HEALTH NEWS

Study Title:

R-Alpha Lipoic Acid and Acetyl-L-Carnitine Reverse Brain Aging

Study Abstract

To investigate the mitochondrial decay and oxidative damage resulting from aging, the activities/kinetics of the mitochondrial complexes were examined in the brains of young and old rats as well as in old rats fed R-alpha-lipoic acid plus acetyl-L-carnitine (LA/ALC). The brain mitochondria of old rats, compared with young rats, had significantly decreased endogenous antioxidants and superoxide dismutase activity; more oxidative damage to lipids and proteins; and decreased activities of complex I, IV and V. Complex I showed a decrease in binding affinity (increase in K(m)) for substrates. Feeding LA/ALC to old rats partially restored age-associated mitochondrial dysfunction to the levels of the young rats. These results indicate that oxidative mitochondrial decay plays an important role in brain aging and that a combination of nutrients targeting mitochondria, such as LA/ALC, could ameliorate mitochondrial decay through preventing mitochondrial oxidative damage.

Study Information

Long J, Gao F, Tong L, Cotman CW, Ames BN, Liu J.
Mitochondrial decay in the brains of old rats: ameliorating effect of alpha-lipoic acid and acetyl-L-carnitine.
Neurochem Res
2009 April
Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-4540, USA.