I’ve been taking Alpha Lipoic Acid for about a year now. I wrote about its possible chances of helping with smell loss before. I am not sure if that’s what has helped me regain most of my smell back, but I still keep taking it as I read good things about it overall. I also take a whole food based multivitamin now. I quit taking synthetic ones.
After some research, I found this site www.iherb.com to have better prices and products than most places. I’ve been happy with my orders so far. They even sent me a code that I could share with friends. You can save $5 on your first order by using this coupon code: PEK346 at the bottom of the order page. Let me know if you know of a better place with better prices and service.
33 comments
Comments feed for this article
August 21, 2008 at 10:34 am
Doug Cress
so most of your smell has returned? that is fantastic!
August 21, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Jeff the Vitamin Guy
This is very exciting, I lost the sense of smell over 15 years ago… it would be nice to have it back. I’m going to try it.
August 28, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Debbie
I too have damaged my Olfactory nerve, the doctors say. It was breathing sewer gas inside my shoppe. I have had many symptoms, and at first the doctors could not tell what was wrong. I have been suffering since Sept 07. I have terrible burning sensations in my tongue also my gums and roof of mouth. Terrible cold sweats. And used to have that rotten terrible taste. It is now gone, mostly, but when I smell chemicals or strong smells, I now taste them, and my gums will swell. I can only hope the nerve will heal. I am encouraged by your story. DId you cry a lot. THis has been the most depressing time in my whole life. WHat supplements did you take.
Thanks
September 24, 2008 at 10:58 pm
Adri
I’m a scientis, I found this and gave me a lot of hope….
To investigate the effect of lipoic acid on the sense of smell, the German researchers monitored a group of 23 individuals (median age 57; range 22–79) who had olfactory dysfunction following viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. 1 Four of the patients suffered from complete loss of smell (anosmia), while 19 reported a reduced loss (hyposmia); the average duration of the loss was 14 months (range 4–33 months). All patients received the same treatment—600 mg/day of lipoic acid for an average of 4.5 months (range 3–11 months)—and all were subjected to a trio of standardized olfactory tests before and after the treatment period.
The tests employed were: odor threshold (establishing the lowest concentration at which a certain molecule, phenylethyl alcohol, could be detected); odor discrimination (identifying which of three odors was distinct from the other two, using a battery of 16 different odor combinations); and odor identification (identifying 16 different odors based on written descriptors). The results of these tests were combined into a single number—the “threshold, discrimination, and identification,” or TDI, score—which is used to evaluate the degree of olfactory dysfunction.
Lipoic Acid Improves Sense of Smell
Following treatment with lipoic acid, most of the patients showed significant improvement in their ability to detect and distinguish odors. Based on individual TDI scores, six patients (26%) exhibited “moderate improvement” over the study period, while eight patients (35%) showed “remarkable improvement.” Olfactory function remained unchanged in seven patients (30%), while two patients (9%) exhibited a further decline in function. Overall, the improvements were more pronounced in the younger individuals than in those over 60, and the younger they were, the more they benefited.
I’m buying alpha lipoic acid tomorrow first time in the morning
September 25, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Barbara
Adri: I bought alpha lipoic acid and have been taking this with my other vitamins for about 2 weeks. The mg is 200. Should I double up on my dose? This might be mental, but I am smelling a bit better especially the smell of coffee in the morning. Might just be my imagination but, hey, I will take it! Thank you for your encouraging post.
Barbara
September 8, 2009 at 12:29 pm
dee
Barbara, can you please tell me what brand of ALA you used?
September 26, 2008 at 10:42 am
Ty
I just stumbled upon this site while looking for a smell/taste clinic in New York City. I was hit by a cab back in February 08, and have lost a great deal of smell/taste. The phantom smells are truly the most annoying, and I was royally p*ssed that I couldn’t smell the Spring when it arrived, or the beach in the Summer. I’m definitely going to try this alpha lipoic acid and see what it does for me. I have gained a little bit back here and there, but that general “burnt” smell hasn’t really gone away. At least it doesn’t smell like “metallic sugar” like it did for the first few weeks. Anyway, it’s nice to have found a site with people going through the same loss.
September 26, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Anonymous
By: Mike Hajoway
Typical bodybuilders have at least heard something about alpha lipoic acid, also commonly referred to as ALA, yet many do not know the variety of benefits one can obtain from supplementing with ALA. Alpha Lipoic Acid is known by a variety of names including thioctic acid, 1, 2-dithiolane-3-pentanoic acid, 1, 2-dithiolane-3 valeric acid, and 6, 8-thioctic acid. As a sulfur compound,it comprises caprylic acid, a medium chain fatty acid, with two sulfur atoms stuck on the ends and it is capable of binding and inactivating heavy metals like mercury, cadmium, excess iron and excess copper[24].
Background Information
Scientists first discovered the importance of ALA in the 1950s, and recognized it as an antioxidant in 1988[9]. Alpha Lipoic Acid is a sulfurous fatty acid that would have been classified as a vitamin except for the fact that it can be synthesized within the human body. Alpha lipoic acid functions as a co-factor for energy production as lipomide and is also called lipoate when functioning in this manner. ALA also occurs naturally as a compound that is synthesized by plants and animals, including humans.
This feature allows alpha-lipoic acid to function as a cofactor for several important enzymes as well as an effective anti-oxidant[2]. Only the R-isomer of ALA is synthesized naturally.
* Alpha-Lipoic has a chiral center, which means it can be found in 2 mirror image forms (S- and R-a-lipoic acid) that cannot be superimposed on each other[14].
Function
Among its primary function in the body, where it is converted into lipoamide, is to activate enzymes that handle energy producing molecules, such as pyruvate, and to break down products from amino acids. Basically, ALA helps us collect energy and nutrients from the food we eat. The body needs ALA to produce energy. It plays a crucial role in the mitochondria, the energy-producing structures in cells. The body actually makes enough ALA for these basic metabolic functions.
This compound acts as an antioxidant, however, only when there is an excess of it and it is in the “free” state in the cells[9]. But there is little free ALA circulating in your body, unless you consume supplements or get it injected. Foods contain only tiny amounts of it. What makes ALA special as an antioxidant is its versatility; it helps deactivate an unusually wide array of cell-damaging free radicals in many bodily systems[10].
In particular, ALA helps protect the mitochondria and the genetic material, DNA. As we age, mitochondrial function is impaired, and it is theorized that this may be an important contributor to some of the adverse effects of aging. ALA also works closely with vitamin C and E and some other antioxidants, “recycling” them and thus making them much more effective[13].
As mentioned earlier, ALA plays a large role as an anti-oxidant. It is such a powerful antioxidant that some researches have dubbed it the “universal antioxidant.” Through studies, ALA has shown that it works in conjunction with vitamins C and E, to help improve their effectiveness in combating free radicals, as mentioned earlier [7]. Research has even shown that ALA can actually replace the function of vitamin C in animals deficient in vitamin C [4]. This is especially important to bodybuilders because intense physical activity such as weight training or extreme cardio can cause extreme oxidative damage, letting loose many free radicals in the body. That is why antioxidants, both natural and supplemental, are critical to bodybuilders.
When ALA is on it own it can directly neutralize free radicals both in membranes and insides cells because it is both water and fat soluble [11]. This ability to neutralize free radicals is an extremely important benefit of lipoic acid. Yet it is in union with other antioxidants that ALA can really show its strength. ALA can mimic other antioxidants but also improve their performance because it replenishes them [12]. When one antioxidant molecule neutralizes a free radical, it actually turns it into a stable form.
Then in a chemical reaction the free radical is eventually passed off to lipoic acid or glutathione molecule, which allows the original antioxidant to regenerates and neutralize more free radicals while ALA washes out the offending free radical [18]. Glutathione, ALA’s wingman in this disposal process, is also a critical antioxidant. Alpha Lipoic Acid supplementation has been shown to boost glutathione levels, which drop significantly during periods of exercise induced stress by up to 50% [6].
When large amounts of free alpha-lipoic acid are available, such as with supplementation, alpha-lipoic acid is also able to function as an antioxidant [3]. Alpha-dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) is the reduced form of alpha-lipoic acid, and is the only form that functions directly as an anti-oxidant. Free alpha lipoic acid is rapidly taken up by cells and reduced to DHLA intracellularly. Because DHLA is also rapidly eliminated from cells, the extent to which its antioxidant effects can be sustained remain unclear. Although only DHLA functions directly as an antioxidant, alpha lipoic acid may have indirect antioxidant effects [2].
ALA also increases intracellular glutathione levels. Glutathione is an important water-soluble antioxidant that is synthesized from the sulfur-containing amino acid cysteine. The availability of cysteine inside a cell determines its rate of glutathione synthesis. DHLA has been found to increase the uptake of cysteine by cells in culture, leading to increased glutathione synthesis [1]. Although increases in intracellular DHLA are short-lived, DHLA may also improve intracellular antioxidant capacity by inducing glutathione synthesis.
Research Findings
A test was conducted to determine ALA’s association with insulin sensitivity. In type II diabetes, elevated blood glucose levels result from insulin resistance rather than a lack of insulin, and a number of treatments have been aimed at improving insulin sensitivity. There is limited evidence that high doses of alpha-lipoic acid can improve insulin sensitivity in individuals with type II diabetes.
Intravenous infusions of 600 mg and 1,000 mg of alpha-lipoic acid to type II diabetics, improved insulin sensitivity by 27% and 51%, respectively compared to a placebo (15,16). An uncontrolled study of 20 type II diabetics found that oral administration of 1,200 mg of alpha-lipoic acid for 4 weeks significantly improved measures of glucose metabolism, and a placebo-controlled study of 72 type II diabetics found that oral alpha-lipoic acid at doses of 600 mg/day, 1,200 mg/day or 1,800 mg/day for 4 weeks improved insulin sensitivity by 25% (17,18).
However, there were no significant differences between the three doses of alpha-lipoic acid tested. All of these studies were conducted using alpha-lipoic acid. Data from animal studies suggests that the R-isomer may be more effective in improving insulin sensitivity than the S-isomer, but this possibility has not been tested in any published human trials (19,20).
ALA is being studied in animals and in humans as a preventive and/or treatment for many age-related diseases. These range from heart disease and stroke to diabetes and Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as declines in energy, muscle strength, brain function, and immunity. It is also being studied for HIV disease and multiple sclerosis. In Germany, in particular, it is already prescribed to treat long-term complications of diabetes, such as nerve damage, thought to result in part from free-radical damage; there is also evidence that it can help decrease insulin resistance and thus help control blood sugar[21].
Many studies have yielded promising results; others are still underway. Alpha lipoic acid also alleviates Glaucoma (after 1 month of treatment with 150 mg of Lipoic Acid per day 47% of persons with Glaucoma exhibited improvement in visual acuity, visual field color discrimination and increased lacrimal tear fluid) [13].
Where Can I Find ALA?
ALA can be found in foods such as meats and vegetables, especially spinach. It is easily absorbed into the bloodstream, and it can also cross the blood brain barrier. Two of the best natural sources of lipoic acid are yeast and liver, but the body can synthesize it when necessary and it is available as a supplement. Most alpha lipoic acid in food is derived from lipoamide-containing enzymes and is bound to the amino acid, lysine (lipoyllysine) [5]. Meat that is rich in lipoyllysine includes kidney, heart, and liver, while plant sources that are rich in lipoyllysine include spinach, broccoli, and tomatoes.
Somewhat lower amounts of lipoyllysine have been measured in peas, brussel sprouts, and rice bran [26]. Digestive enzymes do not break the bond between alpha lipoic acid and lysine very effectively. Thus, it has been hypothesized that most dietary alpha lipoic acid is absorbed as lipoyllysine, and free alpha-lipoic acid has not been detected in the circulation of humans who are not taking alpha-lipoic acid supplements [3].
Although alpha-lipoic acid is found in a wide variety of foods from plant and animal sources, quantitative information on the alpha-lipoic acid content of food is limited. In the table below, the alpha-lipoic acid content of some foods was calculated from measurements of lipoyllysine in freeze-dried food samples [26].
Food Lipoyllysine
(mg/g dry weight) Serving Alpha-lipoic acid*/serving
(mcg)#
Beef kidney 2.6 3 ounces (85 g) 32
Beef heart 1.5 3 ounces (85 g) 19
Beef liver 0.9 3 ounces (85 g) 14
Spinach 3.2 1 cup raw (30 g) 5
Broccoli 0.9 1 cup raw (71 g) 4
Tomato 0.6 1 medium (123 g) 3
Peas 0.4 1 cup raw (145 g) 7
Brussel sprouts 0.4 1 cup raw (88 g) 3
Rice bran 0.2 1 cup (118 g) 11
Egg yolk 0.05 1 large (17 g) 0.3
Supplementation Of ALA
Alpha lipoic acid from supplements is rapidly absorbed, rapidly metabolized, and rapidly cleared from plasma and tissues, suggesting that it should be taken in divided doses throughout the day, rather than in a single daily dose. Recommendations for the use of alpha lipoic acid as an antioxidant can range from 50 mg/day to 400 mg/day. In the only published study to examine the antioxidant effects of alpha-lipoic acid in healthy humans, 600 mg/day for 4 months significantly decreased several biomarkers of oxidative stress compared to baseline [22].
However, the antioxidant effects of lower doses have not been well studied in humans. Recommended dosages of alpha lipoic acid as an antioxidant can range from 100mg to 300mg daily, which could set you back between $10 and $30. However, some manufacturers are now claiming that in considerably higher dosages, around 600-750mg daily, alpha lipoic acid can increase insulin sensitivity.
Defiency of ALA
ALA deficiency has not been described, suggesting that humans are able to synthesize enough to meet their needs for enzyme cofactors [23]. Though ALA so far appears to be safe, the long-term effects of large supplemental doses are unknown.
Side Effects
Alpha Lipoic Acid has few if any side effects [24]. Very high doses have been known to cause nausea and upsets stomachs, and excess doses can lead to low blood sugar levels. On the brighter side, ALA can sometimes lead to a general relaxing and mild feeling, and lead to a better overall feeling of well-being [24].
Summary
Supplementing with alpha lipoic acid can result in measurable gains in both strength and muscularity. Taking ALA before and during a work out will increase performance and help shuttle nutrients faster to your muscles. Alpha lipoic acid plays a big role as one of the best antioxidants available and is beneficial to the human body. Therefore, alpha lipoic acid could be very beneficial in your quest for muscle growth.
References
Kramer K, Packer L. R-alpha-lipoic acid. In: Kramer K, Hoppe P, Packer L, eds. Nutraceuticals in Health and Disease Prevention. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc.; 2001:129-164.
Packer L. alpha-Lipoic acid: a metabolic antioxidant which regulates NF-kappa B signal transduction and protects against oxidative injury. Drug Metab Rev. 1998;30(2):245-275. (PubMed).
Biewenga GP, Haenen GR, Bast A. The pharmacology of the antioxidant lipoic acid. Gen Pharmacol. 1997;29(3):315-331 (PubMed)
Bast A, Haenen GR. Lipoic acid: a multifunctional nutraceutical. In: Kramer K, Hoppe P, Packer L, eds. Nutraceuticals in Health and Disease Prevention. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc.; 2001:113-128.
Packer L, Kraemer K, Rimbach G. Molecular aspects of lipoic acid in the prevention of diabetes complications. Nutrition. 2001;17(10):888-895. (PubMed).
Biewenga GP, Veening-Griffioen DH, Nicastia AJ, Haenen GR, Bast A. Effects of dihydrolipoic acid on peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase. Implications for antioxidant drugs. Arzneimittelforschung. 1998;48(2):144-148. (PubMed)
Zhang WJ, Frei B. Alpha-lipoic acid inhibits TNF-alpha-induced NF-kappaB activation and adhesion molecule expression in human aortic endothelial cells. Faseb J. 2001;15(13):2423-2432. (PubMed)
Mizuno M, Packer L. Effects of alpha-lipoic acid and dihydrolipoic acid on expression of proto-oncogene c-fos. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1994;200(2):1136-1142. (PubMed).
Yeaman SJ, Kirby JA, Jones DE. Autoreactive responses to pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in the pathogenesis of primary biliary cirrhosis. Immunol Rev. 2000;174:238-249. (PubMed)
Beckman KB, Ames BN. Mitochondrial aging: open questions. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1998;854:118-127. (PubMed)
Hagen TM, Ingersoll RT, Lykkesfeldt J, et al. (R)-alpha-lipoic acid-supplemented old rats have improved mitochondrial function, decreased oxidative damage, and increased metabolic rate. Faseb J. 1999;13(2):411-418. (PubMed).
Suh JH, Shigeno ET, Morrow JD, et al. Oxidative stress in the aging rat heart is reversed by dietary supplementation with (R)-(alpha)-lipoic acid. Faseb J. 2001;15(3):700-706. (PubMed).
Hagen TM, Liu J, Lykkesfeldt J, et al. Feeding acetyl-L-carnitine and lipoic acid to old rats significantly improves metabolic function while decreasing oxidative stress. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002;99(4):1870-1875. (PubMed).
Liu J, Head E, Gharib AM, et al. Memory loss in old rats is associated with brain mitochondrial decay and RNA/DNA oxidation: partial reversal by feeding acetyl-L-carnitine and/or R-alpha -lipoic acid. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002;99(4):2356-2361. (PubMed).
Rett K, Wicklmayr E, Maerker P, Russ D, Nehrdich D, Hermann R. Effect of acute infusion of thioctic acid on oxidative and non-oxidative metabolism in obese subjects with NIDDM. Diabetologia. 1995;38:A41.
Jacob S, Henriksen EJ, Schiemann AL, et al. Enhancement of glucose disposal in patients with type 2 diabetes by alpha-lipoic acid. Arzneimittelforschung. 1995;45(8):872-874. (PubMed).
Konrad T, Vicini P, Kusterer K, et al. alpha-Lipoic acid treatment decreases serum lactate and pyruvate concentrations and improves glucose effectiveness in lean and obese patients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 1999;22(2):280-287. (PubMed)
Jacob S, Rett K, Henriksen EJ, Haring HU. Thioctic acid–effects on insulin sensitivity and glucose-metabolism. Biofactors. 1999;10(2-3):169-174. (PubMed)
Streeper RS, Henriksen EJ, Jacob S, Hokama JY, Fogt DL, Tritschler HJ. Differential effects of lipoic acid stereoisomers on glucose metabolism in insulin-resistant skeletal muscle. Am J Physiol. 1997;273(1 Pt 1):E185-191. (PubMed)
Estrada DE, Ewart HS, Tsakiridis T, et al. Stimulation of glucose uptake by the natural coenzyme alpha-lipoic acid/thioctic acid: participation of elements of the insulin signaling pathway. Diabetes. 1996;45(12):1798-1804. (PubMed)
Borcea V, Nourooz-Zadeh J, Wolff SP, et al. alpha-Lipoic acid decreases oxidative stress even in diabetic patients with poor glycemic control and albuminuria. Free Radic Biol Med. 1999;26(11-12):1495-1500. (PubMed)
Androne L, Gavan NA, Veresiu IA, Orasan R. In vivo effect of lipoic acid on lipid peroxidation in patients with diabetic neuropathy. In Vivo. 2000;14(2):327-330. (PubMed)
Hofmann MA, Schiekofer S, Kanitz M, et al. Insufficient glycemic control increases nuclear factor-kappa B binding activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from patients with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 1998;21(8):1310-1316.
Altenkirch, H., et al. Effects of lipoic acid in hexacarbon-induced neuropathy. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 12:19-22, 1990.( http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/othernuts/la/)
September 26, 2008 at 7:59 pm
peanut69
Boy long article, lots of info.
Here’s a thought, Google “Anosmia & Alpha Lipoic Acid” about 575 things pop up. Happy reading to you all. I think I’m going to research this acid out, then maybe get some (after I talk to my Dr. of course, I need to make sure I don’t have any interactions with my other meds) and give it a try for 6-12 months. It couldn’t hurt. All my best to you, if you go for it.
September 27, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Adri
Hi Barbara!!!
I also started taking alpha lipoic acid, the mg are also 200, so I started taking one pill in the morning one in the afternoon and one at night (so that my daily dose is 600 mg just like in the research I wrote about). I’ve only been taking it for four days… I read about secondary effects and there are none so I don’t think there would be a problem if you double your dose.
Good luck on the recovery of your smell!!
October 4, 2008 at 4:55 pm
JP
Has anyone ever heard anything about of the use of magnets as healing for the olfactory dysfunction? I spoke with a man who had lost his smell/taste for 2 years and he purchased a magnetic pillow (for $300) and 2 months later it all returned except for a few smells none of us want to smell–ha. I know magnets are known to help with arthritis but I wondered if his was a coincidence or a real cure. It’s worth looking into I guess. Any feedback is welcome. Hang in there!
October 5, 2008 at 12:31 am
Anonymous
If you have a Trader Joe’s nearby – Alpha Lipoic Acid there is $5.99 a bottle!
October 6, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Anonymous
Here’s a site for Alpha lipoic Acid with free shipping on orders over $15.00
They have 16 different bottles to choose from.
http://www.bestvite.com/index.asp?PageAction=PRODSEARCH&txtSearch=alpha&Page=1&gclid=COmgzKnm-pUCFQOaFQodnRnJFA
October 7, 2008 at 9:36 am
Ipek
I remember looking at TJ’s ALA, but didn’t want to use it as it was a very low dosage (100mg). I try different brands of at least 300mg per pill that I order from iherb.com.
October 14, 2008 at 5:23 pm
peanut69
I started taking ALA on 10/7/08. I’m taking 3-200mg doses (one with breakfast, one with lunch, and one with dinner). I’ll keep you posted.
October 16, 2008 at 10:19 am
Ty
I went to a new ENT and he recommended a regimen of the following…
Acetyl L Carnitine – 500mg 2x a day
Carnosine – 1 500mg a day
Lipoic Acid – 3 200mg doses a day
Co Q10 – 2-6 45mg tablets a day
Piracetam – 1.2gm 2-4 times daily
October 18, 2008 at 3:43 am
Anonymous
Ty,
Did he tell you why? I mean what should each one do for you? And how long?
October 18, 2008 at 3:44 am
sierra
Hi, I’m seventeen years old and I’ve got anosmia. I was either born with it or I was diagnosed with it when I was very young because I don’t remember smelling anything. I can taste food but of course, I don’t know if my sense of taste is impaired or not because I don’t remember tasting any ‘better’ or ‘worse’.
Since you got sever hyposmia only after an accident, I’m sure you must miss the smells you could sense before… whereas I can’t really miss what I’ve never known. So I hope that you would find a cure very soon! I think you’re very brave to blog about it for the public to read, and to stay so optimistic! Good luck on your recovery!
October 23, 2008 at 10:13 am
Ty
The ENT said that it aids in cell and nerve restructure.
Acetyl-L-Carnitine: improves mitochondrial conditions and all energy conditions
Carnosine: cofactor in olfactory neurtotransmission (also boosts immunity)
Co Q10: antioxidant, basically enhances nerve function
Piracetam: excites nerve cells to fire in brain
I have an entire sheet on them. If you’d like I can scan and email them.
October 31, 2008 at 1:01 am
Adri
Hi! my question goes to the owner of this blog or anybody else who’s taken alpha lipoic acid and regain their smell back… How much time after you started taking the acid you recover the sense of smell?? Was it from one day to another or slowly?? Thank you, I appreciate the answers!!!
October 31, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Barbara
Adri: I have been taking the alpha lipoic acid about one month and I really see some improvement. Sometimes I think it just might be in my imagination but my smell has improved but my taste has not (maybe a little) with the exception of sweet foods. I take 400 mg a day and will report back later if improves more. I am going to Wal Mart tomorrow and see if I can get a higher mg. I read somewhere that you can take up to 500 mg per day.
November 1, 2008 at 12:02 am
peanut69
Adri and Barbra:
I’ve been taking ALA (600 mg) for almost a month and sometimes I can now smell some strong odors like at a coffee shop, a perfume store, Yankee Candle store, ect. Although, if I make a cup of coffee at home or put on perfume I only get a very faint smell of it. If I burn a candle at home, I can’t smell it yet. Right now it has to be overpowering smells for me to smell them. I think that it is going to be a slow process, not something that takes place overnight. I’ll keep you up to date. Onions, I couldn’t smell them, but they made me cry the other day, something I haven’t done in almost 2 yrs.
November 12, 2008 at 5:50 am
Einarson
Hi everyone,
I lost my sense of smell just a few weeks ago. It disappeared, just like that.
I’ve had no head injury, nor have I had infections.The only possible blame I can imagine is the Tri valent flu vaccine I got in my arm just days before my smell disappeared. Internet searches tell me that anosmia has been linked to flu vaccine. Had I only known!
I am kind of worried.
I can taste sour, sweet and bitter, but odors are gone. Coffee, baked bread and food on the stove all have the same unpleasant odor. This means I have some sense of smell, I guess. But nothing smells like it’s supposed to.
I’m happy I stumbled on this page. I will now try ALA for a few weeks.
What a terrible maladie this is, something I have never offered a thought before.
November 12, 2008 at 11:58 pm
Adri
Hi Elinarson! I lost my sense of smell eight months ago.. I’m not quite sure what cause it, cause I had the influenza vaccine two weeks before my smell disappeared. I think that when I got the vaccine I was kind of immunodepressed so I got the influenza virus and after that my sense of smell disappeared… Everyone’s told me that the virus damaged my nasal membrane and hurt all down to my “smell nerves” so I lost my sense of smell.
Maybe the same thing happend to you… Even if you didn’t got the flu, the small amount of virus that contains the vaccine could be the responsible of your lost..
I’ve been taking alpha lipoic acid for 1.5 months and I haven’t notice any change… but I still have a lot of hope and I’m just waiting… nerve regeneration is really slow you know.
Good luck!
November 18, 2008 at 12:02 am
peanut69
Update…
I lost my sense of smell also (about 2 yrs ago) and right know I have been dealing with what I think is a very light chemical/blood taste and smell. It’s quite a combo and with me almost 24-7. I really didn’t have to deal with this until recently. I started taking Alpha Lipoic Acid (600mg a day, split into 3 doses) 6 weeks ago and about 2 weeks ago when I started smelling this combo, however with the bad came a great deal of good. I also have started to taste the flavors in some of my food and can sometimes even smell what I cooking if it’s a really strong smell. A huge leap from where I was 2 months ago with no smells and no flavors what so ever. Before that I had phantom smells like vanilla cake and chocolate chip cookies baking, these would go on for days. All in all not bad smells, but after telling my family for days “I smell cake and cookies” I would wind up baking, because I made everyone else hungry for them LOL. I swear, it’s the Alpha Lipioc Acid working that is giving me my sense of smell back slowly. I can even very lighlty smell my candles burning now. I thank God every morning when I wake up and can still smell stuff that day.
December 16, 2008 at 3:37 am
Anonymous
Hi,
I’m new here – just wonder if there are others around who are experiencing anosmia/parosmia after a head injury. I fell off a ladder last summer while trying to get a baby carrier out of my attic – landed on concrete floor (back of my head). After the initial misery, blurred vision, ear pain and pressure, MRI’s/EEG’s/CT scans, BPPV, anosmia; I have – in the past three months – developed what I guess is parosmia: An awful smell/taste in my nose/on my tongue/in my throat which is present 24/7. It seems to become worse when I am stressed/sleep-deprived, or sometimes when I’m eating. I also have developed a near-constant strain between the eyes, so that I’m constantly pressing on the bridge of my nose (but maybe that has to do with normal vision changes – since I’m beginning to need reading glasses). I have searched the internet and come up with scant information on this peculiar disorder and wonder if anyone has a similar issue/advice or experienced success with ALA. My neurologist has me taking Neurontin, which I think changes the smell/taste to a less hideous one (from say, intense burned rubber/perfume/bar soap to – yay – a somewhat more tolerable – old cinnamon gum!) but I have to take a high dose of it to notice any positive effects. (I have woken up in the middle of the night from the smell/taste of soap, ran around the house looking for gum to try to mask it, but the gum itself was like chewing on soap!) There must be a way to cope rather than taking a drug for the rest of my life! Started taking ALA a couple of weeks ago (had taken Neuro-Optimiser for the month prior at the suggestion of an integrative pharmacist) but at a 600 mg dose – one per day. I still don’t understand why the split dose would make a difference in our population – does anyone know what the rationale is? Lots o’ questions, sorry!
December 18, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Recent Links Tagged With "vitamins" - JabberTags
[...] >> vitamins jessica simpson is hawking beer w/ vitamins Saved by stuartdallas on Sun 14-12-2008 Vitamins Saved by ocde on Wed 03-12-2008 sun conure and vitamins to give Saved by foxgirl27 on Thu [...]
December 20, 2008 at 6:28 am
peanut69
Anonymous from December 16, 2008.
This is from Anonymous – September 26, 2008 on this page. “Alpha lipoic acid from supplements is rapidly absorbed, rapidly metabolized, and rapidly cleared from plasma and tissues, suggesting that it should be taken in divided doses throughout the day, rather than in a single daily dose.”
The ALA metabolises quickly in our bodies, that why the 3 – 200mg doses over the course of the day. However there are some ALA pills that are slow release and you only need 1 – 600mg a day.
Update…
I think that the ALA is working for me. I’ve been taking it since 10/07/08. I have been able to smell some things, in their “real” smell, if I am up close to them and some things I can now smell, not their “real” smell, but how I smell them now. This is all a bonus for me, since a few months ago I could smell nothing at all. My sense of taste seems to be getting a little bit better also. My Doctor and I found out that the “Blood/Chemical” smell was the nasal spray he had me taking. It dried out my sinuses so well that they were bleeding (just a little bit, not enough to be noticed on a tissue). Lovely huh?! I’m no longer doing that and the smell went away. I hope all of you get some results.
February 20, 2009 at 12:48 am
Adri
My 5 months update…
I lost my sense of smell on April 2008, I started taking alpha lipoc acid on September 25 2008, it’s been 5 months since then and my sense of smell is definitely returning… I started taking 600 mg daily but it was getting kind of expensive so I reduced it to 400 mg a day. I can distinguish some odors and enjoy most of food (even fried food which I couldn’t stand)… I still can’t stand smell of citrics (they smell awful to me and taste the same), but I still drink orange juice, but do not enjoy it (don’t want to get scurvy).
Altough I still have a long path I think my recovery is doing great, it’s very discrete almost unnoticeable, so I constantly have to remind myself that a few months ago, food tasted like nothing, the environment around me was smell less… Actually I’m happy I can distinguish bad smells in the bathroom
I’m definitely keeping my 400 mg per day and I’m crossing my fingers for my next 5 months update…
Luck to everyone, there’s hope
March 16, 2009 at 9:42 pm
KF
Hi,
I’m new to this blog and am happy to see a resource for people suffering from anosmia. I lost my sense of smell in Dec 08 from a traumatic brain injury (TBI). I’ve been reading about Adri’s success with alpha lipoc acid and was wondering if this supplement works for anosmia caused by head injuries? Or are most people who’ve been using this supplement lost their sense of smell in some other ways (virus, infection, etc). My ENT says there are no known therapies right now for post traumatic anosmia so I just wanted to check. Thanks.
May 9, 2009 at 3:03 pm
irina
I had a very strange smell disfunction a few years ago. I had a very nasty smell in my nose – and every real smell was replaced by that smell. In addition, my nose became supersensitive, so I could feel tiniest possible traces of smell – which all felt like this rotten smell. I felt like a dog must feel – I was overwhelmed with smells. Except to them it probably all smells different, but to me it all smelled same and nasty. It was so bad that I could not work, I had to go home take sleeping pills and sleep. THis was so powerful, that it paralized my life. But it only lasted about two days. By the time I could see the doctor – it was gone. And when I saw him, he said it was probably some temporary sensory halucination and dismissed it.
I had no brain injury then or at any time. But I had a chronic backpain, for which my doctor wanted to try prednisone as a diagnostic tool – to see if the pain was caused by inflamation. So he prescribed me prednisone for only three days. THis sensory problem was right after I finished that cycle. I suspected that it was caused by prednisone, and now I am convinced that it was indeed caused by prednisone, as I am browsing teh web and saw that a few people had taken prednisone when they had similar reaction. But probably it is not a very common reaction, because to my doctor it did not immediately ring a bell at that time. Anyway, symptoms completely left after around 3 days off the prednisone.
Just wanted to share, if anybody is confused by the same kind of symptoms.
July 8, 2009 at 12:46 am
anonymous1988
peanut69…I have been following your story. How has your progress been? A friend of mine lost his sense of smell and now 3 months later has had no progress. Just want to know how the ALA has been working for you. Any other stories about ALA out there would be most encouraging. thank you
)
July 23, 2009 at 5:48 pm
GG
This site has given me some hope. Ty, (if you are still checking in) I almost fell out of my chair when I read your smelling “metallic sugar!” That is my daily existence!
I lost my sense of smell after planting my forhead into a sidewalk. I have started taking Acetyl- L Carnitine and am getting on the Lipoic Acid bandwagon today.
Would love to hear an update from any of you who have been doing this for a while.