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Durgs - anti-oxidants

Q: Recently, I had read an article about the antioxidant ALA. I want to know about this. Is it completely safe to take 100mg. of ALA, once a day?

A:ALA is the brand name while the name of the medicine is alpha lipoic acid. Its more common name is Thioctic acid. This agent has been tried in liver dysfunction and nerve disorders due to diabetes. Its beneficial effects have also been claimed in certain types of mushroom poisoning. However, these claims have not been supported by scientific studies. Thioctic acid is permitted to be sold only in three or four western countries. Calling it an anti-oxidant would probably be inappropriate.

There are several types of anti-oxidants such as vitamins A, E, C, and B-2;certain enzymes such as Co-enzyme Q10 and the so called sole or pure anti-oxidants such as lycopene (sold under the trade name of LycoRed). Lycopene is a sole and pure anti-oxidant because its action is not related to any vitamin or enzymatic type activity. It is purely an anti-oxidant.

Since you have not mentioned the reason for taking Thioctic acid, we are unable to advice you whether to continue taking ALA or not. However if your intention and need is for an anti-oxidant, you may wish to take lycopene (LycoRed).

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