Pharmaceutical science offers a huge number of weight loss products, most of which have many contraindications, and to decide on such therapy, you need to seriously consider whether it is worth risking your health. Medical research shows that vitamin supplements, which have almost no contraindications, can help with weight loss. One of them is lipoic acid for weight loss - this drug has been used not so long ago, but according to reviews, people taking it have achieved good results.
How does this vitamin affect weight loss? Women who dream of losing weight, decide on various experiments, just to achieve the desired goal. They study the internet and study medical literature, hoping to find a magic weight loss pill. Lipoic acid is not a magic pill at all, but a complete cure. Other names for this vitamin: thiocticide, alpha lipoic acid. This substance is found in food and is produced by the human body on its own, but by a certain age it becomes insufficient. Because thioctocide is a powerful antioxidant, a person can have a severe deficiency under certain conditions.
Indications for use of lipoic acid
Lipoic acid is included in the complex therapy of diabetic complications. Previously, in many countries, drugs containing this vitamin were used to treat autoimmune diseases and atherosclerosis, but, unfortunately, in practice the effectiveness of such therapy has not been confirmed. But its positive effect on a number of diseases has been proven, in which a stable result has been achieved.
This vitamin is prescribed for complex treatment:
- liver disease, including hepatitis and cirrhosis;
- diseases of the nervous system;
- senile dementia;
- diabetes;
- chronic fatigue syndrome;
- oncology;
- poisoning;
- obesity;
- alcoholism.
Thioctocide is prescribed for weight loss due to the fact that it is actively involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats, and this is of great importance for maintaining good physical shape.
Attention! Lipoic acid therapy for weight loss will be effective only when accompanied by dietary adjustments and exercise.
The tool starts the process of burning fat, which will not start without physical activity. When muscles work actively, they need nutrients and begin to attract vitamins and minerals from the body, but they may not be enough. Lipoic acid helps to replenish energy reserves and increases a person's endurance, which makes training more effective.
Expert opinion
nutritionist:
If you study the official instructions, you can find out that this is a salt of alpha lipoic acid with EDTA. Officially, the drug is indicated for polyneuropathy, fatty degeneration of the liver, as well as chronic intoxication of the body. This substance, unlike L-carnitine, is not produced in our body and is therefore a drug with strong antioxidant action. Its task is to stop lipid peroxidation and so-called oxidative stress. That is why it has found its application among weight loss enthusiasts: after all, reducing diet and using their own lipids as energy sources first leads to a jump in free radical oxidation, as well as oxidative stress. However, as with everything else, the use of drugs has side effects. The drug may cause a change or disturbance of taste, double vision, hemorrhagic rash, decrease in plasma glucose with possible development of hypoglycemic conditions. Allergic reactions, skin rashes and hives have been reported in some cases. Official instructions say that the drug should not be used before the age of 18, even if it is indicated, as there are no data on its effectiveness and safety. Also, it should not be taken by pregnant or breastfeeding mothers. In case of overdose of this drug, the symptoms usually manifest themselves in the form of vomiting, nausea and headache. Therefore, the use of thioctic acid as an aid in diet and weight loss is not recommended. After all, there are no official indications for such use of the drug.
Forms of issue
Lipoic acid is available in tablets, capsules, powder suspensions and injectable solutions. This substance is also found in various medicinal products.
Attention! Lipoic acid preparations should not be used without consulting an endocrinologist!
Thioctocide is often a component of dietary supplements for athletes and people who want to lose weight.
Benefits for weight loss
Most weight loss drugs burn fat, unlike lipoic acid, which acts differently in the body.
Attention! During the burning of fat with the help of drugs in the human body are formed harmful substances and disrupt metabolic processes, lipoic acid, on the contrary, heals the body!
Thioctocide has the following properties:
- activates metabolism and improves them;
- it is not produced synthetically as it is a natural substance;
- there are almost no contraindications;
- side effects of lipoic acid are very rare;
- Fasting is not required to achieve the desired weight loss while taking lipoic acid;
- there is no effect of burning fat, but by converting fat into energy, it allows the body to use it;
- is a relatively inexpensive drug;
- acts on the body in a complex way, not only contributing to weight loss, but also makes it healthy;
- has a positive effect on the production of collagen in the skin, therefore during the weight loss process there will be no sagging and stretch marks;
- the drug can be used even by diabetics, unlike other drugs for weight loss.
Lipoic acid helps the body cope with many diseases, has a positive effect on vision, heart and lowers blood sugar. Due to the fact that this drug 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 functioning of the body as a whole, this drug affects weight loss. This is because this vitamin works as follows:
- reduces the activity of harmful substances and their impact on the body;
- removes radionuclides, heavy metals, toxins and breakdown products;
- stimulates the process of burning sugar from the body and normalizes its amount in the blood;
- has a beneficial effect on the walls of blood vessels;
- stimulates thyroid function;
- reduces the symptoms of diabetic pathologies, including neuropathy;
- prevents the formation of plaques in blood vessels;
- restores damaged nerve endings;
- significantly reduces appetite;
- stimulates the activity of the liver, restores damaged cells;
- affects the regeneration of tissues in the body, significantly rejuvenating them.
As a result of taking lipoic acid, unlike other drugs for weight loss, metabolic processes are not disrupted, but on the contrary, are activated. Harmful substances are easily eliminated and fat cells are converted into energy, providing the body with useful nutrition.
Attention! Lipoic acid is very often used in bodybuilding supplements, as it allows the body to cope better with strenuous physical activity and relieves pain after strenuous exercise.
Thioctacid has the ability to block the action of the enzyme protein kanase, which signals the brain to start eating. So the person does not feel hungry. In addition, this substance improves the absorption of vitamins A and E, which are considered vitamins of youth.
Instructions for use
Thioctocide, although a vitamin preparation, is a medicine. Therefore, it will be better if the nutritionist tells you how to take lipoic acid for weight loss, prescribe 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 allowance. The fact is that an overdose of this drug can harm the body and cause hypoglycemia - a condition in which the blood sugar level is much lower than normal.
Attention! The daily norm of lipoic acid should be no more than 600 mg - this norm is set for severe diabetes, for weight loss is set at 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. The minimum dose of lipoic acid per dose is 25 mg, if you need to lose more than 5 kg of weight, the dose is increased to 50 mg. You can start taking this medicine at a dose of no more than 20 mg and then gradually increase it.
To increase the effectiveness of thioctocide for weight loss, take:
- at breakfast (before or immediately after a meal);
- no later than half an hour after exercise;
- before bed.
The effect of the drug will be more effective if its intake is accompanied by the consumption of food containing a large amount of carbohydrates. For example, cereals, legumes, sweet fruits or bread. Lipoic acid prevents the conversion of carbohydrates into fat, but a person's energy reserves are replenished.
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 derived from fat synthesis and the removal of breakdown products from metabolic processes. When buying a weight loss product, you should pay attention to whether it contains levocarnitine and lipoic acid, if these substances are present in it, then it is a complex tool with a high effect.
Contraindications to use
Lipoic acid is not recommended for children, pregnant women and people who are allergic to it. This conclusion is made from clinical trials.
Attention! Often, many losers who do not know the right dose of alpha lipoic acid, hoping to quickly get rid of annoying kg, significantly exceed the speed of its use, which leads to side effects.
People suffer as a result of this:
- nausea;
- vomiting;
- diarrhea;
- heartburn.
Sometimes patients stick to the correct dosage of the drug, but worry about side effects. This happens with the simultaneous intake of alcohol or preparations containing iron. Therefore, you should carefully study the instructions for use of lipoic acid and consult a doctor on how to take it properly.