I had a 'teehee!' moment today.

Doing all my reading about burning mouth syndrome and what 'natural' remedies have helped, I decided to give ALA a go. So I went to my local apocathary, and they were glad to send a request to compounding for 60 capsules for me to try and see if this helps the mouth pain (I really want to move away from stuff like Clonazepam if natural would help).

So I pick up the ALA Wednesday... but I was surprised (yes, complete ignorance here) to read about how people with MS have and do use ALA specifically for MS.

Anyone else try ALA previously? Now I'm really curious. I asked for it specifically for the BMS situation, but I was clueless that others take it for MS.

What sx does it supposedly help in MS? I've taken it before just as a supplement but have never heard it recommended for MS.

I'll google it and see what I come up with.........brb!!

http://www.thisisms.com/article70.html

This is the only thing I found connecting ALA with MS. Pretty interesting!

I was reading reviews of it here:

http://www.revolutionhealth.com/drug...remitting-rrms

And this:

http://www.centurywellness.com/newsl...20Fight_MS.htm

ALA is a powerful antioxidant. Thirty-seven multiple sclerosis subjects were given alpha lipoic acid 1200 mg a day for 14 days. The results were positive. ALA was able to lower levels of two markers for multiple sclerosis called MMP-9 and CAMP-1. The researchers say, "ALA may prove useful in treating multiple sclerosis by inhibiting MMP-9 activity and interfering with T-cell migration into the CNS." MMP-9 is a matrix metalloproteinase substance which is high in multiple sclerosis patients. MMP-9 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cancer, autoimmune disease, and various pathologic conditions characterized by excessive fibrosis. The fact that ALA was able to reduce it is a positive indication.

Although this study in no way says ALA will be a cure or long term benefit for those with multiple sclerosis, it does open the door for further exploration. I think the dose of 1200 mg is extremely high, and I would not recommend more than 50 mg a day of R-Alpha Lipoic Acid for long term use.
Another study which was completed in 2005 on ALA in MS, had also shown to beneficial for MS patients. ALA is an antioxidant that suppresses and treats an animal model of MS, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. The purpose of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics (PK), tolerability and effects on matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAMP-1) of oral Alpha Lipoic acid in patients with multiple sclerosis. Thirty-seven multiple sclerosis subjects were randomly assigned to one of four groups: placebo, Alpha Lipoic acid 600 mg twice a day, Alpha Lipoic acid 1200 mg once a day and Alpha Lipoic acid 1200 mg twice a day. Subjects took study capsules for 14 days. The study found that subjects taking 1200 mg Alpha Lipoic acid had substantially higher peak serum Alpha Lipoic acid levels than those taking 600 mg and that peak levels varied considerably among subjects. The study also found a significant negative correlation between peak serum Alpha Lipoic acid levels and mean changes in serum MMP-9 levels. There was a significant dose response relationship between Alpha Lipoic acid and mean change in serum sICAM-1 levels. The case study conclude that oral Alpha Lipoic acid is generally well tolerated and appears capable of reducing serum MMP-9 and sICAM-1 levels. Alpha Lipoic acid may prove useful in treating multiple sclerosis by inhibiting MMP-9 activity and interfering with T-cell migration into the CNS.

Other THINGS that reduce MMP-9s

Things that reduce MMP-9s (AKA gelatinase B)

This list of GOOD "things" for MS should seem familiar - This is WHY???

QUERCETIN..........................REDUCES MMP-9s

VIT D3 .................................REDUCES MMP-9s

RESVERATROL (Grape Skin Extract) ...REDUCES MMP-9s
(NOT GRAPE SEED EXTRACT)

GREEN TEA EXTRACT(EGCGs)... REDUCES MMP-9s

ALPHA LIPOIC ACID (R-lipoic/ R-Dihdro-LipoicAcid) ... REDUCES MMP-9s

NAC N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine .......REDUCES MMP-9s

STATIN DRUGS (i.e Zocor) .....REDUCES MMP-9s

Omega-3s (ie Fish oil) ...........REDUCES MMP-9s

Minocycline/Doxycycline.........REDUCES MMP-9s

Curcumin.............................REDUCES MMP-9s

Pycnogenol (Pine bark extract)..REDUCES MMP-9s

Chondroitin sulfate (CS) and CS plus glucosamine sulfate (GS) ..REDUCES MMP-9s

Interferon Betas 1a/1b...........REDUCES MMP-9

(of course Steroids ....REDUCES MMP-9s)

***NOTE*** ( gelatinase B = MMP-9) ***NOTE***


I have lots more information on this MMP - MS - INTERFERON-beta connection and will elaborate it if there is some interest in this subject here.

Jack n dalton - jackD


Lancet Neurol. 2003 Dec;2(12):747-56.

Functional roles and therapeutic targeting of gelatinase B(MMP-9) and chemokines in
multiple sclerosis.

Opdenakker G, Nelissen I, Van Damme J.
GO, IN, and JVD are at the Rega Institute for Medical Research, University
of
Leuven, Belgium

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of the CNS of unknown
cause. Pathogenetic mechanisms, such as chemotaxis, subsequent activation of
autoreactive lymphocytes, and skewing of the extracellular proteinase
balance, are targets for new therapies.

Matrix metalloproteinase gelatinase B (MMP-9) is upregulated in MS and was
recently shown to degrade interferon beta, one of the drugs used to treat
MS.

Consequently, the effect of endogenously produced interferon beta or
parenterally given interferon beta may be increased by gelatinase B(MMP-9)
inhibitors. Blockage of chemotaxis or cell adhesion molecule engagement, and
inhibition of hydoxymethyl-glutaryl-coenzyme-A reductase to lower expression
of gelatinase B(MMP-9), may become effective treatments of MS, alone or in
combination with interferon beta. This may allow interferon beta to be used
at lower doses and prevent side-effects.

PMID: 14636780 [PubMed - in process]


1: Brain. 2003 Jun;126(Pt 6):1371-81.

Gelatinase B/matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9) cleaves interferon-beta and is a
target for immunotherapy.

Nelissen I, Martens E, Van den Steen PE, Proost P, Ronsse I, Opdenakker G.
Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Molecular Immunology,
University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.

Parenteral administration of interferon (IFN)-beta is one of the currently
approved therapies for multiple sclerosis. One characteristic of this
disease is the increased production of gelatinase B(MMP-9), also called matrix
metalloproteinase (MMP-9) Gelatinase B is capable of destroying the
blood-brain barrier, and of cleaving myelin basic protein into
immunodominant and encephalitogenic fragments, thus playing a functional
role and being a therapeutic target in multiple sclerosis. Here we
demonstrate that gelatinase B(MMP-9) proteolytically cleaves IFN-beta, kills its
activity, and hence counteracts this cytokine as an antiviral and
immunotherapeutic agent. This proteolysis is more pronounced with
IFN-beta-1b than with IFN-beta-1a. Furthermore, the tetracycline
minocycline, which has a known blocking effect in experimental autoimmune
encephalomyelitis, an in vivo model of acute inflammation in multiple
sclerosis, and other MMP inhibitors prevent the in vitro degradation of
IFN-beta by gelatinase B(MMP-9). These data provide a novel mechanism and rationale
for the inhibition of gelatinase B(MMP-9) in diseases in which IFN-beta has a
beneficial effect. The combination of gelatinase B(MMP-9) inhibitors with better
and lower pharmacological formulations of IFN-beta may reduce the
side-effects of treatment with IFN-beta, and is therefore proposed for
multiple sclerosis therapy and the immunotherapy of viral infections.

PMID: 12764058 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

for lipoic acid.

Alpha lipoic has been used for many years here and in Europe.
But only one part of it (it is a mixed isomer product) is active in the body.

So now there is r-lipoic acid and you use it in much lower doses.
50mg or 100mg a day.

There is one study for ALPHA showing possible interaction with thyroid hormone...that it blocks the actions of thyroid. But there are no studies yet about this with the new improved form used in much lower doses.

here are examples of the newer type:
http://www.iherb.com/Search.aspx?c=1...=r-lipoic+acid

If you choose a tablet form of 100mg you can break them in half for 50mg an save $$.
I found 50 mg very powerful at first, and did that. Now I use
100mg daily.
I have used over the past year:
SourceNaturals
Country Life
Doctor's best

all are good and affordable.