Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is an antioxidant made by the body and is found in every cell, where it helps turn glucose into energy. Unlike other antioxidants, which work only in water (such as vitamin C) or fatty tissues (such as vitamin E), ALA is both fat and water soluble.
In the cells of the body, ALA is converted into dihydrolipoic acid. ALA is not the same as alpha linolenic acid, which is an omega-3 fatty acid that may help heart health.
ALA has been proposed as a treatment for alcohol-related liver disease, but so far there is no evidence that it works. ALA has been administered by IV along with silymarin (milk thistle) to treat people who have eaten the poisonous mushroom Amanita, which causes liver damage.
