Mahbubeh Ahmadi - Department of Nutrition, Electronic Health and Statistics Surveillance Research Center, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
Seyed Ali Keshavarz - Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Behnood Abbasi - Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

BACKGROUND: Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) is considered a strong antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. Moreover, a number of previous studies have shown its lipid-lowering properties. Therefore, we designed this study to investigate the effects of ALA on lipid profile in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS), which can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and premature mortality.METHODS: A total ۴۶ patients with MetS were randomly divided into two groups. They received either ۶۰۰ mg ALA (n = ۲۳) or ۶۰۰ mg placebo (n = ۲۳) for ۱۲ weeks. The body weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), fasting blood sugar (FBS), hemoglobin A۱C (HbA۱c), and blood pressure (BP) were assessed at baseline of the study. Physical activity level and dietary intake were assessed at baseline and end of the study. Serum lipid profile including triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and total cholesterol (TC) were measured before and after ۱۲ weeks of intervention.RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar in the ALA and placebo groups (P > ۰.۰۵). However, there were statistically significant differences in plasma levels of TG (-۳۶.۸۲ ± ۴۲.۴۸ versus ۶.۱۵ ± ۲۵.۰۴ mg/dl, P = ۰.۰۰۱) and TC (-۸.۹۱ ± ۲۰.۶۵ versus ۱۰.۸۴ ± ۲۲.۹۷ mg/dl, P = ۰.۰۱) after ۱۲ weeks between the ALA group and the placebo group. Yet, there were no statistically significant differences in plasma levels of HDL-C and LDL-C after ۱۲ weeks between the ALA group and the placebo group.CONCLUSION: The results suggest that daily supplementation of ۶۰۰ mg ALA for ۱۲ weeks may improve the lipid profile in patients with MetS.

Thioctic Acid, lipoprotein, Metabolic Syndrome, Clinical Trial