WHAT IS 5-ALA? BASIC ACTION AND AREAS OF USE
COMPONENT PROPERTIES OF 5-ALA
5-ALA IS A TYPE OF AMINO ACID THAT IS SYNTHESIZED BY THE BODY IN HUMANS, ALL ANIMALS AND PLANTS. SPECIFICALLY, IT FUNCTIONS AS AN INTERMEDIATE SUBSTANCE REQUIRED FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF HEME (A COMPONENT INVOLVED IN HEMOGLOBIN IN RED BLOOD CELLS AND ENERGY PRODUCTION IN MITOCHONDRIA). THEREFORE, IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT IT MAY BE INVOLVED IN ENERGY METABOLISM AND RECOVERY FROM FATIGUE.
Application in the Medical Field--Application to Cancer Diagnosis
The first thing that comes to mind when one hears the name of the ingredient 5-ALA is surgery for brain tumors (such as malignant gliomas). 5-ALA is converted into protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) in the body when taken, which emits fluorescence when exposed to light of a specific wavelength. This is used to visualize cancer tissue during surgery, making it easier to discern the boundary between cancer tissue and normal tissue. This application as a diagnostic aid has been approved by the health authorities in Europe, the United States, and Japan, and is an established method in the medical field.
Use in agriculture and fisheries
FURTHERMORE, 5-ALA IS ALSO USED IN THE FIELDS OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES. IT IS EXPECTED TO PROMOTE PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN PLANTS, AND IN SOME CASES, IT IS USED TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF CROPS. THERE IS A RELATIVELY RICH TRACK RECORD OF RESEARCH ON SUCH AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS, WHICH RANGE FROM IMPROVING ENERGY PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY TO ENHANCING DISEASE RESISTANCE.
5-ALA AS AN ANTI-AGING SUPPLEMENT: RESEARCH STATUS AND EXPECTATIONS
Energy metabolism and mitochondrial function
SINCE 5-ALA SUPPORTS MITOCHONDRIAL FUNCTION, WHICH IS KEY TO ENERGY PRODUCTION, IT IS EXPECTED TO IMPROVE FATIGUE AND POOR METABOLISM. IN FACT, PRELIMINARY STUDIES ON GLUCOSE METABOLISM ABNORMALITIES SUCH AS TYPE 2 DIABETES HAVE BEEN REPORTED, BUT LARGE-SCALE, LONG-TERM CLINICAL TRIALS ARE STILL LIMITED.
Expectations for Antioxidant Action
FROM THE ANTI-AGING ANGLE, BASIC RESEARCH ON ANTIOXIDANT EFFECTS AND THE SUPPRESSION OF INFLAMMATION IS ALSO AT AN ADVANCED STAGE. THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF "IMPROVEMENT IN FATIGUE" IN SMALL-SCALE STUDIES, BUT WE HAVE NOT YET REACHED THE STAGE WHERE MULTIPLE UNIVERSITIES AND MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS ARE ACTIVELY CONDUCTING FOLLOW-UP STUDIES AND ACCUMULATING LARGE-SCALE DATA, AS IS THE CASE WITH NMN.
5-ALA SAFETY AND ADVERSE EFFECTS RISK
Safety evaluation at the pharmaceutical level
Since it has been approved worldwide as an adjuvant for cancer diagnosis during brain tumor surgery, it is regarded as "highly safe as long as the prescribed use and dosage are observed. However, when used as a drug, side effects such as nausea, fever, and photosensitivity may temporarily appear, so it is important to control the dosage and the light irradiated.
Note as a supplement
THE DOSAGE FOR SUPPLEMENT USE IS NOT AS HIGH AS PHARMACEUTICAL LEVELS. ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE NOT BEEN MANY REPORTS OF MAJOR SIDE EFFECTS, IT IS ALSO TRUE THAT SAFETY DATA AT LONG-TERM AND HIGH DOSES ARE NOT AS ABUNDANT AS FOR NMN. NOT ONLY FOR 5-ALA, IF YOU ALREADY HAVE SOME DISEASE OR ARE TAKING MEDICATION, YOU SHOULD CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR OR PHARMACIST BEFORE USING SUPPLEMENTS FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY.
COMPARISON WITH NMN: NUMBER OF STUDIES AND RISK ASSESSMENT
NMN IS RICH IN ANTI-AGING RESEARCH
NMN (NICOTINAMIDE MONONUCLEOTIDE) HAS BEEN ACTIVELY STUDIED SPECIFICALLY FOR AGING-RELATED DISEASES SINCE THE 2000S, WHEN ITS ASSOCIATION WITH THE SIRTUIN GENE WAS REVEALED.
- Verification of anti-aging effects in experiments on mice
- Clinical trials on human subjects and safety evaluation through long-term ingestion
THE ACCUMULATION OF THESE DATA AND THE HIGH VOLUME OF PAPERS AND SCHOLARLY PUBLICATIONS IS A MAJOR SOURCE OF CONFIDENCE IN THE NMN SUPPLEMENT.
Comparison of safety reports
NMN HAS SO FAR BEEN GENERALLY EVALUATED AS "HIGHLY SAFE" WITH FEW STUDIES SHOWING SIGNIFICANT SIDE EFFECTS OR RISKS. ON THE OTHER HAND, ALTHOUGH 5-ALA HAS SOME ASPECTS OF ESTABLISHED SAFETY BASED ON ITS TRACK RECORD IN PHARMACEUTICAL APPLICATIONS, THERE IS STILL A LACK OF LONG-TERM DATA IN THE ANTI-AGING AREA AS A DIETARY SUPPLEMENT.
5-ALA SUPPLEMENTS TO CHOOSE FROM
1. whether the manufacturer is reliable
- Has the manufacturing process and quality control been certified by a third-party organization?
- Are the origin and content of raw materials clearly indicated?
2. can the appropriate dosage be followed?
- Is the dose at pharmaceutical levels or is there a risk of overdose?
- Always consult with a specialist if you are concerned about a combination.
3. cost and ease of continuation
- Generally, supplements are only effective if they are continued, so consider cosmetics and ease of use.
COMBINATION WITH OTHER SUPPLEMENTS CONTAINING NMN
For anti-aging and health maintenance purposes, more and more people are experimenting with combinations of various ingredients such as NMN, 5-deazaflavin, CoQ10, and vitamins. However, when using multiple supplements in combination, care should be taken to avoid overlap in intake and action. Especially if you have an underlying medical condition or are elderly, you should consult your family physician to find the right nutritional balance for you.
SUMMARY: 5-ALA IS HIGHLY PROMISING FOR FUTURE RESEARCH, NMN IS ALSO IN VIEW.
WHILE 5-ALA HAS A SOLID TRACK RECORD AS A CANCER DIAGNOSTIC AID IN THE MEDICAL FIELD, LARGE-SCALE STUDIES AND LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP STUDIES AS AN ANTI-AGING SUPPLEMENT ARE STILL INSUFFICIENT. THEREFORE, WHEN SELECTING A SUPPLEMENT FOR ANTI-AGING PURPOSES, IT IS USEFUL TO COMPARE NMN AND OTHER SUPPLEMENTS FOR WHICH MORE RESEARCH RESULTS HAVE BEEN ACCUMULATED.
- 5-ALA FEATURES
- Expected to support mitochondrial function and antioxidant activity
- Established track record as a diagnostic aid in cancer surgery
- Long-term safety data on supplement use is still scarce.
- FEATURES OF NMN
- Abundant accumulation of research in the field of anti-aging
- Little risk of major side effects reported at this stage.
- Research is still ongoing and more evidence may be added in the future
ULTIMATELY, THE CHOICE SHOULD BE BASED ON THE PURPOSE (FATIGUE RELIEF, ANTI-AGING, HEALTH MAINTENANCE, ETC.) AND COST-EFFECTIVENESS; THOSE INTERESTED IN 5-ALA SHOULD ALSO COMPARE OTHER ANTI-AGING SUPPLEMENTS, INCLUDING NMN, AND SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE AS NEEDED TO MAKE A SATISFACTORY CHOICE.
