Overweight people are ready to try all ways to help lose weight. Diet and exercise require effort, and not everyone who is losing weight can cope with it. Then they start taking various dietary supplements and vitamin-like substances that are sold in large quantities in pharmacies and sports shops. One of these drugs is lipoic acid. What it is, how to take it and whether it contributes to weight loss are discussed below.
What is lipoic acid
Lipoic acid has many names: thioctic acid, thioctic acid, vitamin N, lipoate, ALA. It is considered a vitamin-like substance with antioxidant properties. Lipoic acid is produced by the body, but in small amounts.
Its deficiency is formed by the use of the following foods: mushrooms, dairy products, leafy vegetables, beef, legumes, bananas. In order to maintain the body's reserves of thioctic acid, it must be absorbed in large quantities. It is advisable to use the acid in the form of tablets, capsules and pharmaceutical supplements in the form of injectable solutions.
What's that for
The body actively produces lipoic acid until the age of 30. Women older than this age may be deficient in this substance, and they may begin to become overweight. The use of thioctocides slows down the aging process, preserving a woman's beauty and youth for a long time. Lipoic acid has the following effects on the body:
- Participates in the supply of energy to the body: begins to recycle spent resources. Thus, all food products are processed as efficiently as possible.
- It forces the body to use glucose for energy and helps lower blood sugar levels.
- Ensures the proper functioning of pancreatic acid. In the absence of an increase in insulin, the process of processing other energy sources, such as fats, is activated.
- Prevents premature aging by binding and destroying free radicals.
- Normalizes immunity.
Attention!Before using Lipoate, you need to make sure that it is compatible with other medications you are using.
This is how it helps to lose weight
The initial use of lipoic acid was to protect and restore liver cells from poisoning by various substances (including alcohol). Later, they began to use it to build muscle mass. Currently, thioctocid is also used as a remedy for weight loss.
When lipoic acid enters the body, the processes that normalize metabolism begin. This directly affects the consumption and destruction of oil reserves. Normal metabolism serves as the creator of a slim figure. The benefits of ALA for weight loss are:
- Stabilization of sugar as a result of its intake allows you to control the amount of food consumed;
- Stimulating the breakdown of fats, lipoic acid eliminates fatty deposits in the body for weight loss;
- Complete absorption of nutrients helps to improve skin tone and prevent brittle hair and nails;
- The feeling of hunger is reduced, it is blocked for a long time without harming the body;
- improves mental and physical activity;
- All organs begin to function effectively.
You should know that there are contraindications to the use of lipoic acid, do not take it with the following diseases:
- heart failure;
- chronic kidney disease;
- thyroid dysfunction (hypothyroidism);
- inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract;
- hypersensitivity to the components of the drug;
- personal impatience.
Cinnamon and vanilla are used in some food additives as impurities. Due to these substances, the drug is very popular among women. After taking the course, they notice a decrease in appetite for confectionery and weight loss.
An important!Before using lipoic acid for weight loss, consult a doctor: endocrinologist, therapist or dietitian.
According to those who took these drugs, they began to feel better and developed a desire to lead an active lifestyle. After the treatment, many blood counts improved and the appearance changed: acne and inflammation on the face disappeared. It was noted that weight loss was accompanied only by the normalization of diet and exercise in the gym.
How to drink
To lose weight, you need to know how to take lipoic acid properly to lose weight. An overdose can lead to poor health. Lipoate has a high chemical activity, it reacts with many substances, so before taking it, you should carefully study the instructions for use.
Dosage
It is important to pay attention to the person's food addiction, the intensity of physical activity, as well as the general state of health. General rules of thioctocid use:
- In satisfactory condition, the prophylactic dose is 25-50 mg per day;
- the elderly - 50 mg per day;
- athletes - from 75 to 200 mg;
- for the treatment of diseases - up to 600 mg;
- Women who have lost weight - the minimum dose of 30-50 mg; For men - 50-75 mg per day (divided into 3 doses).
Intramuscular injection of the acid should not exceed 50 mg per serving. Some sources show that only positive results can be achieved by taking 100-200 mg daily, but you should still start treatment with a lower dose. Doses of more than 600 mg per day without physical activity can dramatically worsen your health.
Attention!Lipoic acid is effective for weight loss only if you follow a diet, exercise strength in the gym, and physical activity.
How many days can you drink?
Thioctocide is taken several times a year for 2-3 weeks to improve the overall condition of the body. For weight loss is required longer intake, according to the following scheme: 1 month of intake, then a break of 1-2 months, then the course is repeated and so on. With a combination of medication and a balanced diet and physical activity, you can lose 4-6 kg per month.
Recommendations
- Lipoic acid is injected in the morning and evening.
- In order to avoid discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract, it is necessary to take medication after meals.
- Thioctic acid inhibits the absorption of calcium, so lactic acid products should be consumed 4 hours after ingestion.
- Alcohol interferes with the absorption of lipoic acid, and when taken at the same time, dizziness and lightheadedness may occur.
- The drug is taken no earlier than 30 minutes after strength training.
- Before taking thioctocid, it is necessary to determine its compatibility with other drugs used.
Weight loss will be the result of the procedure only if you follow a diet and exercise in the gym. In this case, protein foods are best used. If there are fewer carbohydrates, the body will begin to use the available reserves and lose weight. Lipoic acid is used in confectionery, pasta and cereals to process sugar without affecting fats.
Overdose
The dose should be prescribed by a doctor, it can not be increased on its own. Not everything is good. Overdose can be dangerous to health: seizures can lead to impaired blood flow. Hypoglycemic coma can occur due to a sharp drop in blood sugar, and low levels of hormones produced can cause thyroid disease (hypothyroidism).
Treatment includes vomiting, gastric lavage, and activated charcoal. However, these manipulations can also be useless, because there is no antidote. Therefore, before use, read the instructions carefully and avoid overdose.
Adverse effects
Lipoic acid is usually well tolerated, but can sometimes cause the following unpleasant symptoms:
- stomach ache;
- headache;
- allergic reaction in the form of skin rashes;
- increased pressure;
- dizziness and vomiting;
- diarrhea;
- metallic taste in the mouth.
When these symptoms occur, the drug should be stopped immediately.
An important!When taking thioxic acid, you should stop drinking alcohol, because it slows down its absorption.
Using lipoic acid is not a panacea to lose weight, but it can help you lose weight by working together with diet and exercise. In addition, it normalizes metabolic processes in the body and prevents aging.