Metabolic effects of α-lipoic acid supplementation in pre-diabetics: a randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study

• Published in: Food & function 2019-09, Vol.1 (9), p.5732-5738
• Main Authors: Gosselin, Luc E, Chrapowitzky, Lauren, Rideout, Todd C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Antioxidants; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Body weight; Cellulose; Cholesterol; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Cross-Over Studies; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Dietary Supplements - analysis; Fatty acids; Female; Functional foods & nutraceuticals; High density lipoprotein; Humans; Insulin; Insulin - blood; Lipids; Lipoic acid; Low density lipoprotein; Male; Middle Aged; Overweight; Pilot Projects; Prediabetic State - blood; Prediabetic State - drug therapy; Randomization; Serum lipids; Strategy; Supplements; Thioctic Acid - administration & dosage; Triglycerides; Triglycerides - blood
• ISSN: 2042-6496; 2042-650X
• DOI: 10.1039/c9fo00390h

Supplementation of health promoting nutraceuticals may be an effective adjunct strategy with other lifestyle and drug approaches to impede disease progression in prediabetic subjects. α-Lipoic acid, a naturally occurring short-chain fatty acid, has been extensively evaluated for its antioxidant and glycemic control properties but has rarely been investigated as a lipid-lowering strategy. We conducted a pilot study to examine the effects of α-lipoic acid supplementation on glycemic control and lipid profile in pre-diabetic, overweight/obese adults. The study was designed as a free-living, randomized, two-phase, placebo-controlled cross-over study with 12 pre-diabetic, dyslipidemic subjects. Eligible subjects completed two thirty-day phases (in random order) consisting of a placebo (600 mg cellulose per day) and α-lipoic acid treatment (600 mg day −1 ). Although no change ( p < 0.05) in serum glucose was observed, α-lipoic acid-supplemented subjects demonstrated reduced fasting serum insulin ( p = 0.04) and HOMA-IR ( p = 0.07) compared with the placebo group. However, no change ( p > 0.05) in serum lipids (including total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides, LDL-C/HDL-C, and TC/HDL-C) were observed. Study results suggest that α-lipoic acid supplementation may be a useful strategy to improve insulin sensitivity in pre-diabetic subjects but is not effective in modulating serum lipids. α-Lipoic acid supplementation may improve insulin sensitivity in pre-diabetic subjects but is not effective in modulating serum lipids.