ALA and kidney stones

[rangerx83]

Hi guys,
so I asked a friend of mine if he ever started using ALA, since he was so impressed with the results I got. He said no, because he went to his doctor and asked him if ALA was safe for him to take. Now my friend has had kidney stones in the past and was worried that ALA could induce kidney stone formation. You know what his doctor said, "it's best to err on the side of safety and NOT take this ALA fad supplement".

Hmmmm, I went to PubMed, did a search on ALA and kidney stones and found that not only does ALA NOT cause kidney stones, but it actually prevents them!

Here's one such study:

1: Biochem Int 1991 Sep;25(1):123-36 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut


Effect of DL alpha-lipoic acid on some carbohydrate metabolising enzymes in stone forming rats.

Jayanthi S, Jayanthi G, Varalakshmi P.

Department of Medical Biochemistry, University of Madras, India.

DL alpha-lipoic acid has been shown to prevent the induced precipitation of calcium oxalate crystals in the renal tissues of laboratory animals. The acid seems to have a profound influence on carbohydrate metabolism in diabetic rats. Here the effect of alpha-lipoic acid was studied on certain key carbohydrate metabolising enzymes in the tissues of calcium oxalate stone forming rats administered with glycollate as oxalate precursor. There was augmentation of glycolysis in the renal tissues of stone forming as well as lipoate administered rats. The two major gluconeogenic enzymes, glucose-6-phosphatase (G6P) and fructose-1, 6 diphosphatase (FDP) were significantly inhibited in tissues of calculogenic rats. Lipoic acid also reduced the enzyme activities significantly. The citric acid cycle enzymes were not influenced to an appreciable extent. The observed alterations are likely to be due to the regulatory effects of oxalate and lipoate on the enzyme systems.

PMID: 1663349 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]



Looks like my friend's doctor erred on the side of stupidity and laziness...

rangerx83

 

[rangerx83]

...and here's another one...

...on NON-diabetic rats:

1: Biochem Int 1992 Apr;26(5):913-21 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut


Tissue lipids in experimental calcium oxalate lithiasis and the effect of DL alpha-lipoic acid.

Jayanthi S, Varalakshmi P.

Department of Medical Biochemistry, Dr. A.L.M. P.G.I.B.M.S, University of Madras, India.

The function of DL alpha-lipoic acid (6,8-thioctic acid) as a prosthetic group in the oxidative decarboxylation of alpha-keto acids, pyruvate and alpha-ketoglutarate in mitochondria is well known. Its role is well extended to certain reactions in lipid biosynthesis. In addition, lipoic acid has been shown to prevent the induced precipitation of calcium oxalate crystals in the renal tissues of laboratory animals. Here, the effect of alpha-lipoic acid was studied, on altered tissue lipid levels manifested during experimental renal lithiasis. Raised tissue cholesterol, triglyceride and low phospholipid levels were some of the striking significant observations made in calculogenic rats. Lipoic acid treatment reduced tissue cholesterol and triglyceride levels significantly and raised phospholipids. The alterations may have a bearing in relation to calcium oxalate stone formation.

PMID: 1610390 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

[rangerx83]

okay, okay last one...

I promise

1: Int Urol Nephrol 1986;18(4):363-8 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut


Induced precipitation of calcium-oxalate crystals and its prevention in laboratory animals.

Gotz F, Gimes L, Hubler J, Temes G, Frang D.

Induced precipitation of Ca-oxalate crystals and the possibility of its prevention were studied in dogs. In the first phase of the experiments precipitation of Ca-oxalate crystals in canine renal tubules was induced by intraperitoneal administration of Na-glyoxylate. Preventive medication (lipoic acid, vitamin B1, Milurit), applied in the second phase, resulted in a significant depression of induced precipitation. The successful experiments serve as a basis for clinical research aimed at a preventive medication of recurrent Ca-oxalate stone formation.

PMID: 3102396 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]