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GREAT article on Alpha-Lipoic Acid -- A supplement that ALL drug users should take!

ALA at vitamin stores is so expensive. I think I've found the cheapest source for this stuff online. It's sold by the kilo or in individual capsules. There's actually not that much of a price difference when buying a kilo of the unpressed.
Anyway, I tested this source and I have to say that I am quite pleased with everything including the express shipping and the quality of the product. Best of all is the price.
I'm actually taking this stuff for health maintainence so my doses exceed 1000mg per day. At GNC I think that would run me over well over $300 a month. Instead, I'm getting 500mg capsules, with spec sheet analysis for each specific lot, for 40 cents per tab.
ALA as a daily suppliment is highly recommended by myself. In just over a months time, I have noticed a dramatic deifference in my liver function. I'm actualy looking forward to my next biopsy.
If anyone wants info on this source you can email me. Unless it'd be cool to post it here.
fairnymph: You mentioned that people with HIV should consider 1000 to 2000g as a daily suppliment. Would this apply to people with Hep C as well?
Thanks
[ 28 November 2002: Message edited by: Bonecutter ]
 
Yep, it's FINE to post ALA/vitamin sources here. Please do so. :)
Bonecutter -- I don't believe that they have done any research with Hep C and ALA, but as Hep C is viral like HIV, it certainly can't hurt.
It might interest you to hear that I've had cervicitis (an inflamed cervix with some weird cells, my doctor tells me they are most likely caused by HPV, the human papilloma virus) for several months now, and I believe it has been the cause of lower pelvic pain that I've been having about 75% of the time (i.e. I'm in some degree of pain most of the time). About a week ago, I started taking 300 mg ALA a day, after reading this article. It could be placebo or unrelated, but in the past few days the pain has subsided substantially. Pretty amazing, if you ask me.
Good luck with it BC, tell me how it goes...
 
Well, last night I took my first dose of ALA. It's 100mg.. I took 500mg VitC and 200mg of Calcium + VitD, then the ALA.. and I don't know if it was just placebo, but I felt really good for most the night. I did the same combo, just with some ginseng as well today, I'll let you know how I feel later :) But so far so good.. and eatin turkey on top of it probably will be heavenly!
 
I started taking 300 mg ALA a day, after reading this article. It could be placebo or unrelated, but in the past few days the pain has subsided substantially. Pretty amazing, if you ask me.
Definately amazing and my guess would be there's no placebo about it. Like I implied earlier I was having some serious accute liver pain from about June till just recently. Obviously this pain wasa result of my hep. Well I started taking 1000mg/day of ALA about a month ago. I started noticing a suble difference in about 2 weeks. Now, I can honestly say that the pain is pretty much gone. My liver feels fines. Everynow and then I feel a little pain but these bouts are very few and far between. Nothing like it used to be. It's been a godsend to me.
fairnymph: I think your right about about ALA research regarding Hep treatment. I My impression is that ALA isnt used to directly treat Hep. However, ALA does such a great job of cleansing the liver of toxins that it is often used to lighten the load on an already compromised liver. Btw, maintaining liver health should be a HUGE concern of all drug users whether you have liver disease or not.
I'm gonna up my dose to 1500mg/day. I'm confident I can become completely pain free with this stuff.
If I wouldnt have found such a cheap source for this stuff, using it would be outta the question. I am amazed of how high of a markup places like GNC and others like it put on suppliments.
I found a guy who specializes in nothing but ALA from a Hep message board. I asked him for permission to post his email addy here and he was delighted.
[email protected] I can vouge for him 100%. He's been doing this for awhile and has quite a few loyal customers. My first order of 100 arrived in less than 7 days. The best part about it is the capsules are 500mg each. That's just unbelievable when you consider other sources.
I cut and paste an article regarding ALA and it's ability to deal with dangerous free radicals and aid in liver function:
Alpha-Lipoic Acid
Alpha-lipoic acid is an antioxidant, which is a powerful substance that may help slow the aging process and fight disease. Antioxidants work by attacking "free radicals," waste products created when our bodies turn food into energy. Free radicals cause harmful chemical reactions that can damage cells, making it harder to fight off infections and lowering defenses against cancer and heart disease.
Antioxidants work by attaching to free radicals and neutralizing them. When there are too many of them in our bodies, they can cause problems. Today there are more and more sources of free radicals in our environment—for example radiation, and toxic chemicals in cigarette smoke, car exhaust...
Uses
Alpha-lipoic acid (also called thioctic acid) works together with other antioxidants such as vitamins C and E. It is important for growth, helps the body produce energy, and aids the liver in removing harmful substances from the body. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) also prevents cell damage, controls blood sugar, and removes toxic metals from the blood. In animal studies, alpha-lipoic acid improved brain function as well. Because it is both water- and fat-soluble, ALA can function in almost any part of the body, including the brain.
Alpha-lipoic acid has been used to treat chronic hepatitis because it relieves stress on the liver and helps it rid the body of toxins. It is the standard treatment for Amanita poisoning (Amanita is a highly poisonous mushroom). Alpha-lipoic acid can help lessen the toxic effects of drugs used during surgery and for pain control afterwards.
Unlike other substances, alpha-lipoic acid can pass easily into the brain, and studies have shown that ALA has protective effects on brain and nerve tissue. ALA is promising as a treatment for stroke and other brain disorders involving free-radical damage. Animals treated with alpha-lipoic acid had a four times greater survival rate after a stroke.
In more than one study, treatment with ALA helped reduce pain, burning, itching, tingling, and numbness in people who had nerve damage caused by diabetes. Other studies have shown that alpha-lipoic acid speeds the removal of glucose (sugar) from the blood of people with diabetes, and leads to improved heart function.
 
Dairy doesn't significantly inhibit the absorption of ALA, but since dairy is basic, it's probably best to avoid certain dairy products (yogourt, milk, ice cream) when taking your ALA, so as to limit the basicity of your stomach -- but, it's probably not a huge issue, just a rule of thumb.\
BC -- Thanks for posting that info. I too am really amazed to hear about your improvement with ALA. I know I've found my recent improvement encouraging and when I get checked out in a few weeks I hope to get more concrete evidence of my that improvement. I'll keep you updated.
 
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