ingredient spotlight: alpha lipoic acid
Alpha Lipoid Acid (ALA) is an antioxidant, made by our body and found in every cell. like all other antioxidants, ALA neutralizes free radicals. free radicals are essentially waste products that cause damage to our cells, organs and tissues. ALA works with the mitochondria to boost metabolism, prevent inflammation, eliminate toxins and reverse some age related changes by neutralizing free radicals. our bodies naturally synthesize ALA, but only in small amounts.
what makes ALA stand out against other antioxidants?
other antioxidants are either water soluble (ex. vitamin C) or fat soluble (ex. vitamin D). ALA is actually water and fat soluble. water soluble means that the vitamin is only stored in the bodies water and is easily excreted. water soluble vitamins need to be consumed regularly, since they are not stored easily. fat soluble vitamins are stored in fat upon absorption, making them available for later use and allowing it to accumulate in many tissues. ALA has also been shown to regenerate and maintain glutathione levels, another crucial antioxidant. read about glutathione here.
ALA is critical to mitochondrial health
in addition to it being a powerful antioxidant, ALA works with your mitochondria supports mitochondrial health. mitochondrial dysfunction has been linked to aging and chronic disease. ALA is an essential cofactor in mitochondrial energy production to help boost metabolism, decrease inflammation and eliminate toxins.
does the body make ALA?
yes our bodies do make their own ALA, but only in small amounts. we can also get ALA from foods such as beets, broccoli, brussel spouts, red meat, spinach and potatoes.
ALA benefits
while research has shown many benefits to the powerful ALA supplement, there is still a lot more research to be done.
ALA may help:
lower blood sugar
aid in weight loss
relieve neuropathy and arthritic pain
lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides
dementia and cognitive decline
improve vision
slow aging
improve liver health
symptoms associated with chronic lyme disease
ALA has been well tolerated with minimal side effects reported with IV supplementation. the most common reported side effects are nausea and heart burn, which did occur with oral supplementation, not IV.
at root, ALA is available on its own as an IV, or as an add on to any drip. it complements many of our other infusions very well for optimal health and wellness.
interested in ALA? book a free consult OR send us a DM on instagram or facebook - @rootinfusions
sources
Bustamante J, Lodge JK, Marcocci L, Tritschler HJ, Packer L, Rihn BH. Alpha-lipoic acid in liver metabolism and disease. Free Radic Biol Med. 1998 Apr;24(6):1023-39. doi: 10.1016/s0891-5849(97)00371-7. PMID: 9607614.
Kucukgoncu S, Zhou E, Lucas KB, Tek C. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) as a supplementation for weight loss: results from a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Obes Rev. 2017 May;18(5):594-601. doi: 10.1111/obr.12528. Epub 2017 Mar 13. PMID: 28295905; PMCID: PMC5523816.
Lykstad J, Sharma S. Biochemistry, Water Soluble Vitamins. [Updated 2023 Mar 6]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538510/
Nguyen H, Pellegrini MV, Gupta V. Alpha-Lipoic Acid. [Updated 2024 Jan 26]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK564301/
Superti F, Russo R. Alpha-Lipoic Acid: Biological Mechanisms and Health Benefits. Antioxidants (Basel). 2024 Oct 12;13(10):1228. doi: 10.3390/antiox13101228. PMID: 39456481; PMCID: PMC11505271.