ALSUntangled #79: alpha-lipoic acid

Alaina Giacobbe; James Hiana; Olivia Wang; Michael Benatar; Paul Wicks; Javier Mascias Cadavid; Sartaj Jhooty; Christopher McDermott; Gary Pattee; Tulio Bertorini; Terry Heiman-Patterson; Dylan Ratner; Paul Barkhaus; Gregory Carter; Carlayne Jackson; Keelie Denson; Andrew Brown; Carmel Armon; Yuyao Sun; Andre Nguyen; Richard Bedlack; Xiaoyan Li

doi:10.1080/21678421.2025.2507166

ALSUntangled #79: alpha-lipoic acid

Alaina Giacobbe, James Hiana, Olivia Wang, Michael Benatar, Paul Wicks, Javier Mascias Cadavid, Sartaj Jhooty, Christopher McDermott, Gary Pattee, Tulio Bertorini, Terry Heiman-Patterson, Dylan Ratner, Paul Barkhaus, Gregory Carter, Carlayne Jackson, Keelie Denson, Andrew Brown, Carmel Armon, Yuyao Sun, Andre NguyenRichard Bedlack, Xiaoyan Li^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a naturally occurring fatty acid. It serves as an essential cofactor for enzymatic reactions in mitochondrial energy production, is a potent antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory effects, which are plausible mechanisms in slowing ALS progression. In ALS preclinical studies, ALA slowed motor function decline and improved survival. There were self-reported cases of improved muscle strength in ALS patients when ALA was taken with numerous additional supplements, making it difficult to discern its efficacy. One small, 6-month open-label study showed improved quality of life, fatigue, and mood after participants took it with B vitamins and amino acids for the first 3 months. So far, no clinical trials have been published in people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (PALS). Given the insufficient clinical data, we cannot endorse ALA and will support more research on its efficacy in slowing ALS progression.

Original language	English
Journal	Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/21678421.2025.2507166
State	Accepted/In press - 2025
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

ALS
alpha lipoic acid
antiinflammation
antioxidant
oxidative stress

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10.1080/21678421.2025.2507166

Cite this

Giacobbe, A., Hiana, J., Wang, O., Benatar, M., Wicks, P., Mascias Cadavid, J., Jhooty, S., McDermott, C., Pattee, G., Bertorini, T., Heiman-Patterson, T., Ratner, D., Barkhaus, P., Carter, G., Jackson, C., Denson, K., Brown, A., Armon, C., Sun, Y., ... Li, X. (Accepted/In press). ALSUntangled #79: alpha-lipoic acid. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration. https://doi.org/10.1080/21678421.2025.2507166

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title = "ALSUntangled \#79: alpha-lipoic acid",

abstract = "Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a naturally occurring fatty acid. It serves as an essential cofactor for enzymatic reactions in mitochondrial energy production, is a potent antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory effects, which are plausible mechanisms in slowing ALS progression. In ALS preclinical studies, ALA slowed motor function decline and improved survival. There were self-reported cases of improved muscle strength in ALS patients when ALA was taken with numerous additional supplements, making it difficult to discern its efficacy. One small, 6-month open-label study showed improved quality of life, fatigue, and mood after participants took it with B vitamins and amino acids for the first 3 months. So far, no clinical trials have been published in people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (PALS). Given the insufficient clinical data, we cannot endorse ALA and will support more research on its efficacy in slowing ALS progression.",

keywords = "ALS, alpha lipoic acid, antiinflammation, antioxidant, oxidative stress",

author = "Alaina Giacobbe and James Hiana and Olivia Wang and Michael Benatar and Paul Wicks and \{Mascias Cadavid\}, Javier and Sartaj Jhooty and Christopher McDermott and Gary Pattee and Tulio Bertorini and Terry Heiman-Patterson and Dylan Ratner and Paul Barkhaus and Gregory Carter and Carlayne Jackson and Keelie Denson and Andrew Brown and Carmel Armon and Yuyao Sun and Andre Nguyen and Richard Bedlack and Xiaoyan Li",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 World Federation of Neurology on behalf of the Research Group on Motor Neuron Diseases.",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1080/21678421.2025.2507166",

language = "אנגלית",

journal = "Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration",

issn = "2167-8421",

publisher = "Taylor and Francis Ltd.",

}

Giacobbe, A, Hiana, J, Wang, O, Benatar, M, Wicks, P, Mascias Cadavid, J, Jhooty, S, McDermott, C, Pattee, G, Bertorini, T, Heiman-Patterson, T, Ratner, D, Barkhaus, P, Carter, G, Jackson, C, Denson, K, Brown, A, Armon, C, Sun, Y, Nguyen, A, Bedlack, R & Li, X 2025, 'ALSUntangled #79: alpha-lipoic acid', Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration. https://doi.org/10.1080/21678421.2025.2507166

TY - JOUR

T1 - ALSUntangled #79

T2 - alpha-lipoic acid

AU - Giacobbe, Alaina

AU - Hiana, James

AU - Wang, Olivia

AU - Benatar, Michael

AU - Wicks, Paul

AU - Mascias Cadavid, Javier

AU - Jhooty, Sartaj

AU - McDermott, Christopher

AU - Pattee, Gary

AU - Bertorini, Tulio

AU - Heiman-Patterson, Terry

AU - Ratner, Dylan

AU - Barkhaus, Paul

AU - Carter, Gregory

AU - Jackson, Carlayne

AU - Denson, Keelie

AU - Brown, Andrew

AU - Armon, Carmel

AU - Sun, Yuyao

AU - Nguyen, Andre

AU - Bedlack, Richard

AU - Li, Xiaoyan

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a naturally occurring fatty acid. It serves as an essential cofactor for enzymatic reactions in mitochondrial energy production, is a potent antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory effects, which are plausible mechanisms in slowing ALS progression. In ALS preclinical studies, ALA slowed motor function decline and improved survival. There were self-reported cases of improved muscle strength in ALS patients when ALA was taken with numerous additional supplements, making it difficult to discern its efficacy. One small, 6-month open-label study showed improved quality of life, fatigue, and mood after participants took it with B vitamins and amino acids for the first 3 months. So far, no clinical trials have been published in people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (PALS). Given the insufficient clinical data, we cannot endorse ALA and will support more research on its efficacy in slowing ALS progression.

AB - Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a naturally occurring fatty acid. It serves as an essential cofactor for enzymatic reactions in mitochondrial energy production, is a potent antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory effects, which are plausible mechanisms in slowing ALS progression. In ALS preclinical studies, ALA slowed motor function decline and improved survival. There were self-reported cases of improved muscle strength in ALS patients when ALA was taken with numerous additional supplements, making it difficult to discern its efficacy. One small, 6-month open-label study showed improved quality of life, fatigue, and mood after participants took it with B vitamins and amino acids for the first 3 months. So far, no clinical trials have been published in people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (PALS). Given the insufficient clinical data, we cannot endorse ALA and will support more research on its efficacy in slowing ALS progression.

KW - ALS

KW - alpha lipoic acid

KW - antiinflammation

KW - antioxidant

KW - oxidative stress

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105005840079

U2 - 10.1080/21678421.2025.2507166

DO - 10.1080/21678421.2025.2507166

M3 - ???researchoutput.researchoutputtypes.contributiontojournal.systematicreview???

C2 - 40411245

AN - SCOPUS:105005840079

SN - 2167-8421

JO - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration

JF - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration

ER -

ALSUntangled #79: alpha-lipoic acid

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Keywords

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