Alpha Lipoic Acid (also referred to as lipoate, thioctic acid or lipoic acid) is considered by experts to be a powerful metabolic antioxidant. It is the key to two very important functions in the human body. Firstly, it is believed that Alpha Lipoic Acid assists your metabolism convert food into energy. The second role, which is more recently discovered, is the powerful antioxidant properties. It possesses, especially effective in the liver.