When I consume carbs, I prefer them fermented and poured into a pint glass… I may be a nutrition nut, but we’re grown ups here and booze are fun. If you’re a social drinker like myself, but not a fan of feeling like your frontal lobe is begging to be amputated, then maybe it’s time to invest in some Na-R-Ala.
What the heck is Na-R-Ala? Without getting too complicated, Na-R-Ala is the most stable form of something called “Alpha-Lipoic Acid.” It’s a very powerful antioxidant that is naturally produced by the body, but declines with age. It it both water soluble and fat soluble which allows it to have access to all parts of our cells including those in our brain (ALA crosses the blood brain barrier).
Why supplement with Na-R-Ala when you drink alcohol?
Alcohol causes the production of excess "reactive oxygen species," a type of "free radical." This can be toxic to our cells (especially the membranes) as well as mediate for unwanted inflammation. Alpha-Lipoic Acid will help neutralize this cascade of free radicals and additionally has been shown to restore radical-fighting vitamins such as vitamin c and vitamin e.
Basically... if your head-ball hurts from drinking alcohol, it's because you voluntarily poured poison into your face. Now your body has to get rid of it and fix the damage. Popping some Na-R-Ala will help this process and hopefully shorten the amount of time you feel like dookie.
What the heck is Na-R-Ala? Without getting too complicated, Na-R-Ala is the most stable form of something called “Alpha-Lipoic Acid.” It’s a very powerful antioxidant that is naturally produced by the body, but declines with age. It it both water soluble and fat soluble which allows it to have access to all parts of our cells including those in our brain (ALA crosses the blood brain barrier).
Why supplement with Na-R-Ala when you drink alcohol?
Alcohol causes the production of excess "reactive oxygen species," a type of "free radical." This can be toxic to our cells (especially the membranes) as well as mediate for unwanted inflammation. Alpha-Lipoic Acid will help neutralize this cascade of free radicals and additionally has been shown to restore radical-fighting vitamins such as vitamin c and vitamin e.
Basically... if your head-ball hurts from drinking alcohol, it's because you voluntarily poured poison into your face. Now your body has to get rid of it and fix the damage. Popping some Na-R-Ala will help this process and hopefully shorten the amount of time you feel like dookie.
Dosing:
(Quick disclaimer... This stuff is not marketed as a "hangover remedy" so there is no standard dosage/timing recommendation for this use. I am also not a licensed healthcare professional and won't have any money for you if you decide to sue me for any reason).
That being said, I have played around with dosing. I think what works best is to take 100-300mg Na-R-Ala with a full glass of water right before bed after a night of debauchery.
I've tried taking it before a few highballs instead of waiting til after and I noticed that it was actually harder to get to a buzz... Now that's just a waste of money. I've also waited until the following morning with varied success, but then why wait and risk waking up in pain?
Where to buy?
Check the interwebs. Most brick and mortar nutrition stores will only have regular Alpha-Lipoic Acid, which is not worth your greenbacks.
Remember to Drink Responsibly/ Or at least get a good story out of it...
(Quick disclaimer... This stuff is not marketed as a "hangover remedy" so there is no standard dosage/timing recommendation for this use. I am also not a licensed healthcare professional and won't have any money for you if you decide to sue me for any reason).
That being said, I have played around with dosing. I think what works best is to take 100-300mg Na-R-Ala with a full glass of water right before bed after a night of debauchery.
I've tried taking it before a few highballs instead of waiting til after and I noticed that it was actually harder to get to a buzz... Now that's just a waste of money. I've also waited until the following morning with varied success, but then why wait and risk waking up in pain?
Where to buy?
Check the interwebs. Most brick and mortar nutrition stores will only have regular Alpha-Lipoic Acid, which is not worth your greenbacks.
Remember to Drink Responsibly/ Or at least get a good story out of it...
References and Further Reading:
Summary of Benefits/Effects:
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/othernuts/la/
ALA enhances antioxidant defenses and the function of endothelial cells:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12086686?dopt=Abstract
Na-R-Ala is more bio-available than R-Ala and racemic Ala (has both S and R isomers):
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18069903?dopt=Citation
ALA reduces DNA damage and oxidative stress induced by alcohol in rats:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19088458
Summary of Benefits/Effects:
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/othernuts/la/
ALA enhances antioxidant defenses and the function of endothelial cells:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12086686?dopt=Abstract
Na-R-Ala is more bio-available than R-Ala and racemic Ala (has both S and R isomers):
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18069903?dopt=Citation
ALA reduces DNA damage and oxidative stress induced by alcohol in rats:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19088458
RSS Feed