02-18-2008, 05:32 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Propecia, CA
Posts: 1,852
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Lipoic Acid & ALCAR Support Mitochondrial Function
Quote:
18-Feb-2008 - A combination of lipoic acid and acetyl-L-carnitine may boost the function of mitochondria - the cell's power stations - suggests research with implications for diabetes and obesity.
Researchers, led by Jiankang Liu from the Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia at the University of California (Irvine), report that the nutrients work together, or synergistically - a result not previously reported.
"The strong synergistic effect of the combination of LA and ALC in [fat cells] adipocytes suggests that these two nutrients complement each other's function in mitochondrial biogenesis," wrote the authors in the journal Diabetologia.
Talking to NutraIngredients.com, Liu said: "The paper in Diabetologia is the first paper using adipocytes showing that the combination of alpha-lipoic acid and acetyl-L-carntitine may be more effective than individuals to ameliorating diabetes and obesity and also elucidating the mechanisms of the mitochondrial biogenesis synergistically."
Lipoic acid (LA) has been linked to a host of health benefits, including enhancing heart and artery health, immune and brain functions and has been shown to support weight reduction.
Likewise, carnitine, a "conditionally essential nutrient" is an increasingly popular ingredient in dietary supplements intended for weight loss and sports. Three different forms of the compound are commonly available: L-carnitine (LCAR), acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR), and propionyl-L-carnitine (PLCAR), although the latter is only available in Europe. There is no evidence to suggest that there is any inherent differences between the forms.
A risk assessment from scientists at the Council for Responsible Nutrtion (CRN), published in the journal Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology (doi: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2006.06.007) reported that an adult human observed safe limit (OSL) of 2000 mg for the nutrient.
The new study measured the activity of mitochondria in adipocytes in the presence of LA and/or LCAR at a concentration of 0.1, 1 and 10 micromoles per litre for 24 hours. The mass of the mitochondria and their oxygen consumption were measured, in addition to several genetic markers.
Liu and co-workers report that the combination of LA and LCAR increased the mass, oxygen consumption, mitochondrial DNA expression, and fatty acid oxidation in the fat cells.
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