ALA cuts muscle damage, boosts recovery in study
The research was published recently in the
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. It was conducted by researchers associated with the German Sports University in Cologne.
The researchers noted that ALA has been studied in relation to a number of chronic disease states. It has also been used as a sports nutrition ingredient for a number of years, but evidence specifically linking ALA to performance benefits is limited, they said.
The group recruited 17 young participants familiar with strength training for their trial. The goal was to see if supplementation with alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) would attenuate the muscle breakdown and soreness that accompanies hard training. The researchers also measured parameters of oxidative stress.