A-Z — Alpha Lipoic Acid

Thioctic acid

See also Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)-  Thioctic acid is the technical name for the antioxidant ALA. Unlike many antioxidants that are either water-soluble or oil-soluble, thioctic acid is both.  Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) seems to be a great choice for topical use as studies show it can penetrate the skin rapidly where it's converted to DHLA (dihydrolipoic acid), an even more potent antioxidant molecule.  A nicely designed (we mean double-blind, placebo-controlled) 12-week study from 2003 confirmed that 5% ALA cream can decrease skin roughness and improve general signs of photoaging statistically significantly.  A slight catch, though, is that burning and warmth in the skin was quite a common side effect, especially in...

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