Not until Dr. Andrew Weil mentioned Juvenon in Dr. Oz's TV show, have I paid much attention to these two supplements. Later I happened to read an excellent book written by Jean Carper [1] who has also mentioned these two supplements in her book.  So, I've decided to write something about them because I trust Dr. Weil's advice more than any other physician's.

In [8], Dr. David Sinclair also mentioned alpha-lipoic acid in his book:

I had the pleasure of meeting the Harman family in 2013. His wife told me that Professor Harman had been taking high doses of alpha-lipoic acid for most of his life to quench free radicals. Considering that he worked tirelessly on his research well into his 90s, I suppose, at the very least, it didn’t hurt.

Lipoic Acid

Lipoic acid (LA), also known as α-lipoic acid and Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) is an organosulfur compound derived from octanoic acid.  ALA is an essential nutrient that functions as a cofactor in the catalytic conversion of food-derived metabolites to energy. Lowering serum levels of these carbohydrate-derived metabolites can have important positive effects on overall health. Based on Benjamin V. Treadwell[3], ALA, at least in cell culture, has been shown to:

• Lower carbohydrate-derived metabolite levels by activating enzymes to convert them to energy

• Prevent the conversion of cellular metabolites (such as amino acids) to carbohydrates, further promoting a healthy serum level of these metabolites

• Inhibits the conversion of fat to energy in liver, thus preventing the production of fat-derived metabolites to accumulate and subsequently interfere with the removal or utilization of carbohydrates for energy production

The carbon atom at C6 of ALA is chiral and the molecule exists as two enantiomers R-(+)-lipoic acid (RLA) and S-(-)-lipoic acid (SLA) and as a racemic mixture R/S-lipoic acid (50:50 mix of the R+/S isomers). Only the R-(+)-enantiomer exists in nature and is an essential cofactor of four mitochondrial enzyme complexes[2].

ALA and ALCAR

ALA is especially powerful when combined with the supplement ALCAR.[1]  Tory Hagen at Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute has pioneered the study of lipoic acid and ALCAR, along with biochemistry professor Bruce Ames at the University of California, Berkeley.  In groundbreaking research, they showed that old sluggish rats became as physically and mentally active as rats half their age within a few weeks of being fed ALCAR and lipoic acid. 

As we age, we synthesize 50% less ALCAR.  Deficient in fuel, our cellular energy factories become dysfunctional and leave neurons sputtering in disorganized communication.  Boosting ALCAR in brain cells helps revive mitochondrial functioning, creating a surge in overall mental and physical energy.  ALCAR also blocks the formation of Alzheimer's tau tangles in test tubes. The critical job of ALA in brain cells is to stand guard over the mitochondrial energy plants, protecting them against damage from the continual onslaught of free-radical chemicals.  ALA is one of the few known antioxidant molecules able to zip through the blood-brain barrier to fend off such destruction.  Lacking the antioxidant protection found in ALA, the mitochondria factories tend to collapse and shut down.

Hagen also discovered that ALA appears to chelate iron deposits out of the brain.  As we age, iron accumulates in neurons and accelerates the "oxidative damage" blamed for cognitive decline and dementia.  After feeding old rats high doses of ALA for just two weeks, Hagen has found that the iron in their brains dropped dramatically to the levels normally seen in young rats.

What to Do? 

Consider taking either or both of these supplements.  Both are considered safe at the recommended daily doses of 200 mg per day for ALA and 500 mg per day for ALCAR (i.e., the doses recommended by Ames).[1]  If you take higher doses to address a medical problem, such as diabetes, do so only with the advice and monitoring of a health professional.  Also warned by Dr. Weil, pregnant and lactating women are advised not to consume either acetyl-L-carnitine or alpha lipoic acid, because of lack of long-term safety data.

References

1. 100 Simple Things You can Do to Prevent Alzheimer's by Jean Carper

2. Raddatz G, Bisswanger H (October 1997). "Receptor site and stereospecifity of dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase for R- and S-lipoamide: a molecular modeling study". Journal of biotechnology 58 (2): 89–100.

3. Alpha Lipoic Acid: A Marvelous Nutrient By Benjamin V. Treadwell, Ph.D.

4. Acetyl-L-Carnitine: The Lesser Known Cousin

5. Barhwal K, Hota SK, Jain V, Prasad D, Singh SB, Ilavazhagan G (June 2009). "Acetyl-l-carnitine (ALCAR) prevents hypobaric hypoxia-induced spatial memory impairment through extracellular related kinase-mediated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 phosphorylation". Neuroscience 161 (2): 501–14.

6. Lipoic Acid

7. Carnitine (L-carnitine)

   • Acetyl-L-carnitine: Often used in studies for Alzheimer disease and other brain disorders

   • Propionyl-L-carnitine: Often used in studies for heart disease and peripheral vascular disease

8. Lifespan: Why We Age—and Why We Don't Have To

9. α-Lipoic Acid Has the Potential to Normalize Copper Metabolism, Which Is Dysregulated in Alzheimer’s Disease

10. The beneficial effect of Alpha-lipoic acid supplementation as a potential adjunct treatment in episodic migraines

11. The Mystery of Long COVID Is Just the Beginning At Yale’s clinic, medical sleuth Lisa Sanders is trying almost everything

    • Dr Sanders is intrigued by the utility of certain supplements, such as alphalipoic acid, which in combination with coenzyme Q10 may boost energy, and quercetin, which may have an anti-inflammatory effect.