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# Alpha-lipoic acid reduces brain injury induced by methionine/choline deficiency
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/alpha-lipoic_acid_reduces_brain_injury_0907140931/
- Published: 2014-09-07T22:30:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:10:25.000Z
- Description: University of Belgrade researchers fed mice a methionine/choline deficient diet, which raised malondialdehyde and NOx across brain regions. Alpha-lipoic acid supplementation normalized those markers and raised catalase activity and glutathione, which the authors say may prevent such injury.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Supplements, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

Sunday Sep 7, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- Researchers from University of Belgrade in Belgrade, Serbia conducted a study and found evidence suggesting that taking alpha-lipoic acid supplements can help reduce oxidative stress induced by methionine/choline deficiency.

Alpha-lipoic acid, methionine and choline are all available in the forms of dietary supplements. Alpha-lipoic acid is one of the most potent antioxidant.

Previous studies have shown that deficiency in methionine or choline can cause oxidative stress in various organs including the liver, kidney, heart and brain.

In the study, male mice were fed either standard chow, or standard chow supplemented with lipoic acid, or methionine/choline deficient diet for two weeks, or methionine/choline deficient diet supplemented with lipoic aicd for two weeks. Brain tissues were analyzed to determine the status of oxidative stress.

Methionine/choline deficient diet increased malondialdehyde and NOx concentrations in all brain regions, which indicated the elevated oxidative stress was caused by methionine/choline deficiency. This confirmed that it is important to take methionine/choline supplements to prevent brain injury induced by the deficiency of these two nutrients.

But those who could not use methionine or choline supplements may use alpha-lipoic acid supplements as the study found that alpha-lipoic acid normalized the concentrations of malondialdehyde and NOx.

Additionally, the methionine/choline deficient diet increased oxidative stress and reduced the antioxidant capability while supplementation with lipoic acid minimized the detrimental effect of methionine/choline deficiency by increasing the catalase activity and GSH content.

The study concluded "LA (lipoic acid) supplementation may be used in order to prevent brain oxidative injury induced by methionine and choline deficiency."

Ideally, a food consumer should make sure that he has sufficient dietary intake of methionine, choline and alpha lipoic acid. But if he couldn't, he could be better off using supplements as the source of these nutrients. (David Liu PHD)

Veskovic M, Mladenovic D, Jorgacevic B, Stevanovic I, de Luka S, Radosavljevic T. Alpha-lipoic acid affects the oxidative stress in various brain structures in mice with methionine and choline deficiency. Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2014 Sep 5.