Obesity: alpha lipoic acid and EPA help women lose weight

Obesity women: alpha lipoic acid and EPA make them lose weight

Daily intake of alpha lipoic acid supplements, alone or in combination withOmega-3 EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) supplements, can help obese and overweight women on a low-calorie diet lose weight more easily.

This is the result of a study conducted by researchers at the University of Pamplona (Spain),and published in the journal Obesity.

Properties of alpha-lipoic acid on metabolism

Alpha lipoic acid is a naturally occurring antioxidant and co-factor of enzymes found in the mitochondria. It is involved in the transformation of glucose and fat into energy. Some studies have described its properties such as reducing body weight and fat, and increasing satiety. However, human studies conducted to date on alpha lipoic acid supplements are limited and with controversial outcomes, and it is difficult to reach definitive conclusions regarding the right dose and potential role in the treatment of obesity.

Women who had taken alpha lipoic acid lost more weight

To expand current knowledge in this area, the researchers recruited 97 overweight and obese women to participate in the study. They were divided into four groups: the control group taking no supplementation, those taking only EPA (1.3 grams per day) or only alpha lipoic acid (0.3 grams per day), and finally the group taking alpha lipoic acid plus EPA (1.3 grams + 0.3 grams per day).

The treatment was followed for ten weeks, and 77 women completed the study, during which each followed a low-calorie diet 30% below total energy expenditure. Body weight, anthropometric measurements, body composition, energy expenditure, blood pressure, blood glucose, insulin and lipid profile, as well as levels of leptin and ghrelin, two hormones that regulate appetite and satiety, were assessed before and after the nutritional intervention. Results showed that the control group had lost an average of 5.2 kg. 

Similar weight loss was observed in the group that had received EPA alone (5.4 kg), while the group that had taken alpha lipoic acid alone had lost an average of 7 kg. Those who had taken alpha lipoic acid and EPA, on the other hand, had lost about 6.5 kg, but this difference was not statistically significant compared with the control. In addition, in the control group and the group that had consumed alpha lipoic acid, leptin levels had decreased-a mechanism that slows metabolism and increases the sense of need for food. 

In contrast, the decrease in leptin was attenuated in those who had also taken Omega-3 EPA. Hypothesizing the potential mechanism explaining these observations, the researchers suggested that adipose tissue may be a target organ of alpha lipoic acid, which exerts its anti-adiposity effects on it by inhibiting fat synthesis and increasing fat degradation. 

Consequently, such mechanisms could help regulate weight by reducing fat mass without necessarily leading to an increase in energy expenditure.

EPA helps maintain leptin levels 

According to the study authors, these data suggest that supplementation with alpha lipoic acid in combination with a low-calorie diet may help promote weight loss and fat mass reduction in obese, healthy women, and that EPA may prevent leptin depletion during weight loss. As the researchers point out, however, it is essential that these findings be further investigated, and that the underlying mechanisms be better elucidated.

Source:

A.E. Huerta, S. Navas-Carretero, P.L. Prieto-Hontoria, J.A. Martinez, M.J. Moreno-Aliaga "Effects of alpha-lipoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid in overweight and obese women during weight loss." Obesity February 2015, Volume 23, Issue 2, pages 313-321, doi: 10.1002/oby.20966