Re: Alpha-lipoic acid and copper

ALA increases copper excretion in the urine and to some extent intestinal secretions, but inhibits copper excretion in the bile. Copper excretion is as follows in terms of percentages:

Bile - 80%
Intestinal Secretions - %16
Urine - 4%

So ALA can speed up excretion of copper by the channels that get rid of 20% of it, but can also slow or stop excretion of copper by the channel that gets rid 80% of it. The net effect is that for a normal individual, ALA will tend to raise copper levels in the body. If you were never to take a break from ALA chelation, it could raise copper to dangerous levels.