Effects of alpha lipoic acid supplementation on serum levels of IL-8 and TNF-α in patient with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis Dietary alpha-linolenic acid inhibits proinflammatory cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in hypercholesterolemic subjects. Effect of alpha-lipoic acid and vitamin E supplementation on oxidative stress, inflammation, and malnutrition in hemodialysis patients. Dietary alpha-linolenic acid decreases C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A and interleukin-6 in dyslipidaemic patients. Role of alpha-lipoic acid in the management of anemia in patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis Effects of combination tocopherols and alpha lipoic acid therapy on oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers in chronic kidney disease. Alpha-linolenic acid supplementation and resistance training in older adults. Inflammation markers predict zinc transporter gene expression in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus. &agr;-Lipoic Acid Protects Against Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Simultaneous Kidney-Pancreas Transplantation Effects of Alpha Lipoic Acid on Multiple Cytokines and Biomarkers and Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation Within 1 Year of Catheter Ablation. Background diet influences the anti-inflammatory effect of alpha-linolenic acid in dyslipidaemic subjects. Oral administration of RAC-alpha-lipoic acid modulates insulin sensitivity in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus: a placebo-controlled pilot trial. Impact of therapy with alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) on the oxidative stress in the controlled NIDDM: a possible preventive way against the organ dysfunction? The comparison of antioxidant and hematological properties of N-acetylcysteine and alpha-lipoic acid in physically active males. Efficacy of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on serum levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha, C-reactive protein and interleukin-2 in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. The effect of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors in men with chronic spinal cord injury: a clinical trial Effect of α-Lipoic Acid on Platelet Reactivity in Type 1 Diabetic Patients Effects of Antioxidant Supplements Intervention on the Level of Plasma Inflammatory Molecules and Disease Severity of Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients α-Linolenic acid increases the G0/G1 switch gene 2 mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from obese patients: a pilot study Effects of a 1-year supplementation with cholecalciferol on interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and insulin resistance in overweight and obese subjects. Effects of alpha-lipoic acid supplementation on inflammation, oxidative stress, and serum lipid profile levels in patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis.
Background Chronic renal failure is a progressive and irreversible loss of kidney function , and the hemodialysis ( HD ) is one of the most common modalities in this regard . Oxidative stresses [ like interleukin-8 ( IL-8 ) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha ( TNF-α ) ] and inflammation are the main risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases and other complications in many organs in hemodialysis patients ; meanwhile , antioxidants like alpha lipoic acid ( ALA ) may reduce the oxidative stress markers and the levels of inflammatory cytokines , so can improve of the patient ’s quality of life . Methods In this r and omized clinical trial study , 60 HD patients were r and omly categorized in two case and control groups . Case group received a daily capsule of 600 mg of ALA supplementation for 8 weeks , and the control group received placebo capsules daily . The serum level of IL-8 and TNF-α was measured in both groups before and after the intervention . Results There were no significant differences in age , gender , duration of dialysis , and causative factor for dialysis between both groups ( P > 0.05 ) . The mean of IL-8 and TNF-α after the intervention in case group was 26.20 ± 15.34 and 21.25 ± 9.61 , respectively ; the difference between both groups was not statistically significant ( P > 0.05 ) . Conclusion Based on the better feeling and other beneficial effects of ALA were found in our study ; we can conclude that it is a beneficial and recommended supplement , especially , for diabetic and dialysis patients BACKGROUND Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease . We previously reported that a diet high in alpha-linolenic acid ( ALA ) reduces lipid and inflammatory cardiovascular disease risk factors in hypercholesterolemic subjects . OBJECTIVE The objective was to evaluate the effects of a diet high in ALA on serum proinflammatory cytokine concentrations and cytokine production by cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells ( P BMC s ) from subjects fed the experimental diets . DESIGN A r and omized , controlled , 3-diet , 3-period crossover study design was used . Hypercholesterolemic subjects ( n = 23 ) were assigned to 3 experimental diets : a diet high in ALA ( ALA diet ; 6.5 % of energy ) , a diet high in linoleic acid ( LA diet ; 12.6 % of energy ) , and an average American diet ( AAD ) for 6 wk . Serum interleukin (IL)-6 , IL-1beta , and tumor necrosis factor-alpha ( TNF-alpha ) concentrations and the production of IL-6 , IL-1beta , and TNF-alpha by P BMC s were measured . RESULTS IL-6 , IL-1beta , and TNF-alpha production by P BMC s and serum TNF-alpha concentrations were lower ( P < 0.05 and P < 0.08 , respectively ) with the ALA diet than with the LA diet or AAD .  P BMC production of TNF-alpha was inversely correlated with ALA ( r = -0.402 , P = 0.07 ) and with eicosapentaenoic acid ( r = -0.476 , P = 0.03 ) concentrations in P BMC lipids with the ALA diet . Changes in serum ALA were inversely correlated with changes in TNF-alpha produced by P BMC s ( r = -0.423 , P < 0.05 ) . CONCLUSIONS Increased intakes of dietary ALA elicit antiinflammatory effects by inhibiting IL-6 , IL-1beta , and TNF-alpha production in cultured P BMC s. Changes in P BMC ALA and eicosapentaenoic acid ( derived from dietary ALA ) are associated with beneficial changes in TNF-alpha release . Thus , the cardioprotective effects of ALA are mediated in part by a reduction in the production of inflammatory cytokines INTRODUCTION Increased oxidative stress , inflammation , and malnutrition are present in hemodialysis patients and these factors exacerbate cardiovascular comorbidities . Vitamin E and alpha-lipoic acid ( ALA ) may have a protective role against cardiovascular disease risk factors via anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties . The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ALA and vitamin E administration ( alone or combined ) on hemodialysis-induced stress oxidation , inflammation , and malnutrition . MATERIAL S AND METHODS In a r and omized placebo-controlled trial , we examined the effects of 2-month supplementation by vitamin E and ALA ( alone or combined ) on biomarkers of lipid peroxidation ( malondialdehyde ) , inflammation ( high-sensitivity C-Reactive protein and interleukin-6 ) , and malnutrition ( Subjective Global Assessment and body mass index ) in 85 hemodialysis patients receiving ALA ( 600 mg ) , vitamin E ( 400 IU ) , ALA and vitamin E , and placebo .  RESULTS After supplementation , no significant changes were observed in malondialdehyde level ; however , there was a decrease in the ALA and vitamin E group during the period of the study . Also , a nonsignificant decrease was seen in the high-sensitivity C-Reactive protein concentration of the interventional groups . Supplementation of vitamin E with and without ALA significantly reduced interleukin-6 concentration . A significant improvement was observed in malnutrition status of all groups . CONCLUSIONS Vitamin E and ALA supplementation , especially their combination , might improve inflammation and malnutrition status , which suggest it as a potential preventive strategy against CVD among end-stage renal disease patients BACKGROUND Inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease . We examined whether dietary supplementation with alpha-linolenic acid ( ALA , 18:3n-3 ) affects the levels of inflammatory markers in dyslipidaemic patients . METHODS We recruited 76 male dyslipidaemic patients ( mean age=51+/-8 years ) following a typical Greek diet . They were r and omly assigned either to 15 ml of linseed oil ( rich in ALA ) per day ( n=50 ) or to 15 ml of safflower oil ( rich in linoleic acid ( LA , 18:2n-6 ) ) per day ( n=26 ) . The ratio of n-6:n-3 in linseed oil supplemented group was 1.3:1 and in safflower oil supplemented group 13.2:1 . Dietary intervention lasted for 3 months . Blood lipids and C-reactive protein ( CRP ) , serum amyloid A ( SAA ) , and interleukin-6 ( IL-6 ) levels were determined prior and after intervention . CRP and SAA were measured by nephelometry and IL-6 by immunoassay . RESULTS Dietary supplementation with ALA decreased significantly CRP , SAA and IL-6 levels . The median decrease of CRP was 38 % ( 1.24 vs. 0.93 mg/l , P=0.0008 ) , of SAA 23.1 % ( 3.24 vs. 2.39 mg/l , P=0.0001 ) and of IL-6 10.5 % ( 2.18 vs. 1.7 pg/ml , P=0.01 ) . The decrease of inflammatory markers was independent of lipid changes . Dietary supplementation with LA did not affect significantly CRP , SAA and IL-6 concentrations but decreased cholesterol levels . CONCLUSIONS Dietary supplementation with ALA for 3 months decreases significantly CRP , SAA and IL-6 levels  in dyslipidaemic patients . This anti-inflammatory effect may provide a possible additional mechanism for the beneficial effect of plant n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease Introduction Anemia associated with chronic kidney disease is a serious complication necessitating expenditure of huge medical efforts and re sources . This study investigates the role of alpha-lipoic acid ( ALA ) in end stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis . By the virtue of its antioxidative effects , ALA is expected to act as an erythropoietin ( EPO ) adjuvant , and also has extended beneficial effects on endothelial dysfunction . Methods Forty-four patients undergoing hemodialysis and receiving EPO  were r and omized into two groups : the first group received ALA 600 mg once daily for 3 months ; while the other group represented the control group . Parameters measured at baseline and at end of study were hemoglobin , EPO doses , EPO resistance index ( ERI ) , iron store indices , malondialdehyde , oxidized low-density lipoprotein ( ox-LDL ) , interleukin-6 ( IL-6 ) , tumor necrosis factor-α ( TNF-α ) , and asymmetric dimethylarginine ( ADMA ) , as well as routine laboratory follow-up . Results EPO doses and ERI were significantly decreased in the treatment group , while they did not change in the control group . Hemoglobin , iron store indices , malondialdehyde , oxidized ox-LDL , IL-6 , TNF-α , and ADMA were similar in both treatment and control groups at baseline , and did not change by the end of study period . Likewise , routine laboratory measures were not affected by the treatment . Conclusion ALA could be used in hemodialysis patients to reduce requirements for EPO . However , larger and longer term studies are required to clarify the exact role of ALA in hemodialysis as well as in pre-hemodialysis patients OBJECTIVE Although increased oxidative stress and inflammation are highly prevalent in chronic kidney disease ( CKD ) , few studies have investigated whether oral antioxidant therapy can alter markers of inflammation or oxidative stress in patients with CKD . The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a combination of mixed tocopherols and alpha lipoic acid ( ALA ) would alter biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation in subjects with stage 3 to 4 CKD . METHODS This was a prospect i ve , r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled pilot trial . In all , 62 subjects were enrolled and were r and omly assigned to receive a combination of mixed tocopherols 666 IU/day , in addition to ALA 600 mg/day , or their matching placebos for a total of 8 weeks . Plasma F(2)-isoprostane and protein thiol concentration were measured as biomarkers of oxidative stress , and C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 concentration as biomarkers of systemic inflammation . RESULTS There were no significant differences in demographics , diabetic status , or estimated glomerular filtration rate between study treatment and placebo groups at baseline . Of the 62 r and omized subjects , 58 ( 93 % ) completed the study protocol . After 2 months of treatment , there were no significant changes in the concentrations of F(2)-isoprostanes , protein thiols , C-reactive protein , and interleukin-6 with respect to treatment with mixed tocopherols and ALA as compared with matching placebos , whether analyzed as intention to treat or as treated . Diabetic status and baseline body mass index did not influence the results . CONCLUSIONS Combination of oral mixed tocopherols and ALA treatment for 2 months does not influence biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation in patients with stage 3 to 4 CKD Increased inflammation with aging has been linked to sarcopenia . The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementing older adults with alpha-linolenic acid ( ALA ) during a resistance training program , based on the hypothesis that ALA decreases the plasma concentration of the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-6 , which in turn would improve muscle size and strength . Fifty-one older adults ( 65.4 + /- 0.8 years ) were r and omized to receive ALA in flax oil ( ~14 g.day-1 ) or placebo for 12 weeks while completing a resistance training program ( 3 days a week ) . Subjects were evaluated at baseline and after 12 weeks for muscle thickness of knee and elbow flexors and extensors ( B-mode ultrasound ) , muscle strength ( 1 repetition maximum ) , body composition ( dual energy X-ray absorptiometry ) , and concentrations of TNF-alpha and IL-6 . Males supplementing with ALA  decreased IL-6 concentration over the 12 weeks ( 62 + /- 36 % decrease ; p = 0.003 ) , with no other changes in inflammatory cytokines . Chest and leg press strength , lean tissue mass , muscle thickness , hip bone mineral content and density , and total bone mineral content significantly increased , and percent fat and total body mass decreased with training ( p < 0.05 ) , with the only benefit of ALA being a significantly greater increase in knee flexor muscle thickness in males ( p < 0.05 ) . Total-body bone mineral density improved in the placebo group , with no change in the ALA group ( p = 0.05 ) . ALA supplementation lowers the IL-6 concentration in older men but not women , but had minimal effect on muscle mass and strength during resistance training The pathology of type 2 diabetes mellitus ( DM ) often is associated with underlying states of conditioned zinc deficiency and chronic inflammation . Zinc and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids each exhibit anti-inflammatory effects and may be of therapeutic benefit in the disease . The present r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled , 12-week trial was design ed to investigate the effects of zinc ( 40 mg/day ) and α-linolenic acid ( ALA ; 2 g/day flaxseed oil ) supplementation on markers of inflammation [ interleukin (IL)-1β , IL-6 , tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α , C-reactive protein ( CRP ) ] and zinc transporter and metallothionein gene expression in 48 postmenopausal women with type 2 DM . No significant effects of  zinc or ALA supplementation were observed on inflammatory marker concentrations or fold change in zinc transporter and metallothionein gene expression . Significant increases in plasma zinc concentrations were observed over time in the groups supplemented with zinc alone or combined with ALA ( P=.007 and P=.009 , respectively ) . An impact of zinc treatment on zinc transporter gene expression was found ; ZnT5 was positively correlated with Zip3 mRNA ( P<.001 ) only in participants receiving zinc , while zinc supplementation abolished the relationship between ZnT5 and Zip10 . IL-6 predicted the expression levels and CRP predicted the fold change of the ZnT5 , ZnT7 , Zip1 , Zip7 and Zip10 mRNA cluster ( P<.001 and P=.031 , respectively ) . Fold change in the expression of metallothionein mRNA was predicted by TNF-α ( P=.022 ) . Associations among inflammatory cytokines and zinc transporter and metallothionein gene expression support an interrelationship between zinc homeostasis and inflammation in type 2 DM Background Multiple factors have been implicated in the process of ischemia-reperfusion injury ( IRI ) in organ transplantation . Among these factors , oxidative damage seems to initiate the injury . & agr;-lipoic acid ( ALA ) is a potent antioxidant that is used in patients with diabetic polyneuropathy . The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of ALA in patients undergoing simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplant by evaluating the functional recovery of the graft and biochemical markers of IRI . Methods Twenty-six patients were included in the following groups : ( i ) untreated control ; ( ii ) donor and recipient ( DR ) ALA-treated , in which ALA was administered both to the deceased donor and to the recipients ; and ( iii ) recipient ALA-treated group . The expression of inflammatory genes , as observed in biopsies taken at the end of surgery , as well as the serum cytokines , secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor , regenerating islet-derived protein 3&bgr;/pancreatitis-associated protein , amylase , lipase , glucose , and creatinine levels were quantified as markers of organ function . Results The DR group showed high levels of TGF&bgr ; and low levels of C3 and TNF&agr ; in the kidneys , whereas high levels of C3 and heme oxygenase were identified in pancreas biopsies . Decreases in serum IL-8 , IL-6 , secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor , and regenerating islet-derived protein 3 & bgr;/pancreatitis-associated protein were observed after surgery in the DR group . Serum lipase and amylase were lower in the DR group than in the control and recipient groups . Early kidney dysfunction and clinical pancreatitis were higher in the control group than in either treatment group . Conclusions These results show that ALA preconditioning is capable of reducing inflammatory markers while decreasing early kidney dysfunction and clinical posttransplant pancreatitis Catheter ablation ( CA ) is a procedure commonly used to restore sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation ( AF ) . However , AF recurrence after CA remains a relevant clinical issue . We tested the effects of an oral antioxidant treatment ( alpha lipoic acid [ ALA ] ) on AF recurrence post-CA . Patients with paroxysmal AF have been enrolled in a r and omized , prospect i ve , double-blind , controlled placebo trial . After CA , patients have been r and omly assigned to receive ALA oral supplementation ( ALA group ) or placebo ( control group ) and evaluated at baseline and after a 12-month follow-up : 73 patients completed the 12-month follow-up  ( ALA : 33 and control : 40 ) . No significant difference has been detected between the 2 groups at baseline . Strikingly , 1 year after CA , ALA therapy significantly reduced serum markers of inflammation . However , there was no significant difference in AF recurrence events at follow-up comparing ALA with placebo group . Multivariate analysis revealed that the only independent prognostic risk factor for AF recurrence after CA is age . In conclusion , ALA therapy reduces serum levels of common markers of inflammation in ablated patients . Nevertheless , ALA does not prevent AF recurrence after an ablative treatment Long-chain n-3 PUFA from fish oils are known to have anti-inflammatory effects . We evaluated the effect of alpha-linolenic acid ( ALA ) , precursor of n-3 fatty acids , on serum inflammatory markers and soluble cellular adhesion molecules ( sCAM ) of dyslipidaemic males , relative to their background diet . Participants were assigned to two groups , based upon food intake patterns : ( a ) twenty-one dyslipidaemic subjects who habitually ate a Mediterranean-Cretan-type diet ; ( b ) nineteen dyslipidaemic subjects who normally ate a Westernised Greek diet .  All were supplemented with 8.1 g ALA/d for 12 weeks . We determined serum amyloid A ( SAA ) , C-reactive protein ( CRP ) , macrophage colony-stimulating factor ( MCSF ) , IL-6 , soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 ( sVCAM-1 ) , soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and soluble E-selectin concentrations at the beginning and the end of the ALA supplementation period . Serum baseline concentrations of inflammatory markers and sCAM were similar across the diet groups . Type of diet had a significant impact on the response of inflammatory markers to ALA supplementation . The Westernised Greek diet group showed a reduction in SAA ( P<0.001 ) , CRP ( P=0.002 ) , MCSF ( P=0.005 ) and IL-6 ( P=0.04 ) concentrations . The Mediterranean-Cretan-type background diet group showed a significant reduction only in MCSF concentrations ( P=0.003 ) . The sVCAM-1 concentrations were significantly reduced in both the Westernised Greek diet group ( P=0.001 ) and the Mediterranean-Cretan-type diet group ( P<0.001 ) . The present study demonstrated that ALA supplementation lowered the serum concentrations of inflammatory markers more profoundly when the background diet was rich in saturated fatty acids and poor in MUFA Alpha-lipoic acid ( ALA ) , a naturally occuring compound and a radical scavenger was shown to enhance glucose transport and utilization in different experimental and animal models . Clinical studies described an increase of insulin sensitivity after acute and short-term ( 10 d ) parenteral administration of ALA . The effects of a 4-week oral treatment with alpha-lipoic acid were evaluated in a placebo-controlled , multicenter pilot study to determine see whether oral treatment also improves insulin sensitivity . Seventy-four patients with type-2 diabetes were r and omized to either placebo ( n = 19 ) ; or active treatment in various doses of 600 mg once daily ( n = 19 ) , twice daily ( 1200 mg ; n = 18 ) , or thrice daily ( 1800 mg ; n = 18 ) alpha-lipoic acid . An isoglycemic glucose-clamp was done on days 0 ( pre ) and 29 ( post ) . In this explorative study , analysis was done according to the number of subjects showing an improvement of insulin sensitivity after treatment . Furthermore , the effects of active vs. placebo treatment on insulin sensitivity was compared . All four groups were comparable and had a similar degree of hyperglycemia and insulin sensitivity at baseline . When compared to placebo , significantly more subjects had an increase in insulin-stimulated glucose disposal ( MCR ) after ALA treatment in each group . As there was no dose effect seen in the three different alpha-lipoic acid groups , all subjects receiving ALA were combined in the " active " group and then compared to placebo . This revealed significantly different changes in MCR after treatment ( + 27 % vs. placebo ; p < .01 ) . This placebo-controlled explorative study confirms previous observations of an increase of insulin sensitivity in type-2 diabetes after acute and chronic intravenous administration of ALA . The results suggest that oral administration of alpha-lipoic acid can improve insulin sensitivity in patients with type-2 diabetes . The encouraging findings of this pilot trial need to be substantiated by further investigations There is a growing evidence that excess generation of highly reactive free radicals , largely due to hyperglycemia , causes oxidative stress , which further exacerbates the development and progression of diabetes and its complications . The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of ALA on lipid profile , oxidative pattern and inflammation in patients with controlled non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus ( NIDDM ) .  ALA , 400mg/day was investigated in NIDDM patients over a period of 4 weeks using a r and omized , placebo-(PLA)-controlled study with two parallel groups . The marker of oxidative stress was the concentration of reactive oxygen metabolites , evaluated using a commercially available test , called d-ROMs  test  , and the  biological antioxidant potential ( BAP ) ; besides , the lipid profile ( total cholesterol = TC , high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol = HDL-C ; low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol = LDL-C , and triglycerides = TG ) and the C-reactive protein ( CRP ) , marker of inflammation were measured at the beginning and at the end of the treatment . A total of 14 patients were r and omly assigned to the two groups . ALA was safe and well tolerated in the only oral daily administration . The d-ROMs test ( p=0.03 ) and HDL-C ( p=0.04 ) showed a significant difference between the two groups . BAP ( p=0.06 ) tended to be higher in the treated patients , while LDL-C ( p=0.07 ) presented a moderate decline . There were no significant differences in TC ( p=0.65 ) , TG ( p=0.78 ) and CRP ( p=0.96 ) between the ALA and PLA groups . ALA therapy appears to reduce significantly d-ROMs and to improve HDL-C value , especially in men with metabolic syndrome treated with oral hypoglycemic drugs . These findings will be useful in patient selection in future clinical trials with ALA in long term studies The aim of this study was to follow up whether the modification of pro-antioxidant status by oral thiol administration such as N-acetylcysteine and alpha-lipoic acid affects the  hematological response . Twenty-eight healthy men participated in two independent experiments . Subjects were r and omly assigned to one of four groups : controls ( C(NAC ) and C(ALA ) ) , N-acetylcysteine ( NAC ) and alpha-lipoic acid ( ALA ) . 1200 mg of N-acetylcysteine , 600 mg of alpha-lipoic acid or placebo were administered for 8 days in two doses . NAC or ALA administration significantly elevated plasma total antioxidant status ( TAS ) and reduced protein carbonylation ( PC ) and lipid peroxidation ( TBARS ) by more than 30 % . The reduced glutathione ( GSH ) and hematological parameters changed only in response to NAC administration . NAC significantly elevated the level of GSH ( + 33 % ) , EPO ( + 26 % ) , Hb ( + 9 % ) and Hct ( + 9 % ) compared with C(NAC ) . The mean corpuscular volume ( MCV ) and the mean corpuscular hemoglobin ( MCH ) also increased by more than 12 % after NAC . The numerous negative or positive correlations between the measures of TAS , PC , TBARS and hematological parameters were found , which suggest the NAC-induced interaction between pro-antioxidant and hematological values . Our study has shown that both N-acetylcysteine and alpha-lipoic acid intake reveal an antioxidant action , but only N-acetylcysteine improves the haematological response INTRODUCTION Consumption of omega-3 fatty acids can alter the inflammatory response in diabetic patients . This study aim ed to determine the effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on the serum levels of C-reactive protein ( CRP ) , interleukin (IL)-2 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha ( TNF-α ) in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients . METHODS A r and omised , double-blind , placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on 84 subjects aged 45 - 85 years with at least a two-year history of type 2 diabetes mellitus . Participants were r and omly assigned to the treatment or control group . Each subject in the treatment group received three omega-3 capsules per day ( eicosapentaenoic acid 1,548 mg ; docosahexaenoic acid 828 mg ; other omega-3 fatty acids 338 mg ) , while each subject in the control group received three placebo capsules ( sunflower oil 2,100 mg ) for a period of eight weeks . At the beginning of the study and post intervention , fasting blood sample s were taken and serum concentrations of IL-2 , TNF-α and CRP were assessed and compared . RESULTS Serum IL-2 and TNF-α levels were significantly reduced in the treatment group compared to the controls ( p < 0.01 ) . There was no significant change in serum CRP levels . CONCLUSION Short-term omega-3 fatty acid supplementation ( 3 g/day for eight weeks ) can decrease the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-2 in diabetic patients , with no change in CRP levels . Consumption of omega-3 fatty acid supplements is highly recommended to alleviate inflammation caused by type 2 diabetes mellitus Study design : A r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled clinical trial . Objective : To assess the effect of alpha-lipoic acid ( ALA ) supplementation on IL-6 , hs-CRP , FBS , anthropometric indices , food intake and blood pressure in male patients with chronic spinal cord injury ( SCI ) . Setting : Imam Khomeini Hospital , Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran . Methods : Fifty-eight men with chronic SCI participated in the study . Participants were divided in two groups : one group received 600 mg of supplemental ALA ( n=28 ) and the other group received placebo ( n=30 ) for 12 weeks . At the beginning and end of the study , biochemical parameters , anthropometric indices , blood pressure and dietary intakes were measured . Dietary intake was measured using N4 software , and statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS16 . Results : No significant reduction was found in IL-6 ( P=0.97 ) and hs-CRP levels ( P=0.23 ) . There was significant reduction in fasting blood sugar ( P=0.001 ) , body weight ( P=0.001 ) , BMI ( P=0.001 ) , waist circumference ( P=0.001 ) and blood pressure ( P=0.001 ) . Dietary intake was significantly reduced , including fat ( P=0.001 ) , carbohydrate ( P=0.001 ) , protein ( P=0.002 ) and energy intakes ( P=0.001 ) . Conclusion : Lipoic acid supplementation had no significant effect on the measured inflammatory markers but it reduces fasting blood sugar , anthropometric parameters , food intake and blood pressure in men with chronic SCI OBJECTIVE Type 1 diabetes is associated with increased platelet reactivity . We investigated whether α-lipoic acid ( ALA ) has any effect on platelet reactivity in these patients . RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We r and omly assigned 51 type 1 diabetic patients to ALA  ( 600 mg once daily ) or placebo for 5 weeks . Platelet reactivity was evaluated by the PFA-100 method and by measuring CD41 and CD62 platelet expression . C-reactive protein ( CRP ) and 8-iso-prostagl and in F2α serum levels also were measured . RESULTS Baseline variables were similar in the two groups . After treatment , closure time was longer ( P = 0.006 ) and CD62P platelet expression was lower , both before ( P = 0.002 ) and after ( P = 0.009 ) ADP stimulation in the ALA group compared with the placebo group . CRP and 8-iso-prostagl and in F2α levels showed no differences between the two groups . CONCLUSIONS Our data show that ALA reduces measures of platelet reactivity ex vivo in type 1 diabetic patients , independently of antioxidant or anti-inflammatory effects Objective : Excess generation of reactive oxygen species in damaged joints accelerates inflammatory responses in RA ( rheumatoid arthritis ) patients . The complementary effects of dietary antioxidant supplementation on the blood level of inflammatory mediators and the severity of the disease in RA patients were evaluated . Study Design and Setting s : The study was conducted as a r and omized , placebo-controlled , double-blind , three-treatment cross-over design trial . The participants visited the hospital as out patients . Subjects : Twenty patients meeting the 1987 criteria for the classification of rheumatoid arthritis completed the study . Interventions : The subjects were r and omized in three groups to receive one of following supplementation ; quercetin+vitamin C ( 166mg+133mg/capsule ) , α-lipoic acid ( 300mg/capsule ) or placebo for 4 weeks ( 3 capsules/day ) . Each treatment period consisted of 4 weeks with 2 weeks of wash-out period before the subject starts next supplementation . Outcome Parameters : Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α ) , interleukin-1β(IL-1β ) , interleukin -6(IL-6 ) , and C-reactive protein ( CRP ) were measured . The severity of disease was evaluated using Korean Health Assessment Question naire(KHAQ ) and Visual Analogue Scale(VAS ) . Nutrient intake was measured at baseline and at the end of each intervention period . Results : The mean energy and nutrient intakes remained constant during study period . No significant differences were found in the serum concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines and CRP between treatments . The scores of disease severity measurements were not significantly different between treatments , although quercetin supplementation had a tendency to reduce VAS . Conclusions : Dietary supplementation of antioxidants at 900 mg/day for 4 weeks did not change the blood biomarkers of inflammation and disease severity of RA patients under conventional medical treatments . Further considerations for dose-response relationships , duration of supplementation , and susceptible biomarkers are required Background Recent evidence has demonstrated that the G0/G1 switch gene 2 ( G0S2 ) is an important negative regulator of the rate-limiting lipolytic enzyme adipose triglyceride lipase-mediated lipolysis . It has been revealed that α-linolenic acid ( ALA ) , a plant-based essential omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids , reduces adipose tissue lipolysis . However , it is not known whether G0S2 is implicated in ALA-induced inhibition of lipolysis . The purpose of this pilot study is to investigate the effect of ALA on G0S2 gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells ( P BMC ) of obese patients and the potential influence of G0S2 gene expression in ALA-induced inhibition of lipolysis . Methods A total of 26 obese patients were r and omly assigned to be  treated with or without ALA treatment ( ~4.0 g daily ) for 12 weeks : the ALA-treated group  ( n = 14 ) or the untreated control group  ( n = 12 ) . Plasma triglyceride ( TG ) , free fatty acids ( FFA ) , glycerol , interleukin-6 ( IL-6 ) and tumor necrosis factor-α ( TNF-α ) , as well as the mRNA expression levels of proliferator-activated receptor gamma ( PPAR-γ ) , G0S2 , and G protein-coupled receptor 120 ( GPR120 ) in P BMC were repeatedly examined from fasting obese patients before and after ALA treatment . Results ALA significantly decreased plasma TG , FFA , glycerol , IL-6 , and TNF-α levels and increased the mRNA expression levels of PPAR-γ , G0S2 , and GPR120 in P BMC , compared with the untreated control group . In obese patients from the ALA-treated group , decreased plasma FFA ( a biomarker for lipolysis ) level was significantly correlated with increased PPAR-γ ( a functional omega-3 fatty acids receptor ) and G0S2 ( a direct target gene of PPAR-γ ) mRNA expression in P BMC , while decreased plasma FFA level was not correlated with increased GPR120 ( another functional omega-3 fatty acids receptor ) mRNA expression in P BMC . Conclusion This study shows that ALA  increases G0S2 gene expression in P BMC in parallel with the decrease of plasma FFA level in obese patients .  Increased G0S2 gene expression might contribute to the beneficial anti-lipolytic effect of ALA in obese patients Insufficient vitamin D status has been linked to autoimmune diseases , cancer and metabolic disorders , like obesity and insulin resistance . In vitro and animal studies suggest that vitamin D may play a crucial role in immune activation and inflammation . The relation between vitamin D and pro-inflammatory cytokines is not completely established . Furthermore , it is not known if the effect of vitamin D on entities of metabolic syndrome is mediated through its effect on cytokines or other biomarkers . The objectives of this study were to investigate if there is a relationship between vitamin D status and such pro-inflammatory cytokines as tumor necrosis factor-alpha ( TNF-α ) , interleukin 6 ( IL-6 ) and high sensitive C-reactive protein ( hs-CRP ) in patients with overweigh and obesity . We also proposed that the intervention with high dose of cholecalciferol may have effect on the cytokine levels and result in corresponding changes in the measures of insulin resistance ( HOMA-IR and QUICKI ) . Serum levels of IL-6 , TNF-α and hs-CRP were measured in 332 overweight and obese subjects who completed a 1-year r and omised intervention with either 40,000 IU vitamin D ( cholecalciferol ) per week or 20,000 IU vitamin D per week  ,  or placebo .  We found significant associations between IL-6 , TNF-α , vitamin D and insulin resistance indices at baseline . One year intervention with vitamin D  decreased serum IL-6 levels ; however hs-CRP levels were significantly increased . Neither measures of insulin resistance , nor TNF-α were influenced by a 1-year vitamin D supplementation OBJECTIVE We examined the effects of alpha-lipoic acid ( ALA ) supplementation on inflammation , oxidative stress , and serum lipid profile levels in hemodialysis ( HD ) patients . DESIGN This was a double-blinded , r and omized , placebo-controlled clinical trial . SETTING The present study involved HD centers in Tabriz , Iran . PATIENTS Participants included 63 patients with end-stage renal disease ( 43 men and 20 women ; age range : 22 - 79 years ) undergoing maintenance HD . INTERVENTION HD patients were r and omly assigned into the supplemented group ( n = 31 ) , receiving a daily dose of ALA ( 600 mg ) , or a control group ( n = 32 ) , receiving placebo for 8 weeks . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES High sensitivity C-reactive protein ( hsCRP ) , malondialdehyde , total antioxidant status , total cholesterol , triglyceride , high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( HDL-C ) , and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) were measured at baseline and after 8 weeks of supplementation . RESULTS At the end of intervention , 11 patients were excluded from the study .  HsCRP levels decreased by 18.7 % in the supplemented group after 8 weeks of supplementation , and the reduction was significant in comparison with the placebo group ( P < .05 ) ; this finding was also significant after adjusting for baseline values of hsCRP . The mean malondialdehyde and total antioxidant status levels did not change significantly in the 2 groups during the study . The mean high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations increased significantly in the supplemented group at the end of the study ( P < .05 ) ; however , this improvement was not statistically significant as compared with the placebo group . No significant alterations were observed in the other lipid profile parameters within each group during the study . CONCLUSION ALA supplementation significantly reduced hsCRP levels , which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in HD patients
Our results indicated possible decreasing effect of ALA on inflammatory mediators especially in high dose .
& NA ; Alpha‐Lipoic Acid ( ALA ) is a natural antioxidant compound which is naturally found in plant sources .
New evidence revealed that ALA can reduce inflammation .
Our objective in this meta‐ analysis was to conduct a systematic review and meta‐ analysis on r and omized controlled trials to indicate ALA effects on serum inflammatory mediators concentration such as tumor necrosis factor‐alpha ( TNF‐&agr ; ) , c‐reactive protein ( CRP ) , and interleukin‐6 ( IL‐6 ) .