Reflex Nutrition Alpha Lipoic Acid Review

Alpha Lipoic Acid is a supplement from UK based company Reflex Nutrition. The supplement description states that it is an antioxidant. The aim of this review is to examine the individual ingredients of this supplement to understand if it safe for athletes to use and how it can be beneficial.

Alpha Lipoic Acid

Alpha lipoic acid acts like B vitamins as it helps convert fats, carbohydrates and proteins into energy (1). It can also acts as a unique antioxidant as because it is soluble in both water and
lipids. This allows it to neutralize free radicals just about everywhere in the body, inside and outside the cells and it protects membranes by interacting with vitamin C and glutathione, which may in turn recycle vitamin E (2).

Maltodextrin

Maltodextrin is a polysaccharide which is a complex carbohydrate. This ingredient is water soluble and unlike other carbohydrates, is easily digestible (3) and can give a quick release of energy without any spikes of glycaemia (4).

Magnesium Stearate

Magnesium stearate does not induce any nutritional benefits. The main reason for this substance being in the supplement is that it is a lubricant for the machinery that manufactures the product.

Silicone Dioxide

Silicon Dioxide doesn’t add any nutritional benefits to this supplement. The main reason for silicon dioxide in this supplement is that it aids in the even distribution of the active ingredients in this supplement.

This supplement is an antioxidant and it can also help turn fats, carbohydrate and protein into energy. This product can be taken at any time of the day. This product has no banned substances when referring to the WADA prohibited list when observing the label/ingredients posted on the website.

*NOTE – This product has not been tested in a laboratory and may contain other substances that may not appear on the label

1 – Data, P. (1995). Alpha-Lipoic Acid. Arzneimittelforschung, 45, 872-874.

2 – Packer, L., Witt, E. H., & Tritschler, H. J. (1995). Alpha-lipoic acid as a biological antioxidant. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 19(2), 227-250.

3 – Haralampu, S. G. (2000). Resistant starch—a review of the physical properties and biological impact of RS< sub> 3. Carbohydrate polymers, 41(3), 285-292.

4 – Roberts, M., Lockwood, C., Dalbo, V. J., Tucker, P., Frye, A., Polk, R., … & Kerksick, C. (2009). Ingestion of a high molecular weight modified waxy maize starch alters metabolic responses to prolonged exercise in trained cyclists. In FASEB abstract.