Can someone clarify confusion over ALA

[Millie]

Hi all,

I have been reading positive things about alpha lipoic acid and its many benefits. Then I did a search here and came up with a couple of confusing posts. I will paste them:

It increases the amount of GLUT4 receptors on the cell surface. GLUT4's allow for there to be a greater transfer of glucose to enter the cells (fat and muscle). Therefore, when more glucose is able to enter the cells, there is less need for insulin to rise to great depths in order for the glucose to be shuttled in. This in return will lower blood glucose levels.

MR. BMJ

So can anyone answer these questions for me please please please:

1. If ALA shuttles glucose to both musscle and fat cells, does that make it counter-productive to take if you are trying to lose fat?

2. If you are on a keto-type diet, do you take ALA only on carb-up days, or both keto-days and carb-up days? Can you recommend dosage and time for taking ALA for low-carb and high-carb days?

3. Is ALA a type of fat? Does it contain any fat grams? If you are on a low-fat diet, should you count ALA as part of your daily fat intake?

Thanks so much, and please don't flame me too much if my questions are dumb.

Millie

 

[Millie]

maybe i should post this question in the supplements forum as well...

 

[Enock]

Hi all,

I have been reading positive things about alpha lipoic acid and its many benefits. Then I did a search here and came up with a couple of confusing posts. I will paste them:




So can anyone answer these questions for me please please please:

1. If ALA shuttles glucose to both musscle and fat cells, does that make it counter-productive to take if you are trying to lose fat?

**No its not counter productive at all

2. If you are on a keto-type diet, do you take ALA only on carb-up days, or both keto-days and carb-up days? Can you recommend dosage and time for taking ALA for low-carb and high-carb days?

** It generally taking during carbup and untill you back into ketosis.

3. Is ALA a type of fat? Does it contain any fat grams? If you are on a low-fat diet, should you count ALA as part of your daily fat intake?

**nope don't count it as anything.

Thanks so much, and please don't flame me too much if my questions are dumb.

Millie

 

[MR. BMJ]

Hi all,

I have been reading positive things about alpha lipoic acid and its many benefits. Then I did a search here and came up with a couple of confusing posts. I will paste them:




So can anyone answer these questions for me please please please:

1. If ALA shuttles glucose to both musscle and fat cells, does that make it counter-productive to take if you are trying to lose fat?

2. If you are on a keto-type diet, do you take ALA only on carb-up days, or both keto-days and carb-up days? Can you recommend dosage and time for taking ALA for low-carb and high-carb days?

3. Is ALA a type of fat? Does it contain any fat grams? If you are on a low-fat diet, should you count ALA as part of your daily fat intake?

Thanks so much, and please don't flame me too much if my questions are dumb.

Millie

1. On a hypocaloric diet (when you are dieting with below maintenance calories), the carbs you ingest will basically be used to fill-up and repair the muscle cells first...before the fat cells. As long as you are not eating too ,many calories over your maintenance, then fat cells will be limited to these calories entering into the cells. Even though ALA will also increase receptors on the fat cells surface, if all the calories are being used for fuel and repair, then the same principle applies. AND, although these receptors will be increased by the administration of ALA.....a hypocaloric diet will also cause a deduction of these receptors on the fat cells while increasing the receptors on the muscle cells! So while ALA increases, the hypocaloric diet decreases the receptors to these fat cells. Where they average out, or which one has the greater effect, I don't have a clue However, I had a talk with cockdezl about a month or 2 ago regarding this topic, and I had a study showing that a certain supplement's effects on decreasing the expression of glucose transporter GLUT4 and glucose uptake by adipose cells may be of use in furthering fat burning. Cockdezl called it "interesting" and had a study showing that it actually increased muscle glycogen as well. It's a very cheap and legal supplement, and when I get done with school this semester, I am gonna try and dig some more info up...don't want to blow the horn too early and get everyones hopes up. The problem may be in dosing this supplement as you will see when I get done with some research. I'll keep you updated...don't let me forget! either!!!

BMJ

 

[Millie]

Thanks for the extensive reply, MR. BMJ... it is very detailed and informative... really appreciate it.


So, basically ALA is beneficial on any type of fat-loss diet, be it keto, low-fat, etc., right?
Can you recommend dosage of ALA for a CKD diet, both for low-carb and high-carb days, please.
And a dosage of ALA on a low-fat diet (say 50/30/20 protein/carbs/fat ratio).


And, you last comment about that new supplement... wow... can't wait for your detailed report... sound great! Don't worry, I will definitely remind you to post your research When does your semester end?

Thanks again

 

[Hoffmeister]

Been awhile since I looked at ALA.

But Mr BMJ, isn't the reason "calories are being used for fuel and repair" due to the increased insulin sensitivity caused by exercise?

So, logically, following exercise you already have close to the ideal situation: increased insulin sensitivity in muscle tissue, and not in fat tissue. Why would you then take a systemic substance that increases insulin sensitivity in BOTH fat and muscle tissue?

 

[Millie]

bump for more responses

 

[cockdezl]

To my knowledge there are no insulin sensitizers (ALA, metformin, phenformin, chromium, etc.) that are selective for muscle cells and not for adipose tissue. The reason is most likely because the glucose receptors are the same.

Although ALA should increase glucose transport into fat cells, this does not equate to increasing adiposity. You must remember that the majority of glucose is used by the brain and muscle cells. When you increase insulin sensitivity in muscle cells, they become the largest users of glucose and draw glucose away from fat cells. Also, improving insulin sensitivity tends to decrease insulin levels, which is another factor in suppressing lipogenesis.

The overwhelming majority of research shows that in obesity there is some sort of insulin dysregulation, and that reduction in bodyfat causes a normalization of insulin sensitivity.

 

[Millie]

Bump for BMJ

Bump for BMJ

When are you going to post more info regarding that supplement you mentioned in your previous post in this thread?

Thanks

 

[cure]

Can ALA and Dextrose be picked up at any drug store?