Alpha Lipoic Acid

A large quantity of information shows that alpha lipoic acid, when taken orally as a dietary supplement, has many potential health benefits. Nevertheless, when it comes to research on what it can do to get rid of wrinkles and make a woman look younger, the information is at best theoretical and (more realistically) inconclusive. While studies of alpha lipoic acid do exist, none have been carried out on people and none have been double-blind or placebo-controlled to evaluate wrinkling (Source: Clinical & Experimental Dermatology, October 2001, pages 578–582). All of the research has been done on human dermal fibroblasts "in vitro" in cell culture systems. In vitro (test tube) results are always interesting, but it's not known if they translate to human skin. These models do mimic human skin, but something that mimics human skin is still not the same as living skin. It is clear from the research that alpha lipoic acid is a potent antioxidant, but there are many potent antioxidants. Alpha lipoic acid is not the be all and end all when it comes to your skin's health.