Pharmaceutical science offers a large number of weight loss products, most of which have many contraindications, and in order to decide on such a therapy, you need to seriously think about whether it is worth risking your health. Medical research has shown that vitamin preparations, which have almost no contraindications, can help reduce weight. One of them is lipoic acid for weight loss - this drug has been used not so long ago, but judging by the reviews, people who take it have achieved good results.
How does this vitamin affect weight loss? Women who dream of losing weight decide on different experiments, just to achieve the desired goal. They study the internet and study medical literature in hopes of finding a magic weight loss pill. Lipoic acid is not a magic pill at all, but a complete medicine. Other names for this vitamin: thioctocide, alpha-lipoic acid. This substance is found in food and is produced by the human body alone, but at a certain age it becomes inadequate. Since thioctocide is a powerful antioxidant, a person can be severely deficient in it under certain conditions.
Indications for use of lipoic acid
Lipoic acid is included in the complex treatment of diabetic complications. In the past, in many countries, drugs containing this vitamin were used to treat autoimmune diseases and atherosclerosis, but in practice, the effectiveness of such therapy has unfortunately not been confirmed. But its positive effect on a number of diseases has been proven, where a stable result has been achieved.
This vitamin is prescribed for complex treatment:
- liver diseases, including hepatitis and cirrhosis;
- diseases of the nervous system;
- senile dementia;
- diabetes mellitus;
- chronic fatigue syndrome;
- oncology;
- poisoning;
- obesity;
- alcoholism.
For weight loss, thioctocide is prescribed because it takes an active part in carbohydrate and fat metabolism, and it is of great importance for maintaining good physical shape.
Awareness! Lipoic acid therapy for weight loss will only be effective when it is accompanied by dietary adjustments and exercise.
The tool starts the process of burning fat, which does not start without physical activity. When muscles are actively working, they need nutrients and they begin to attract vitamins and minerals from the body, but they may not be enough. Lipoic acid helps rebuild energy reserves and increases a person's endurance, making exercise more effective.
Expert opinion
Nutritionist:
If you study the official instructions, you may find that this is an alpha-lipoic acid salt with EDTA. Officially, the drug is indicated for polyneuropathy, fat degeneration of the liver and chronic poisoning of the body. This substance, unlike L-carnitine, is not produced in our body and is therefore a drug with a strong antioxidant effect. Its task is to interrupt lipid peroxidation and the so-called oxidative stress. This is why it has found its use among lovers of weight loss: after all, a decrease in diet and the use of one's own lipids as energy sources first leads to an increase in oxidation of free radicals, as well as oxidative stress. But as with everything else, the use of medication has side effects. The drug may cause a change or violation of taste, double vision, hemorrhagic rash, a decrease in plasma glucose with possible development of hypoglycaemic conditions. In some cases, allergic reactions, skin rashes and hives have been described. The official instructions say that before the age of 18 the drug is not used even though it is indicated as there are no data on efficacy and safety. It should also not be taken by pregnant or breastfeeding mothers. In case of an overdose of this drug, symptoms usually occur in the form of vomiting, nausea and headache. Therefore, it is not recommended to use thioctic acid as an aid in diet and weight loss. After all, there are no official indications for such use of the drug.
Forms of issue
Lipoic acid is available in tablets, capsules, suspension powders and solution for injection. This drug is also found in various medicines.
Awareness! Lipoic acid preparations should not be used without consulting an endocrinologist!
Thioctocide is often a component of supplements for athletes and people who want to lose weight.
Slimming benefits
Most weight loss medications burn fat as opposed to lipoic acid, which works differently in the body.
Awareness! During the burning of fat with the help of medicine, harmful substances are formed in the human body and metabolic processes are disrupted, lipoic acid on the contrary heals the body!
Thioctocide has the following properties:
- activates metabolism and improves them;
- is not synthetically produced as it is a natural substance;
- has almost no contraindications;
- side effects of lipoic acid intake are very rare;
- Fasting is not required to achieve the desired weight loss while taking lipoic acid;
- does not have a fat-burning effect, but by processing fats into energy, it allows the body to use them;
- is a relatively inexpensive drug;
- acts on the body in a complex way and not only contributes to weight loss but also makes it healthy;
- positively affects the production of collagen in the skin, therefore there will be no sagging and stretch marks during the process of losing weight;
- The drug can even be used by diabetics unlike other weight loss drugs.
Lipoic acid helps the body cope with many ailments, has a positive effect on vision, heart and lowers blood sugar. Due to the fact that this medicine has so many positive properties, many people choose it for weight loss.
Mechanism of action
Lipoic acid not only has a positive effect on the function of the body as a whole, this drug affects weight loss. This is because this vitamin works in the following way:
- reduces the activity of harmful substances and their effect on the body;
- removes radionuclides, heavy metals, toxins and decay products;
- stimulates the process of burning sugar in the body and normalizes its amount in the blood;
- has a beneficial effect on the walls of blood vessels;
- stimulates the function of the thyroid gland;
- reduces the symptoms of diabetic pathologies, including neuropathy;
- prevents the formation of plaque in blood vessels;
- restores damaged nerve endings;
- significantly reduces appetite;
- stimulates the activity of the liver, restores its damaged cells;
- affects the regeneration of tissues in the body and rejuvenates them significantly.
As a result of taking lipoic acid, unlike other drugs for weight loss, metabolic processes are not disrupted but rather activated. Harmful substances are easily eliminated and fat cells are converted into energy, giving the body useful nutrition.
Awareness! Lipoic acid is very often used in supplements for bodybuilders as it allows the body to better cope with heavy physical activity and relieves pain after exhausting exercise.
Thioctacid has the ability to block the action of the enzyme protein canase, which signals the brain to start eating. The person thus does not feel hungry. In addition, this drug improves the absorption of vitamins A and E, which are considered youth vitamins.
Instructions for use
Thioctocide, although a vitamin preparation, is a drug. Therefore, it would be better if a nutritionist tells you how to take lipoic acid for weight loss, prescribes a specific dose of this drug and a course. The fact is that the effectiveness of lipoic acid intake directly depends on the correct calculation of its average daily rate. The fact is that an overdose of this drug can harm the body and cause hypoglycemia - a condition in which blood sugar levels are much lower than normal.
Awareness! The daily dose of lipoic acid should not exceed 600 mg - this rate is set for severe diabetes, for weight loss it is set to a maximum of 200 mg!
Weight loss is directly related to how to properly drink alpha-lipoic acid, so the doctor must calculate the dose on an individual basis. Minimum dose of lipoic acid perdose is 25 mg, if you need to lose more than 5 kg, increase the dose to 50 mg. You can start taking this medicine with a dose of no more than 20 mg, then gradually increase it.
To increase the effectiveness of thioctocide for weight loss, it is taken:
- at breakfast (before meals or immediately after);
- no later than half an hour after playing sports;
- before bedtime.
The effect of the drug will be more effective if its intake is accompanied by the consumption of foods that contain a large amount of carbohydrates. For example, cereals, legumes, sweet fruits or bread. Lipoic acid prevents the conversion of carbohydrates into fat stores, but a person's energy reserves are rebuilt.
Lipoic acid and other drugs
In some preparations, this substance is called L-carnitine, which is practically the same. This substance is an acid that promotes the consumption of energy obtained from the synthesis of fats and the removal of decay products from metabolic processes. When buying a slimming agent, be aware of whether levocarnitine and lipoic acid are present in its composition, if these substances are present in it, this is a complex agent with high effect.
Contraindications to use
Lipoic acid is not recommended for children, pregnant women and people who are allergic to it. This conclusion was drawn from clinical trials.
Awareness! Often, many weight losers who do not know the correct dosage of alpha-lipoic acid, hoping to quickly get rid of annoying kg, significantly exceed the rate of use, leading to side effects.
People suffer as a result:
- nausea;
- vomiting;
- diarrhea;
- heartburn.
Sometimes patients adhere to the exact dose of the drug, but they are worried about the side effects. This is done by taking alcohol or preparations containing iron at the same time. Therefore, you should carefully study the instructions for use of lipoic acid and consult a doctor on how to take it correctly.