Benefits for Liver Protection
Alpha-Lipoic Acid has been used successfully for the maintenance of liver health and as a treatment for several toxin-related illnesses. Alpha-Lipoic acid has been used extensively in Europe for years as a non-toxic nutrient to treat various chemical overdoses such as mushroom poisoning, radiation poisoning and alcoholic hepatitis.
It has also been used to treat elevated liver enzymes. Elevated liver enzymes, which can indicate liver damage, can be a serious problem for people with life threatening diseases. For people who take oral medications such as antibiotics and/or anti-virals, balanced liver enzymes are essential for these drugs to get metabolized properly. Unfortunately, these same drugs can cause increased liver enzymes. Alpha-Lipoic acid may help protect the liver so that you can take certain drugs.
Another benefit of Alpha-Lipoic acid may be its ability to elevate the levels of glutathione (GSH). Low levels of glutathione may cause oxidative stress, and cause inflammation and damage organs. Glutathione latches on to toxins and makes them water-soluble enough to be flushed out through your kidneys. “The quickest way to rid the liver of toxins is to stimulate glutathione production,” says Savant Mehta, MD, director of the liver-transplant program at the University of Massachusetts