It's soluble in both water and fat — battling free radicals in everything from blood to cholesterol — but ALA really shines when taking on diabetes. The supplement was a hot topic [1] few years ago, but with 14 million [2] (diagonosed) diabetic Americans, its antioxidant abilities deserve to be revisited.

It works like this: ALA improves the insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetics (according to Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications [3]). And with both types of diabetes, ALA reduces the amount of damage done by free radicals by decreasing “oxidative stress”, says Cardiovascular Diabetology [4]. The journal also emphasizes ALA's role in reducing peripheral neuropathy or the nerve damage that affects many diabetics.

Understanding whether a vitamin or mineral is most effective when ingested through food or supplements is key. Though it is found in broccoli, spinach and liver, ALA is most beneficial when taken as a nutritional supplement.

For more on ALA, check out Berkeley Wellness [5].

[via Delicious Living Magazine [6]]

(Photo from Nature’s Way)