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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2021 Sep;75(9):e14455.
doi: 10.1111/ijcp.14455. Epub 2021 Jul 5.

The efficacy of alpha-lipoic acid in improving oxidative, inflammatory, and mood status in women with episodic migraine in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

Mahnaz Rezaei Kelishadi  1 , Amirmansour Alavi Naeini  1 , Gholamreza Askari  1 , Fariborz Khorvash  2 , Zahra Heidari  3
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

The efficacy of alpha-lipoic acid in improving oxidative, inflammatory, and mood status in women with episodic migraine in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

Mahnaz Rezaei Kelishadi et al. Int J Clin Pract. 2021 Sep.

Abstract

Aim: Migraine is a common neurovascular disorder, which is associated with severe to moderate disabling headaches. Oxidative stress and inflammation might play a role in migraine pathogenesis and the mood disorders. Considering the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), this study was designed to investigate its effect on oxidative, inflammatory, and mood conditions in women with episodic migraine.

Methods: In total, 92 women with episodic migraine participated in the study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups, receiving a 300-mg capsule of ALA or placebo twice daily for 3 months. To assess the oxidative and inflammatory status, the serum levels of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant status (TOS), glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), oxidative stress index (OSI), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined at the beginning and at the end of the intervention. A depression, anxiety, stress scale (DASS-21-items) questionnaire was used to evaluate mood status.

Results: Finally, 79 patients reached the final analysis stage. At the end of the intervention, a significant decrease in the serum levels of MDA (means difference [MD]: -0.83, 95% confidence intervals (CI): -1.04, -0.62 nmol/mL vs MD: -0.32, CI: -0.48, -0.15 nmol/mL; P < .001) and CRP (MD: -0.78, CI: -1.17, -0.39 mg/L vs MD: -0.63, CI: -1.80, 0.52 mg/L; P < .001) was observed in the ALA as compared with the placebo group, but changes in serum GSH (P = .086), TAC (P = .068), TOS (P = .225), and OSI (P = .404) were not statistically significant. In addition, depression, anxiety, and stress (with P < .001, in all cases) had significantly decreased in the intervention as compared with the control group.

Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that ALA supplementation for 3 months has beneficial effects on improving the oxidative, inflammatory, and mood conditions of patients suffering from episodic migraine.

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References

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