was unable to keep up with everyone else. He also has swelling of his feet, and constant pain, like burning and pins-and-needles at night, which keeps him up. His wife told me that his driving “scares her” and his memory is declining.

Most doctors find it to be an enigma that people who don’t yet have diabetes can already manifest the complications usually seen in patients with longstanding disease. This is because the current theory supposes that high blood sugar causes the complications of diabetes, namely:

• Neuropathy (numbness, tingling, and pain in the feet)
• Dementia
• Blindness
• Heart disease
• Kidney disease

However, the real cause of these problems is insulin resistance. Those with longstanding diabetes are more likely to have worse insulin resistance, and thus will have worsening complications. My father, however, left the hospital with tests that showed pre-diabetes, neuropathy and kidney disease. Plus, the doctors never even told him about it!  If I had not reviewed his tests, his painful feet might still be a mystery.

Now What?

Doctors are schooled that the complications of diabetes are progressive and cannot be reversed. What that means is that there is no drug or surgery that can solve this problem. There is, however, research to show at least partial reversal of these problems. The best way to stop them from getting worse is to reverse the diabetes. But improving nerves requires some high-dose nutrients.

ALA to the rescue!

There are many nutrients that are not vitamins or minerals. One of these is Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA). Plants, animals and humans make lipoic acid, but the amount we make declines over time. While there is some in some food, it has such small quantities that our body stores are not measurably increased. Supplements, on the other hand, have been shown to increase ALA in the body.[1]

ALA is an amazing molecule that has multiple properties because it is soluble in both water, like the blood or inside cells, and in fat, like the membranes. It can cross membranes where other antioxidants, like vitamin C, don’t. It has the unique ability to fix multiple problems. Some of its properties include:

ALA regenerates other antioxidants [2]

• Vitamin C
• Co-Q10
• Vitamin E
• Glutathione

ALA chelates heavy metals and metal ions

• Protects the brain from excess iron.[3]
• Protects the liver from excess copper.[4]
• Along with glutathione, it was shown to be an effective chelator of mercury.[5]

ALA increases glutathione levels.[6]

ALA improves heart function in aging rats.[7]

Much of the benefits we see in diabetes come from the ability of ALA to improve insulin function. Just by taking a supplement of ALA, people were able to lose weight and improve diabetes.[8]

ALA and Nerve function