Alpha Lipoic Acid: A Powerful Antioxidant Against Glycation

Many, many years ago, I discovered a molecule that made a great impression on me called Alpha Lipoic Acid.

Around that time, my mother was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, which led me to research this molecule in greater depth. The Social Security Institution, which did not cover the cost of any other antioxidant, covered Alpha Lipoic Acid. This suggested that it had an indication supported by clinical studies.

Interestingly, it was covered for treating the condition and relieving symptoms after the complication had already developed. That condition was diabetic polyneuropathy, one of the secondary complications of diabetes associated with high blood sugar.

Diabetic polyneuropathy is one of the most common complications of diabetes. It develops in the peripheral nerves due to long-term hyperglycaemia—high blood sugar. This happens because sugar causes glycation and damages proteins.

People who develop diabetic polyneuropathy may experience:

• Burning, prickling and tingling sensations in the feet,

• Pain that becomes more noticeable at night and may disrupt sleep,

• Extreme sensitivity where even the touch of a bedsheet causes discomfort,

• In later stages, numbness, balance problems and loss of reflexes,

• Eventually, diabetic foot problems, ulcers and wounds that do not heal and, in severe cases, may lead to the amputation of a foot or leg.

But what does “glycation” mean in everyday language?

Imagine cooking a milky dessert for too long. The sugar, rice and milk become so firmly stuck to the bottom of the pan that even scraping it with a knife will not remove them. You might only be able to save the pan after soaking it in hot, soapy water for several days.

This is similar to the damage sugar causes to our proteins. Glycation is like sugar becoming so firmly stuck to the bottom of a pan that the pan can no longer be used.

I do not know what comes to mind when you hear the word “protein”, but protein is a building block of every cell, organ and system in your body. From the walls of your blood vessels and your neurons to your skin cells, proteins are fundamental building blocks throughout the body.

There is virtually nowhere in the body that blood does not reach—otherwise, how would our tissues receive nourishment? When our blood circulates with high levels of sugar, that sugar attaches to the proteins in our cells, just like rice pudding sticking to the bottom of a pan. This is when glycation occurs.

GLYCATION is one of the major processes associated with ageing.

Alpha Lipoic Acid is a powerful antioxidant whose protective effect against glycation damage has been studied. Some studies suggest it may also help reduce damage that has already occurred.

But if we all consume carbohydrate-rich foods every day, do we necessarily have to develop diabetes before using this molecule?

Of course not! As a powerful antioxidant, it is regarded as one of the anti-ageing supplements that healthy individuals may also consider with professional advice. I only wish it were included among the treatments offered to people from the moment they are diagnosed with diabetes so that some of the damage caused by high blood sugar might be prevented.

If only we could understand that a preventive healthcare approach could reduce our national expenditure on medicines… So much could change.

Dear Holirem member reading this article: Be aware of the damage sugar can cause to your body and stay away from refined sugar. But do not forget that we also have an ally such as Alpha Lipoic Acid.

Wishing you healthy days…

Specialist Pharmacist & Homeopath Pınar Baybaş

Important: This article is for information purposes only and is not medical advice. Before starting any supplement, including Alpha Lipoic Acid, consult your doctor or pharmacist – especially if you take medication for diabetes or thyroid conditions, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Do not change your diabetes treatment without speaking to your doctor.