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| acute and chronic. Lipoic acid is the ideal antioxidant, with the following biochemical properties: |
| 1. It quenches free radicals. |
| 2. It is easily absorbed and is readily bioavailable. |
| 3. It concentrates in tissues, cells, and extracellular fluid. |
| 4. It interacts with other antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E and NAC, enhancing their beneficial effects and increasingcellular glutathione more effectively than any other supplement available. |
| 5. It has positive effects on gene expression. |
| Like CoQ10 and NAC, lipoic acid functions as an antioxidant, scavenging oxidative waste, and also as a pro-oxidant. It enhances oxygen and energy levels and acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. It also plays a pivotal role as a catalyst during photosynthesis when electromagnetic energy is transformed into chemical energy. It is used to treat hypoxia, a state characterized by poor oxygen uptake leading to fatigued muscles. People with cancer are often in a state of hypoxia and, because of this, would benefit greatly from lipoic acid supplementation. |
| One of the many benefits of lipoic acid in relation to cancer treatment is its ability to reduce lactic and pyruvic acids. Cancer cells produce an excess of lactic acid, which helps the cancer to multiply, metastasize, and create angiogenic factors. |
| German research shows that lipoic acid activates T-cell function, regenerates glutathione, and prevents oncogene activation. 66 |
| Free radicals and other cell-regulating enzymes can influence gene expression by activating a protein complex called nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kappa-B). This activator can bind to DNA in genes and cause changes in the rate of gene expression and activation. As we age, the level of NF-kappa-B increases, making it more likely that gene defects will occur and accelerate the aging process. |
| Other protein subunits (called I-kappa-B) keep NF-kappa-B in check by inhibiting gene damage, but constant stress caused by free radicals, peroxides, and ultraviolet energy eventually allows NK-kappa-B to penetrate into the nucleus and damage DNA. One of the many unique actions of lipoic acid is its ability to terminate free radicals in the bloodstream, in the liver, on cell membranes, and in the cell interior (the cytosol). Lipoic acid protects both |
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