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.

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 . Research has even shown that ALA can actually replace the function of vitamin C in animals deficient in vitamin C . This is especially important to Athletess 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 everyone.