Trial reportComplementary therapies in medicine2018
Effects of lipoic acid on walking performance, gait, and balance in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.
Trial report in Complementary therapies in medicine, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT01188811 (Lipoic Acid for Neuroprotection in Secondary Progressive MS), which is not on this map. Cited by 21 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Lipoic Acid for Neuroprotection in Secondary Progressive MS
Who cites it
21 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 33 citations in OpenAlex.
- Role of lipoic acid in multiple sclerosis.CNS neuroscience & therapeutics · 2022Pooled it
- Dietary interventions for multiple sclerosis-related outcomes.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2020Pooled it
- Trial
- Alpha-Lipoic Acid and Biotin in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Convergent Mechanistic Insights from Preclinical Models to Clinical Perspectives.Neurology international · 2026Review
- Can supplementation with antioxidants improve cognitive functions in patients with multiple sclerosis? A literature review.Annals of medicine and surgery (2012) · 2025Review
- Emerging Insights into the Role of Macrophages in Multiple Sclerosis: Pathogenesis and Potential Therapeutic Strategies.Journal of inflammation research · 2025Review
- Scientometric Research and Critical Analysis of Gait and Balance in Older Adults.Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Protective effects of alpha-lipoic acid on anxiety-like behavior, memory and prevention of hippocampal oxidative stress in methamphetamine-treated rats.Psychopharmacology · 2024Article
- From progression to progress: The future of multiple sclerosis.Journal of central nervous system disease · 2024Article
- Article
- The Effects of Antioxidant Nutraceuticals on Cellular Sulfur Metabolism and Signaling.Antioxidants & redox signaling · 2023Review
- The Multiple Sclerosis Modulatory Potential of Natural Multi-Targeting Antioxidants.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Review
- Chitosan Nanoparticles Containing Lipoic Acid with Antioxidant Properties as a Potential Nutritional Supplement.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2022Article
- Smouldering multiple sclerosis: the 'real MS'.Therapeutic advances in neurological disorders · 2022Review
- Mechanism-based criteria to improve therapeutic outcomes in progressive multiple sclerosis.Nature reviews. Neurology · 2022Review
- Between-site equivalence of turning speed assessments using inertial measurement units.Gait & posture · 2021Article
- Periorbital Nociception in a Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Mouse Model Is Dependent on TRPA1 Channel Activation.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
- Mechanics Insights of Alpha-Lipoic Acid against Cardiovascular Diseases during COVID-19 Infection.International journal of molecular sciences · 2021Review
- Safety Evaluation of α-Lipoic Acid Supplementation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Studies.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2020Article
- Nociception in a Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Model in Mice Is Dependent on Spinal TRPA1 Channel Activation.Molecular neurobiology · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundGait and balance impairment is common in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). Lipoic acid (LA), an over-the-counter antioxidant, is effective in MS animal models and may improve walking speed, but effects on mobility are unreported.
objectiveExamine the effects of 1200 mg daily oral dose of LA versus placebo (PLA) on gait and balance in a 2-year, randomized, double-blind pilot study.
methods134 participants were screened for eligibility before assignment to LA (n = 28) or PLA (n = 26). Included here were, 21 participants with SPMS who took LA (N = 11) or PLA (N = 10) capsules for 2 years (enrolled May 2, 2011 - August 14, 2015) and completed all tasks without the use of an assistive device. Participants completed the Timed Up and Go (TUG) and quiet standing tasks every 6 months while wearing inertial sensors (APDM Opals) to quantify mobility.
resultsLA had a medium effect on time to complete TUG at 2 years (g = 0.51; 95% CI = -0.35, 1.38). In a subset of 18 participants with less disability (EDSS < 6, no use of ambulatory device), turning time was significantly shorter with LA (p = 0.048, Δ= 0.48 s). No differences in balance metrics were found between groups.
conclusionsLA had an effect on walking performance in people with SPMS, particularly in those with lower baseline disability.
trial registrationLipoic Acid for Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01188811?term=spain+lipoic+acid&rank=1 NCT0118881.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.