Alpha lipoic acid is a chelating agent, which means that it combines with heavy metals to produce complexes that can be removed by the body. Being a very small water-soluble molecule, alpha lipoic acid has access to almost all tissues in the body and works inside the cells.

It increases the intracellular level of glutathione. Glutathione is the most important cerebral antioxidant. This is why alpha lipoic acid is particularly useful for removing heavy metals from the brain and other nerve tissue.

Alpha-lipoic acid is a sulfur-containing acid present in all cells in the body. It is a powerful antioxidant capable of neutralising several types of free radicals because alpha lipoic acid is soluble in water (water-soluble) and in fat (liposoluble). In other words, alpha-lipoic acid can access any part of the cell to neutralize free radicals therein. This is why it is called a "universal" antioxidant.

Alpha lipoic acid is also involved in the renewal of other antioxidants, in particular vitamin E, vitamin C and glutathione, thus increasing their lifespan and their effectiveness.