The anti ageing, waist slimming and energising wonders of R-Alpha Lipoic Acid.

Once we get the eating under control, weight loss really isn’t difficult for a while.  Then things tend to slow down and that is where R-Alpha lipoic acid, or RALA, can come in and speed things up again.  Alpha lipoic acid is found in food, but not in any great quantity, so to make a difference, it is best taken in supplement form.  There are two versions found: R-alpha lipoic acid and S-alpha lipoic acid.  The R form is the one to get since it has a much better uptake.  RALA has several good actions in the body and here are five of them:

1. It increases glucose metabolism, so we burn up our food as energy rather than storing it for future use – in our increasingly capacious spare tyre around the waist or thighs.
2. It increases energy production, so we feel more energised when taking a burst of RALA.  More energy means more action and more action means more fun.
3. RALA repairs the damage done by excess glucose, and so is anti-ageing.  As the food companies seek to reduce fat and salt, they add sugar to keep the food palatable.  As we as a nation seek to reduce our fat intake, we end up falling into the high carb trap, so breakfast of toast or porridge is seen as more healthy than bacon and eggs.  This results in regular high blood sugar levels.  Sugar is sticky, and sticks onto blood proteins, causing mayhem throughout our body as this sticky blood circulates around.  This process is called glycation, the linked blog gives more details.  One of the ways of measuring how well we are ageing involves measuring how glycated our red blood cells are.  The less the glycation, the younger we are biologically, as opposed to chronologically. RALA helps reverse the effects of glycation.  Therefore we will save money on the botox, fillers and face lifts – plus reducing the need to lie about our age.  But best of all, we will retain that spring in our step for much longer.
4. RALA pulls out heavy metals, especially when used with citrus pectin.
5. RALA  helps recycle other anti-oxidants, and so helps with the battle against cancer.  Much better to not get cancer in the first place than to fight a rear-guard action.

So taking RALA has many health benefits apart from weight loss.  In truth, when weight loss is successful, we should end up younger and happier, not thinner and iller.  Poliquin makes two types of RALA, Yin RALA and Yang RALA.  Yin RALA is taken in the evening and contains the calming amino acid, taurine.  Good taurine levels raise GABA in the brain, and since low GABA levels lead directly to cravings, Yin RALA will also help overcome cravings as well as reduce stress levels.  Yang RALA contains acetyl-l-carnitine and benfotiamine.  Acetyl-l-carnitine helps the fat cells give up their stored fat for use as energy and benfotiamine is another anti-glycation supplement.  So the two supplements together will have us all calmly skipping about, whilst hanging onto the waistband of our ever looser trousers.  The cost?  Yang RALA £29.55 for 90 capsules and Yin RALA £26.90 for 90 capsules.