Produced to Work in Two Ways

• Alpha lipoic acid is a metabolic antioxidant naturally produced in the human body. It serves two distinct functions: it works as a metabolic agent when converting food consumed from glucose into energy, and it functions as an antioxidant by attacking or neutralizing potentially harmful chemicals known as "free radicals" or waste products that get created during the metabolic process.
  
  

Produced Across the Entire Body

• Alpha lipoic acid is found naturally inside every cell in the body. Unlike other popular antioxidants like vitamins C and E, it is found and active across all parts of the body in both water and fatty areas. This means alpha lipoic acid can reach tissues in both the nervous system, which are fatty, and those in the heart, which are mostly water. It also has been known to work in the brain, which means it could show promise as a treatment for brain disorders and strokes where free-radical damage can cause problems.
  
  

Alternative Production Methods

• Certain foods are also naturally good sources of alpha lipoic acid. Spinach, broccoli, beef and brewer's yeast are some examples. Additionally, certain organ parts of edible meats, like the heart and kidney, have higher concentrations of alpha lipoic acid.
  
  To get the high dosage amounts recommended by many nutritional experts, it is wise to buy supplements that come in pill or tablet form. These are synthetically made in a laboratory and marketed for sale at health foods or places where nutritional supplements are sold.