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# Lipoic acid helps cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/lipoic_acid_alzheimer_s_disease_1103130135/
- Published: 2013-11-03T11:34:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:26:41.000Z
- Description: In a trial of 126 Alzheimer's patients reported in the Journal of Neurodegenerative Diseases, 600 mg of lipoic acid a day improved MMSE scores in 43 percent of those taking it against 23 percent of controls, with better scores on other measures as well.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Supplements, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

Sunday Nov 03, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- A clinical study published in Journal of Neurodegenerative Diseases suggests that taking lipoic acid as a dietary supplement can slow the cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease with insulin resistance.

Antonietta Fava from University of Catanzaro in Catanzaro, Italy and colleagues conducted the trial study and found Alzheimer's patients with insulin resistance taking 600 mg of lipoic acid per day had cognitive function better retained than those who did not take lipoic acid.

Lipoic acid as a potent antioxidant is known to have a favorable impact on glucose metabolism and insulin resistance. Because diabetes is linked with Alzheimer's disease, the researchers set out to examine how lipoic acid would affect Alzheimer's disease.

For the study, 126 patients with Alzheimer's disease were assigned to receive either 600 mg of lipoic acid or placebo each day and a number of evaluations were conducted to measure cognitive function at baseline and the end of the study.

The researchers found at the end of the study, MMSE scores showed a significant improvement in 43% patients taking lipoic acid supplements, compared to only 23% of controls.

Also more patients taking lipoic acid supplementation were found to retain better scores on ADAS-Cog, CIBIC, and ADFACS, compared with those who did not take the supplement.

Lipoic acid has been known to help type 2 diabetes mellitus and weight loss. About 5 million Americans are believed to live with Alzheimer's disease.

MMSE - mini–mental state examination

ADAS-Cog - Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive 

CIBIC - Clinician's Interview-Based Impression of Severity 

CDR - Clinical Dementia Rating 

ADFACS - Alzheimer's Disease Functional and Change Scale