Alpha Lipoic Acid Supplement

Destiny

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Sep 26, 2012
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Hello, I just joined :)..I found out about Dr. Peats eating guidelines recently and have been reading up on his website. I was wondering if he has addresses alpha lipoic acid supplements before? I could not find anything on it. I have been taking it as an anti oxidant for a long time, however I ask myself if the fact that it lowers blood sugar could lead to hypo glycemia and a hormonal stress hormone release?
 

narouz

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Jul 22, 2012
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Destiny said:
Hello, I just joined :)..I found out about Dr. Peats eating guidelines recently and have been reading up on his website. I was wondering if he has addresses alpha lipoic acid supplements before? I could not find anything on it. I have been taking it as an anti oxidant for a long time, however I ask myself if the fact that it lowers blood sugar could lead to hypo glycemia and a hormonal stress hormone release?

Destiny,
I used to take it regularly too,
before I got into Peat.

I can't see for certain,
but a while back I think I read that Peat doesn't think taking it is a good idea.
I could be wrong about that.
But...it sticks in my head,
because I remember saying to myself,
"Wow, I hope I didn't mess myself up too badly!"

There are a lot of those moments, with me. :lol:
 
OP
D

Destiny

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Sep 26, 2012
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Thx Narouz, that makes sense! I've been taking 400mg/day for a few months, one 300mg cap and then there are just 50mg in another supplement I take once am and pm, so that should be okay, considering it also occurs naturally in foods in smaller amounts. It hit me when I took that 300mg at lunch today that it proly isn't a good idea - won't be taking that any more!! :)
 

Nick810

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Jul 24, 2012
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I was reading ALA is very strong at pulling toxic metals (mercury) out of the brain...
 

cairnmommy

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Sep 19, 2012
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I have had a good bit of trouble with compounded thyroid, and Armour going bad, a few years ago and Nature-throid not working well... but in my search, I learned that both Alpha Lipoic Acid and L-Carnitine, can interfere with T4 translating into T3, so be careful... if you take those two. One company I purchase supplements from, actually has this info on their supplement information page.

I know a doctor, who worked for a compounding pharmacy, in college. Thyroid hormone is a light sensitive protein. She said the compounder, a large one who ships nationally, would leave the vats of mixed drug open to the air and light and sometimes the product was made a year before it was put into capsules... wonder why it sometimes does not work... ?

Ray Peat told me that he is not well please with compounded drugs and some tested to show no thyroid in them at all... so beware. I lost a few years do to that.

Be well.... Cairnmommy

Question.. now that I have posted and someone answered, thank-you... how do I make a reply... not that 'that' computer literate!!
 

charlie

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Cairnmommy, welcome to the forum! A very helpful post, thank you!

Are you taking thyroid supplement now and do you mind sharing which one?
 

Birdie

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cairnmommy said:
I have had a good bit of trouble with compounded thyroid, and Armour going bad, a few years ago and Nature-throid not working well... but in my search, I learned that both Alpha Lipoic Acid and L-Carnitine, can interfere with T4 translating into T3, so be careful... if you take those two. One company I purchase supplements from, actually has this info on their supplement information page.

I know a doctor, who worked for a compounding pharmacy, in college. Thyroid hormone is a light sensitive protein. She said the compounder, a large one who ships nationally, would leave the vats of mixed drug open to the air and light and sometimes the product was made a year before it was put into capsules... wonder why it sometimes does not work... ?

Ray Peat told me that he is not well please with compounded drugs and some tested to show no thyroid in them at all... so beware. I lost a few years do to that.

Be well.... Cairnmommy
I was taking both of them pre-peat but have been off them for a year. Thanks for this info about their interfering with conversion of T4 to T3.
 

cairnmommy

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Hope this is how to reply? Thank-you for the welcome. I have been in thyroid hell, since Armour went bad, smelled like rotten meat... end of 2007! Tried it all, compounded x3.. bad news, allergic to the cellulose and they had no thyroid in them. Then, Naturethroid, then more compounded, another doc... then just T3 at the dose of 100 to 150mcg once a day, nearly did my heart in. 25 premature ventricular contractions a minute. Found Ray Peat's work and after more expensive doctors who were rude or not knowledgeable.. I found a doctor who is willing to give me Synthroid and terrified but gave me a script for Cytomel. But, am getting Cynomel, so she is not at risk. All the other docs told her I would die and she would loose her license.. no one I know will give a script for T3, so she was very brave to do it, but not happy. I just can not turn enough T4, into T3. Had a reverse T3 of 600, before I go some help and was near death... could not breathe, walk up stairs, even could not translate, what my brain want to say, to the keyboard.

No doctor here would take me seriously, even when I could not speak without getting out of breath and my tongue was cyannotic and my liver was shutting down! Unbelievable, but true! Found a doc, near retirement who gave me Cytomel but at too large a dose. I just never got better.. starting all over again. The worst was the mouth, tongue, tooth and stomach pain... I also could not swallow without choking... not much fun. ONe thyroid specialist told me I was just eating too many potaotes and pasta... ! It has been a nightmare...

Finally, had thyroidectomy for precancer. Was radiated as a toddler. I just do not know how the medical professionals can be so dense, so uncaring and so wrong... I am an RN and this has been an amazing journey. I will never take compounded again.. it did nothing.. almost 5 years of this is enough.. thank God for Ray Peat, his wisdom, his hard work, his willingness to share and his kindness. His help made a huge difference. I will be forever grateful to him.. His nibbles of cytomel saved my life...

Thanks for moderating this wonderful forum.... CairnMommy
 

TeslaFan

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Jul 25, 2013
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ALA is a lipophilic dithiol, mercaptan, and will therefore form a bond with mercury (Hg) ions. With a half-life of 3 hours, taking ALA randomly, as in once a day, is discouraged for those people exposed to mercury, as this will only move any stored Hg ions around to do more damage, and this is especially bad for brain.

More details on brain damage, here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHqVDMr9ivo

However, if taken according to its pharmacokinetic properties (i.e., every 3 hours around the clock for at least few days), ALA is an effective Hg chelator.

People with mercury issues can seriously harm themselves with inappropriate use of ALA.
 

mas

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Feb 12, 2014
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Andrew Cutler has a very specific protocol that he claims worked for him and he got well, as he initially got the "CFS" diagnosis 20 years ago. He is a PhD, and not a medical doctor (not a hinderance except to doctor worshipers). Cutler's protocol is considered excellent for those who claimed success. This protocol has been on the internet around 20 years.

When I got sick 9 years ago, I was doing a lot of internet research and Cutler's book on how to chelate mercury out of the body. His book "AMALGAM ILLNESS' was not what I expected. Cutler is a chemist, and it was written with a lot of scientific equations and language I could't understand. He advocated using DMSA, DMPS and ALA , all which can be very dangerous (many people on CFS and other illness forums had terrible and dangerous reactions). Cutler program requires low dosing of ALA every 4 hours daily (6 doses and people have to get up with alarm clocks to take ALA at night) I scrapped this idea.

Be careful with ALA!

I haven't read anything form RP that has indicated much concern about amalgams. He does suggest that it is a good idea to avoid fluoride, but I don't know how easy that would be. RP seems to be more concerned with dental x-rays, but I am truly concerned about everything the insane dental industry advocates.

Best,
Megin
 

mas

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Correction for my previous post re Cutler protocol.

The dosing is every 3 hours not 4. My mistake.


Megin
 

TeslaFan

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Nick810 said:
I was reading ALA is very strong at pulling toxic metals (mercury) out of the brain...

This is true. However, it's fair to add, it is equally strong at putting mercury INTO the brain. The chemical itself has no sense of direction or knowledge of where it is in your body. It attaches to mercury and arsenic, but also releases them after about 3 hours. So, unless you take another ALA pill then, toxic metals will simply reallocate.
 

johnwester130

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ala depletes biotin

biotin reduces lactate, improves atp and co2

every "mainstream" supplement seems to be anti Ray Peat
 

Kloppstock

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Sep 30, 2016
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R-ALA burns the throat afterwards, any ideas what could work to neutralize that with some concealer fluid or taste-powder, so far no hit
 

bionicheart

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Mar 15, 2017
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I started taking glucose optimizer by jarrows, for PCOS and hypoglycemic reactions...it has alpha lipoic acid in it.... I've been taking it for a week and my acne has completely cleared up and my scars are fading! I'm just rinsing my face with tap water, nothing else--I attribute this to the ALA antioxidant activity..I don't wake up in the middle of the night anymore either! The downside though I've recently developed diarrhea after upping my dosage and I think I'm detoxing heavy metals...? just wanted to share my experience. I've also read Andrew Cutlers book so I should probably be more cautious
 

ddjd

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Cutler program requires low dosing of ALA every 4 hours daily (6 doses and people have to get up with alarm clocks to take ALA at night) I scrapped this idea.
wait so you need 6 x 400mg doses for it to be safe?
 

ddjd

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However, if taken according to its pharmacokinetic properties (i.e., every 3 hours around the clock for at least few days), ALA is an effective Hg chelator.
do you think 100mg per dose every 4 hours for a few days is sufficient?
 

Dave Clark

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ALA is a lipophilic dithiol, mercaptan, and will therefore form a bond with mercury (Hg) ions. With a half-life of 3 hours, taking ALA randomly, as in once a day, is discouraged for those people exposed to mercury, as this will only move any stored Hg ions around to do more damage, and this is especially bad for brain.

More details on brain damage, here:


However, if taken according to its pharmacokinetic properties (i.e., every 3 hours around the clock for at least few days), ALA is an effective Hg chelator.

People with mercury issues can seriously harm themselves with inappropriate use of ALA.

After I had read about AlA and mercury and ALA's half life, I dropped it from my regimen, since I had dental mercury for years. The amalgam has long been removed, but who knows how much is in the brain, so until I see new research, I quit ALA (and L-Carnitne for that matter). I have no intention of taking ALA round the clock.
 

Liam311

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Mar 24, 2018
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Sufficient for what? And why every 4 hours?
Every 4hrs due to the half-life of ALA (closer to 3hr) - aiming at a Hg chelation process where each dose picks up from the last and detoxifies the mercury over the period.

ALA can also interfere with Biotin absorption..
 

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