Researchers working on an anti aging study disagree over the the possible role of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) in weight loss. The study focused on how alpha lipoic acid supplementation and dietary restriction might effect life span but found that ALA supplementation could have an anti obesity effect.

It was found that rats fed for a period on a calorie restricted diet and then returned to a normal diet supplemented with ALA put on less weight. Dr Goyns said while weight increased when the calorie restricted diet is ended “if you take alpha-lipoic acid, even though you are eating normally again, you still have reduced weight.”

A collaborator, Dr Brian Merry, was more cautious in his interpretation. He accepted that while ALA seemed to lock the subjects into the benefits of the calorie restricted diet further research was required. He did not agree with Dr Goyns interpretation that the findings could be applied to humans at this stage.

Dr Goyns has just published the Anti Aging Protocol which is based around the dietary and ala supplement regime in the study. The book proposes that the protocol also appears to produce a remarkable long term anti-obesity effect.

Dietary lipoic acid supplementation can mimic or block the effect of dietary restriction on life span