The British researchers from University of Liverpool, Britain conducted the study on 102 rats in a laboratory setting and looked at the effects of the dietary supplements on rats. A group of 75 rats were given ‘normal’ diet while another group of 75 rats were fed ‘low-calorie’ diets.
They found that the rats which were given the supplement were able to shed off weight even after they went off their calorie-restricted diets.
The team of researchers, led by Malcolm Goyns, revealed that alpha-lipoic acid can “lock in” the benefits of dieting, allowing people on diet to get back to normal eating habits without putting on weight.
Malcolm Goyns, director of Immorgene Concepts, a scientific research company, in Stockton-on-Tees, near Middlesbrough, said, 'It seems that alphalipoic-acid fools the body into behaving as if it was still on whatever diet it was following before the supplement was added.”
'We found there was an antiobesity effect.
'Although weight does rise when you come off the restricted diet, if you take alpha-lipoic acid, even though you are eating normally again, you still have reduced weight,' he added.
The anti-obesity pill also has another advantage – it shows anti-aging effect, which is a known effect of low-calorie diets.
Malcolm Goyns said he was satisfied with the results and want to follow the approach himself.
As there is no solid evidence that the ‘antioxidant supplementation’ has any survival benefit and alongside this being preliminary study such a saying seems to be not mature enough.
However, the result of the study has initiated a debate between two of the scientists who carried out the research, over whether it can be applied to humans.
Goyns said, “Our discovery indicates that by following a calorie restriction diet for six months and then taking alpha-lipoic acid while eating normally, the same life extension effects will be experienced.”
The researcher gave the example of tropical Okinawan islands in Japan's extreme southwest where people eat a low-calorie diet which has led to the world's highest proportion of people aged over 100. They mostly eat plant based diet with plenty of fish and soy foods, vegetables as well as moderate amounts of the monounsaturated fats and Omega 3 fatty acid.
They believe in Hara Hachi Bu principle – means eat until you are 80% full. Stopping at 80% capacity is actually a very good strategy to avoid obesity without going hungry.
The results appear in the journal Mechanisms of Ageing and Development and the work was funded by the Biotechnology and Biology Research Council.
In an interesting study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, last month, the researchers compared 3 three popular weight loss diets - low fat, Mediterranean and Atkins diet. The best came out to be Atkins type diet, with dieters losing 14 pounds. Participants lost 10 pounds on the Mediterranean diet and just over seven pounds on the low fat diet.
Another recent study found that eating two eggs for breakfast helps an adult loose 65% more weight and feel energetic throughout day.
Previous studies suggests that treatment with alpha-lipoic acid may help reduce pain, burning, itching, tingling, and numbness in people who have nerve damage caused by diabetes.
Alpha-lipoic acid is an antioxidant supplement and is also used in the treatment of certain conditions including stroke, liver damage and other brain disorders involving free radical damage.
Few side effects include, low blood sugar if taken in large amount, in rare cases skin rash occurs, interactions with some medications such as Cisplatin and Cyclophosphamide.
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