Oxaloacetate Supplements: Early Research + Side Effects

It’s a natural part of your energy metabolism. Its proponents claim that it will increase your lifespan, but can it be stabilized for long enough to make a difference? What can oxaloacetate really do? Read on to find out. Oxaloacetate, an organic molecule, is part of the body’s energy production and waste management systems . It is absolutely essential in infant development; a genetic deficiency in the enzymes that make oxaloacetate can cause serious neurological problems and developmental delays [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Researchers have only just begun to unlock its therapeutic potential. In a handful of studies on worms, oxaloacetate was found to significantly increase lifespan. These studies, among others, have led to a minor surge in oxaloacetate supplementation, but studies on worms cannot and should not be extrapolated to human health [ 4 , 5 ]. That’s one of the reasons why these supplements are controversial. Others include the fact that oxaloacetate is very difficult to stabilize, oral supplements may not be well absorbed, and the worm studies have yet to be repeated in higher animals, let alone people [ 6 ]. What’s more, the company that manufactures most oxaloacetate supplements has a history of violating FDA regulations regarding the marketing and sale of “new drugs” and “medical foods” [ 7 ]. With all this in mind, it’s not surprising that research into oxaloacetate has been highly contentious. The Citric Acid Cycle The citric acid cycle, otherwise known as the Krebs cycle (or tricarboxylic acid cycle), is one of the cell’s primary means of energy production [ 8 , 1 ]. Oxaloacetate sits between malate and citrate in the cycle. Malate is transformed to oxaloacetate when it donates a hydrogen atom to NAD to make NADH ; NADH then goes on to help generate […]

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