['Our objective was to verify the energy balance in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats chronically treated with lipoic acid (LA).', 'Diabetes was induced in rats by streptozotocin and the animals divided into four groups, comprising controls and diabetic rats, with each group receiving either daily intraperitoneal LA (30 mg/kg) or a buffer solution for 30 days. Body weight, food intake and stool and urine collections were recorded daily. On day 30, animals were sacrificed and the carcasses, faeces and urine collected and processed for calorimetric analysis. Blood glucose and insulin were also determined.', 'All parameters of energy balance were affected by diabetes. LA treatment reduced weight gain, energy gain and gross food efficiency in both control and diabetic animals. However, the LA-treated animals tended to show higher energy expenditure than non-treated animals. Body composition was also affected by diabetes: fat content was impaired by LA treatment in both control and diabetic animals. The latter also showed increased glycaemia and decreased insulinaemia, but LA had no effect on these parameters.'] Does chronic lipoic acid treatment worsen energy imbalances in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats?