Alpha lipoic acid supplement reviews and information consumer-lab

Alpha lipoic acid supplement reviews

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Product Reviews
Alpha Lipoic Acid Supplements Review

Initial Posting: 12/3/16 Last Update: 6/12/17
Sections: Jump to a section by clicking on its name.
What It Is
What It Does
Quality Concerns and What CL Tested For
What CL Found
CL's Top Picks
Test Results by Product
What to Consider When Buying
What to Consider When Using
Concerns and Cautions
Full list of Ingredients by Product
How Products Were Evaluated
Summary:
What is it? Alpha-lipoic acid (or lipoic acid) assists in converting glucose into energy (See What It Is).
A healthy body naturally produces enough alpha-lipoic acid but supplementation may help in certain
situations.
What does it do? Alpha-lipoic acid supplements may improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar
control, as well as reduce symptoms of peripheral neuropathy in people with type 2 diabetes. It may
also increase weight and fat loss when combined with a low-calorie diet (See What It Does).
Which form? Supplements contain synthetic versions of the naturally occurring form of alpha-lipoic
acid (the R-isomer) or, more commonly, a mixture the R- and S-isomer forms. The R-isomer is the more
active of the two isomers, however, only mixed forms have been studied for efficacy and side-effects in
clinical trials and are generally much less expensive than R-isomer-only products. (See What to
Consider When Buying).
How much to take? The typical dose for treating diabetes, peripheral neuropathy associated with
diabetes, and cardiac autonomic neuropathy is 200 to 400, taken 3 times daily (for a total daily dose
ranging from 600 mg to 1,200 mg). For weight loss, 100 mg alpha-lipoic acid (taken three times per
day with meals), along with a reduced-calorie diet, has shown to be beneficial. For use as a general
antioxidant, a lower dose (20 to 50 mg daily) is commonly recommended (although there is no evidence
this offers any health benefit). You may be able to halve the dose when using the R-isomer-only form
(See What to Consider When Using).
Best choice? Many products passed our tests of quality (See What CL Found). Among Approved
products, ConsumerLab.com identified several which represented its Top Picks.
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Cautions: Side effects such as skin rash and nausea have been reported. Because alpha-lipoic acid
may help control blood sugar in diabetics, adjustments may be needed to anti-diabetic medication
when using alpha-lipoic acid. Alpha-lipoic acid may interfere with thyroid function, medication and
diagnostic tests (See Concerns and Cautions).
What It Is:
Alpha-lipoic acid (or lipoic acid) is naturally produced in the body, assisting in the conversion of glucose to
energy. It also acts as an antioxidant, able to neutralize harmful chemicals known as free radicals. It can
function in both water and fat, as opposed to the antioxidants vitamin E (which works only in fat) and vitamin C
(which works only in water). It may also be able to regenerate these other antioxidants after they have
neutralized free radicals.
The naturally occurring form of alpha-lipoic acid is the R-isomer, which can also be produced synthetically. If a
product does not specifically list the R-isomer-only form, it likely contains a synthetic 50/50 mixture (also
called a "racemic" or "rac" mixture) of the R- and S-forms of alpha-lipoic acid. (See "Mixed form vs. R-isomer
form.) The S-form itself is likely neutral (inactive) (Kilic, Biochem Mol Biol Int 1995) although there is a patent
on the S-form as an analgesic.
What It Does:
Diabetes:
As an oral supplement alpha-lipoic acid seems to reduce symptoms of peripheral neuropathy in diabetes
patients, reducing symptoms such as burning, pain, numbness, and prickling of the feet and legs as well as
improving sensation. There is evidence that alpha-lipoic acid supplements may also help diabetic patients by
lessening damage of the heart, kidneys and small blood vessels.
Taking alpha-lipoic acid (300 to 1,200 mg daily) also seems to improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar
control in people with type 2 diabetes, although it may only slightly reduce levels of glycosylated hemoglobin
(HbA1c) according to results of 6-month study comparing alpha-lipoic acid to placebo (Porasuphatana, Asia
Pac J Clin Nutr 2012).
Weight Loss:
Alpha-lipoic acid was shown to increase weight and fat loss in a study of 77 healthy, but sedentary,
overweight/obese women (ages 20 to 50) on a reduced-calorie diet. Those who took alpha-lipoic acid (300
mg per day), or a combination of alpha-lipoic acid and the omega-3 fatty acid EPA (1,300 mg per day) for 10
weeks lost significantly more weight (an average of 15 lbs. and 14 lbs., respectively), compared to those who
took EPA only, or a placebo (average weight loss of 12 lbs. and 11.5 lbs., respectively) (Huerta, Obesity
2015). The women who took alpha-lipoic acid alone or with EPA also lost significantly more body fat than
those who took EPA only, or a placebo. The alpha-lipoic acid was taken as a single 100 mg capsule
(Nature's Bounty) with breakfast, lunch and dinner. The EPA, (433.3 mg EPA (Solutex) was also taken at
those times. Larger and longer studies are needed to confirm these effects. Some preliminary evidence
suggests alpha-lipoic acid may aid weight loss by promoting the breakdown of fat and inhibiting the formation
of new fat cells (Fernandez-Galilea, J Lipid Res 2012; Carrier, J Human Nutr Food Sci 2013).
Alzheimer's Disease:
A placebo-controlled, 1-year pilot study of 34 adults with mild to moderate impairment from Alzheimer's
disease found that alpha-lipoic acid and fish oil slowed the decline in subjects' cognitive functioning. The
combination also slowed the decline in subjects' ability to perform daily activities, as did fish oil alone, but not
alpha-lipoic acid alone. The participants normally ate fish no more than once per week and most continued
to take Alzheimer's medications. A capsule of alpha-lipoic acid (600 mg) was taken each morning along with
2 fish oil capsules (each containing 1 gram of fish oil providing 325 mg EPA and 225 mg DHA in the
triglyceride form). Another fish oil capsule was taken with lunch (Shinto, J Alzheimers Dis 2014). Although
earlier studies have not shown a benefit with omega-3 fatty acids in Alzheimer's disease, this study differed in
that the fish oil had a high ratio of EPA to DHA.

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Other Conditions:
Although there is research suggesting additional potential uses of alpha-lipoic acid, there are few meaningful
studies in humans to support these uses. Preliminary studies suggest that alpha-lipoic acid might help
prevent or treat a myriad of conditions including age-related hearing loss, glaucoma, cancer, and cataracts.
Some research suggested that alpha-lipoic acid might be helpful in treating burning mouth syndrome (BMS),
a condition characterized by unexplained scalding sensations in the mouth, but a later study (using 400 mg of
alpha-lipoic acid for 8 weeks) found no benefit compared to placebo (Carbone, Eur J Pain 2009).
The antioxidant effects of alpha-lipoic acid might provide protection in a number of other conditions including
cerebral ischemia, other causes of damage to brain or neural tissue, mitochondrial dysfunction, liver disease,
and aminoglycoside-induced cochlear damage. Additionally, the antioxidant effect may be useful in heavy
metal and chemical poisoning as well as radiation exposure.
Preliminary research also suggests that alpha-lipoic acid may counteract neuropathy associated with some
chemotherapy. Alpha-lipoic acid inhibits replication of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in vitro and, in
AIDS patients, might improve blood antioxidant status and increase T-helper lymphocytes and T-helper to T-
helper suppressor cell ratio.
Alpha-lipoic acid has been touted for improving the appearance of aging skin, but there is no clinical
evidence that alpha-lipoic acid taken orally (as with a supplement) has such an effect. Some benefit, however,
was reported with an alpha-lipoic acid cream (5% alpha lipoic acid that included small amounts of CoQ10
and acetyl-L-carnitine) (Beitner, Br J Derm 2003). Applied daily for 12 weeks to the faces of women age 40
to 75, the cream resulted in a 51% reduction in skin roughness, although the same cream without alpha-lipoic
acid resulted in 41% reduction. Interestingly, the 2003 article reporting this study noted that a longer study
was in progress, although results do not appear to have been published.
Quality Concerns and What CL Tested for:
Neither the FDA nor any other federal or state agency routinely tests alpha-lipoic acid supplements for quality
prior to sale. Prior studies by ConsumerLab.com have shown a small percentage of alpha-lipoic acid
supplements to lack the full amount of this ingredient. ConsumerLab.com, as part of its mission to
independently evaluate products that affect health, wellness, and nutrition, purchased several dietary
supplements sold in the U.S. claiming to contain alpha-lipoic acid. These were tested for their amounts of
alpha-lipoic acid and, if they contained herbal ingredients, were also tested for potential contamination with
heavy metals (lead, cadmium, and arsenic). Standard tablets and caplets were also tested for their ability to
properly disintegrate ("break apart") as needed for absorption.
What CL Found:
Among ten alpha-lipoic acid supplements that ConsumerLab.com selected for testing, all were found to
contain their claimed amounts of alpha-lipoic acid. An additional nine products passed testing and review in
ConsumerLab.com's voluntary Quality Certification Program.
Two of the products, Bronson Laboratories Alpha Lipoic Acid and Nature's Sunshine Alpha Lipoic Acid,
were tested for heavy metals (lead, cadmium, and arsenic) because they contained herbal ingredients (small
amounts of rosemary and turmeric, respectively). Herbal ingredients are more likely than most others to be
contaminated. These products, however, were not contaminated.
ConsumerLab.com tests all regular tablets and caplets for disintegration to be sure they properly release their
ingredients in solution. However, most products in this Review are regular capsules or softgels with which
there is little concern of incomplete disintegration. One product, Natrol Alpha Lipoic Acid, is a sustained-
release tablet. Such a product is not intended to rapidly disintegrate, so it was not tested for disintegration.
Only two products listed their chemical forms of alpha lipoic acid, Country Life R-Lipoic Acid and Jarrow
Formulas R-Alpha Lipoic Acid + Biotin — both of which claim to contain only the R-isomer, as their product
names imply. None of the other products listed their chemical forms and it is assumed they contained the less

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expensive, mixed isomer (or all-RAC) form of alpha lipoic acid. As of the time of this Review, there was no
published and validated method for testing specifically for the R-isomer of alpha-lipoic acid. Consequently,
only the total alpha-lipoic acid amounts were determined and reported in this review. See How Product Were
Evaluated for more information about how products were evaluated.
CL's Top Picks
ConsumerLab.com determined the cost to obtain an equal amount (100 mg) of alpha lipoic acid from each of
the products based on the prices paid. As shown in the last column of the table below, the lowest cost per
100 mg was 3 cents and the highest was 41 cents (from a multi-ingredient product).
Among supplements providing what is likely to be the synthetic, mixed isomer form of alpha-lipoic acid, CL's
Top Picks are Vitacost Alpha Lipoic Acid 300 mg and Natrol Alpha Lipoic Acid 600 mg (time release). Both
of these CL Approved products provide alpha lipoic acid for just 3 cents per 100 mg, and Natrol includes 100
mg of calcium (about 10% of the Daily Value). Although not tested, Sundown Naturals Alpha Lipoic Acid 600
mg is also 3 cents per 100 mg and is very similar to a product which passed testing, Vitamin World Extra
Strength Alpha Lipoic Acid 600 mg, which is priced higher.
If you want R-isomer only alpha-lipoic acid (i.e., the natural form, although the ingredient in supplements is
typically produced synthetically), you'll need to pay a lot more. Both Country Life R-Lipoic Acid and Jarrow
Formulas R-Alpha Lipoic Acid each provide 100 mg per capsule for 29 cents, with Jarrow including 150 mcg
(100% of the Daily Value) of biotin. Of these two, Jarrow is the CL Top Pick for R-isomer only alpha lipoic
acid because, unlike Country Life, it identifies its source of ingredient as Bio-Enhanced Na-RALA which may
be a more stable and bioavailable form then pure R-isomer alpha-lipoic acid — which is also more prone to
polymerizing and becoming "sticky" over time. However, the price for either R-isomer-only product is about
10 times that from a mixed isomer alpha lipoic acid product like Vitacost, and still about four times the cost
based on the amount R-isomer you'll get.
So, is it is worth paying more for these R-isomer-only products? Based on the current evidence, it's not
clear that it's worth it.
Although laboratory studies suggest that the R-isomer is the most active component in alpha lipoic acid (it is
the natural form, after all) and there's a little evidence suggesting a negative effect of the S-isomer (the
unnatural form which makes up half of the mixed isomer products), 50% of what you get from a mixed isomer
product is the R-isomer -- and you can get it for only one-quarter the price you'd pay from an R-isomer only
product. Perhaps most importantly, all the clinical trials to-date — many of which have shown benefits -- were
conducted using the mixed form. There are no published clinical trials using the commercially sold R-isomer-
only ingredient, meaning that it has not yet been shown to be effective and potential adverse effects have not
been evaluated.
Test Results by Product:
Listed alphabetically below are the test results for 19 alpha-lipoic acid supplements. Ten were selected by
ConsumerLab.com for testing and nine others (each indicated with a CL Flask) are included for having
passed the same evaluation through ConsumerLab.com's voluntary Quality Certification Program. Also listed
are three products similar to others which passed testing.
The full list of ingredients is available for each product by clicking on the word "Ingredients" in the first column.
Products listed as "Approved" met their label claim and ConsumerLab.com's standards for alpha-lipoic acid
products. Pricing information, additional ingredients, and some special designations can be found in the last
column.
RESULTS OF CONSUMERLAB.COM TESTING OF ALPHA LIPOIC ACID SUPPLEMENTS
Click on beneath a product name to find a vendor that sells it.
To find retailers that sell some of the listed products click here.
Product Name, Amount Alpha Lipoic Claimed Amount of --TEST RESULTS-- Cost For Daily Suggested

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Acid per Unit, Serving Size, and
Suggested Daily Serving on Label

Click on "Ingredients" for Full Listing
Alpha Lipoic Acid Per
Suggested Daily
Serving
(See How Products Were Evaluated) Serving On Label
[Cost For 100 mg of Alpha
Lipoic Acid]
Other Notable Features
2

Price Paid
OVERALL
RESULTS:
APPROVED
or NOT
APPROVED
Contained Labeled Amount
of Alpha Lipoic Acid
Alpha Betic® Alpha Lipoic Acid
(200 mg per capsule; 1 capsule,
once to three times daily)
Dist. by Enzymatic Therapy
Ingredients
200 mg to 600 mg
(Form not listed. Likely
to be mixed isomers)
APPROVED $0.17-$0.50
[$0.08]
No wheat and yeast, gluten
free
$9.95/60 capsules
Bronson Laboratories® Alpha
Lipoic Acid (100 mg per capsule;
1 capsule, twice daily)
Dist. by Bronson Laboratories
Ingredients
200 mg
(Form not listed. Likely
to be mixed isomers)
APPROVED
Also tested for heavy metal
contamination due to herbal
ingredient (rosemary powder).
Not contaminated.
$0.15
[$0.07]
Vitamins C (60 mg) & E (60
IU), rosemary powder (30 mg)

$8.99/120 capsules
Country Life® R-Lipoic Acid (100
mg per vegan capsule; 1 vegan
capsule, once daily)
Mfd. by Country Life, LLC
Ingredients
100 mg
(R-alpha lipoic acid)
APPROVED $0.29
[$0.29]
Lowest cost CL Approved
R-isomer product
Kosher, suitable for vegans,
non-GMO, no wheat and
yeast, gluten free
$17.27/60 vegan capsules
GNC Alpha-Lipoic Acid 600 mg
(600 mg per caplet; 1 caplet,
once caplet)
6
Dist. by General Nutrition
Corporation
Ingredients
600 mg
(Form not listed. Likely
to be mixed isomers)
APPROVED $0.29
[$0.05]
No wheat, gluten free, yeast
free
$17.49/60 caplets
Jarrow Formulas® R-Alpha
Lipoic Acid + Biotin (100 mg per
capsule; 1 capsule, once daily)
Dist. by Jarrow Formulas®
Ingredients
100 mg
(R-alpha lipoic acid)
APPROVED $0.29
[$0.29]
Lowest cost CL Approved
R-isomer product
Biotin (150 mcg)
No wheat and gluten
$17.52/60 capsules
Natrol Alpha Lipoic Acid (600 mg
per time release tablet; 1 tablet,
once daily)
Mfd. by Natrol LLC
Ingredients
600 mg
(Form not listed. Likely
to be mixed isomers)
APPROVED $0.17
[$0.03]
Lowest cost CL Approved
product
(likely mixed isomer)
Calcium (100 mg)
Timed release

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No wheat and yeast
$7.56/45 tablets
Nature's Sunshine® Alpha Lipoic
Acid (250 mg per capsule; 1
capsule, twice daily)
Dist. by Nature's Sunshine
Products, Inc.
Ingredients
500 mg
(Form not listed. Likely
to be mixed isomers)
APPROVED
Also tested for heavy metal
contamination due to herbal
ingredient (turmeric root). Not
contaminated.
$1.03
[$0.21]
Turmeric root (80 mg)
Kosher
$30.85/60 capsules
NOW® Alpha Lipoic Acid (250
mg per veg capsule; 1 veg
capsule, once daily)
Dist. by NOW FOODS
Ingredients
250 mg
(Form not listed. Likely
to be mixed isomers)
APPROVED $0.17
[$0.07]
Kosher, non-GMO, not
manufactured with wheat and
gluten
$10.38/60 veg capsule
Olympian Labs, Inc.® Alpha
Lipoic Acid (400 mg per
vegetarian capsule; 1 vegetarian
capsule, once to twice daily)
Dist. by Olympian Labs, Inc.
Ingredients
400 mg to 800 mg
(Form not listed. Likely
to be mixed isomers.)
APPROVED $0.36-$0.71
[$0.09]
Suitable for vegans, non-
GMO, no wheat and gluten
$21.42/60 vegetarian capsules
Ortho Molecular Products®
Lipoic Acid (300 mg per capsule;
1 capsule, once daily)
Dist. by Ortho Molecular
Products, Inc.
Ingredients
300 mg
(Form not listed. Likely
to be mixed isomers.)
APPROVED $0.70
[$0.23]
Biotin (300 mcg)
Free of gluten and yeast
$42.00/60 capsules
Pure Encapsulations® Metabolic
Xtra (100 mg per capsule; 1
capsule, once to three times
daily)
Mfd. by Pure Encapsulations, Inc.
Ingredients
100 mg to 300 mg
(Form not listed. Likely
to be mixed isomers)
APPROVED $0.41-$1.23
[$0.41]
Chromium (135 mcg-405
mcg), berberine HCl (350 mg-
1,050 mg), ResVida®
resveratrol (20 mg-60 mg)
Non-GMO
$36.80/90 capsules
Radiance Platinum® [CVS] Alpha
Lipoic Acid (200 mg per capsule;
1 capsule, twice daily)
Mfd. by Radiance, LLC
Ingredients
400 mg
(Form not listed. Likely
to be mixed isomers)
APPROVED $0.26
[$0.06]
Suitable for vegans, no wheat,
gluten and yeast
$12.79/100 capsules
Solgar® Alpha Lipoic Acid 200
mg (200 mg per vegetable
capsule; 1 vegetable capsule,
twice daily)
Mfd. by Solgar, Inc.
Ingredients
400 mg
(Form not listed. Likely
to be mixed isomers)
APPROVED $0.57
[$0.14]
Kosher, free of wheat, gluten
and yeast
$14.32/50 vegetable capsules
600 mg APPROVED $0.22

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Spring Valley™ [Walmart] Alpha
Lipoic Acid 200 mg (200 mg per
capsule; 1 capsule, three times
daily)
Dist. by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Ingredients
(Form not listed. Likely
to be mixed isomers) [$0.04]
No wheat, gluten and yeast
$7.24/100 capsules
Twinlab® Alpha Lipoic Acid (100
mg per capsule, 1 capsule, once
daily)
7

Mfd. by Twinlab Corp.
Ingredients
100 mg
(Form not listed. Likely
to be mixed isomers)
APPROVED $0.30
[$0.30]
$18.15/60 capsules
Vitacost® Alpha Lipoic Acid (300
mg per capsule; 1 capsule, once
daily)
Dist. by Vitacost
Ingredients
300 mg
(Form not listed. Likely
to be mixed isomers)
APPROVED $0.10
[$0.03]
Lowest cost CL Approved
product
(likely mixed isomer)
Free of gluten
$11.49/120 capsules
Vitamin World® Alpha Lipoic Acid
200 mg (200 mg per capsule; 1
capsule, three times daily)
Mfd. by Vitamin World, Inc.
Ingredients
600 mg
(Form not listed. Likely
to be mixed isomers)
APPROVED $0.64
[$0.11]
No wheat, gluten and yeast
$42.99/200 capsules
Vitamin World® Extra Strength
Alpha Lipoic Acid 600 mg (600
mg per capsule; 1 capsule, once
to twice daily)
Mfd. by Vitamin World, Inc.
Ingredients
600 mg to 1,200 mg
(Form not listed. Likely
to be mixed isomers)
APPROVED $0.36-$0.72
[$0.06]
No wheat, gluten and yeast
$21.49/60 capsules
Vitamin World® Triple Strength
Alpha Lipoic Acid 300 mg (300
mg per softgel; 1 softgel, twice
daily)
Mfd. by Vitamin World, Inc.
Ingredients
600 mg
(Form not listed. Likely
to be mixed isomers)
APPROVED $0.48
[$0.08]
No wheat, gluten and yeast
$28.99/120 softgels
Similar to Approved Products*:
Nature's Bounty® Alpha Lipoic Acid 200
mg (200 mg per capsule; 1 capsule, twice
daily)
Mfd. by Nature's Bounty, Inc.
Ingredients
Similar to Vitamin World® Alpha Lipoic Acid 200 mg. $0.66
[$0.17]
Non-GMO, no wheat, gluten
and yeast
$9.96
3
/30 capsules
Puritan's Pride® Alpha Lipoic Acid 300 mg
(300 mg per softgel; 1 softgel, twice daily)
Mfd. by Puritan's Pride, Inc.
Ingredients
Similar to Vitamin World® Triple Strength Alpha Lipoic Acid 300 mg. $0.50
[$0.08]
No wheat, gluten and yeast
$29.99
4
/120 softgels
Sundown Naturals® Alpha Lipoic Acid 600
mg (600 mg per capsule; 1 capsule, once
daily)
Similar to Vitamin World® Extra Strength Alpha Lipoic Acid 600 mg. $0.17
[$0.03]

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Mfd. by Rexall Sundown, Inc.
Ingredients
No wheat, gluten and yeast
$10.39
5
/60 capsules
Tested through CL's Quality Certification Program prior to, or after initial posting of this Product Review.
* Product identical in formulation and manufacture to a product that has passed testing but sold under a different brand. For more information see CL's Multi-Label
Testing Program.
1 Only products that contain whole herb(s) and/or more than 250 mg of minerals daily were tested for lead, arsenic and cadmium.
2 Not tested but claimed on label.
3 Based on price listed on vitacost.com.
4 Based on price listed on puritan.com. Part of a "Buy 1, Get 2 Free" deal.
5 Based on price listed on walmart.com.
6 Product added on 4/7/2017.
7 Product added on 6/12/2017.
Unless otherwise noted, information about the products listed above is based on the samples purchased by ConsumerLab.com (CL) for this Product Review.
Manufacturers may change ingredients and label information at any time, so be sure to check labels carefully when evaluating the products you use or buy. If a
product's ingredients differ from what is listed above, it may not necessarily be of the same quality as what was tested.
The information contained in this report is based on the compilation and review of information from product labeling and analytic testing. CL applies what it believes to
be the most appropriate testing methods and standards. The information in this report does not reflect the opinion or recommendation of CL, its officers or employees.
CL cannot assure the accuracy of information.
Copyright ConsumerLab.com, LLC, 2016. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced, excerpted, or cited in any fashion without the express written permission of
ConsumerLab.com LLC.
ConsumerTips™:
What to Consider When Buying:
Strength:
Alpha-lipoic acid comes in a wide range of pill strengths. In fact, over the years, ConsumerLab.com has seen
manufacturers' suggested daily serving sizes range from 30 mg to 1,200 mg per day. So be sure to choose a
product that will allow you to conveniently get the dose that you need (see Dosage information below), which
is not necessarily the amount suggested on the label.
Mixed form vs. R-isomer natural form:
Clinical trials to date with alpha-lipoic acid used a form consisting of equal amounts of R (or D) and S (or L)
isomers. This mixed (or "racemic") form is the most commonly available type of alpha-lipoic acid on the
market. Both forms can significantly increase plasma levels of the active, R-isomer of alpha-lipoic acid,
although, theoretically, a dose of R-isomer ingredient would be equal to twice that amount of mixed isomer.
Some animal studies suggest that the R-isomer (which is the naturally occurring form) may be more effective
in improving insulin sensitivity than the S-isomer, but clinical studies in humans have not yet been conducted
to determine the relative effectiveness and safety of the R-isomer.
Products claiming to contain only the R isomer of alpha-lipoic acid are available on the market and are
generally more expensive than the mixed form. For example, among the products purchased for this Review,
the R-isomer only form (in the products by Jarrow and Country Life) was nearly 10 times as expensive as the
lowest priced mixed isomer product. The product from Jarrow identified the source of its R-isomer alpha
lipoic acid as "BioEnhanced Na-RALA." Information online about this ingredient indicates that it is a sodium
salt (about 10 mg of salt per 100 mg of alpha lipoic acid) which stabilizes the compound and enables it to
achieve a much higher peak blood level of R-lipoic acid than a pure R-lipoic acid product.
What to Consider When Using:
Dosage:
Although a healthy body makes enough alpha-lipoic acid to supply its requirements, and you can get some
alpha-lipoic acid from liver and yeast, supplementation is necessary to get therapeutic dosages. The typical
dosage of oral alpha-lipoic acid (mixed isomer form) for treating diabetes, peripheral neuropathy associated
with diabetes, and cardiac autonomic neuropathy is 600 to 1,200 mg per day divided into three equal doses.
In a study in people with Alzheimer's disease, a single 600 mg dose was given along with fish oil (Shinto, J
Alzheimers Dis 2014). Several weeks of treatment are often necessary for full effects to develop. For

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peripheral neuropathy, there is some preliminary evidence that alpha-lipoic acid may be more effective if it is
combined with GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), another supplement.
For use as a general antioxidant, a lower dosage of 20 to 50 mg daily is commonly recommended; although
there is no evidence that taking alpha-lipoic acid in this way offers any health benefit.
For weight loss, 100 mg alpha-lipoic acid taken three times per day with meals has been shown enhance
weight and fat loss in overweight/obese women on a reduced-calorie diet (Huerta, Obesity 2015).
Note, if you are using the R-isomer-only form of alpha-lipoic acid, you may be able to reduce the doses above
(which are based on studies using the mixed isomer form) by as much as half due to the likely greater activity
of the R-isomer form, which makes up only 50% of mixed isomer alpha-lipoic acid. Storage:
Store at room temperature and away from moisture and heat. Consider refrigerating opened bottles, as heat
and humidity can cause the powder in capsules to bind and become putty-like or hard, which could potentially
reduce absorption in the digestive tract.
Concerns and Cautions:
Skin rash and nausea has been reported with use of alpha-lipoic acid.
Because alpha-lipoic acid may help control blood sugar in diabetics, adjustments may be needed to
anti-diabetic medication when using alpha-lipoic acid.
Patients with thyroid disease should be aware that alpha-lipoic acid may affect thyroid function and
treatment. Alpha-lipoic acid appears to interfere with the conversion of T4 (thyroxine) to T3
(triiodothyronine), lowering T3 levels (Segermann, Arzneimittelforschung 1991). TSH (thyroid-
stimulating hormone) may increase.
Very large doses of alpha-lipoic acid have caused serious toxicity in thiamine-deficient animals. People
taking high doses of alpha-lipoic acid who are at risk for thiamine deficiency, such as alcoholics, may
require thiamine supplementation. (There is preliminary research suggesting that some diabetics may
also be low in thiamine.)
Although there is preliminary evidence that alpha-lipoic acid may counteract neuropathy associated with
some chemotherapy, there is also a theoretical risk that anti-oxidants such as alpha-lipoic acid may
decrease the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Discuss with your healthcare provider before using alpha-
lipoic acid while taking chemotherapy.
For additional clinical information, see the Encyclopedia article about alpha-lipoic acid.
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professionals. The information contained herein should not be used for diagnosing or treating a
health problem or disease.
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10. 8/27/2018 Alpha-Lipoic Acid Supplement Reviews and Information | ConsumerLab.com
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