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evidence · mechanism · dose
Supplements/Compound

Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA)

Universal antioxidant that's both water and fat soluble — supports glycemic control and nerve health.

Blood Sugar ManagementHealthy AgingPost-Drug Use Recovery

Overview

Universal antioxidant that's both water and fat soluble — supports glycemic control and nerve health.

Natural sources
    Common forms

      Mechanism of action

      Recycles vit C, E, glutathione; cofactor for pyruvate dehydrogenase; AMPK activator.

      Pathways

        Effects on the body

        Organ system effects

        Evidence-based benefits

        Reduces diabetic neuropathy symptoms (IV>oral)

        Moderate evidence

        Improves insulin sensitivity

        Moderate evidence

        Potential side effects

        Common
        • · Skin itch
        • · Mild hypoglycemia
        Rare
        • · Insulin autoimmune syndrome (rare, Japan)
        Serious

          Drug interactions

          No notable interactions reported.

          Safety & non-supplemental interactions

          Educational summary — always confirm with your clinician or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or combining with prescription therapy.

          Other notes
          • ·Discuss with a clinician if you have active liver disease or take hepatotoxic medications.

          Supplement interactions

          Pairs well with

          None listed.

          Avoid combining with

          No specific avoidances listed.

          Dosing & bioavailability

          Typical dose
          300–600 mg
          Study range
          Up to 1800 mg (R-ALA preferred)
          With food?
          Empty stomach

          Where to buy

          Affiliate-style search links to reputable retailers. We don't endorse specific brands — verify third-party testing (USP, NSF, Informed Sport) before purchase.

          Compound
          Alpha-Lipoic…
          Amazon
          Wide selection · fast shipping
          Compound
          Alpha-Lipoic…
          iHerb
          Global delivery · curated brands
          Compound
          Alpha-Lipoic…
          Thorne
          Practitioner-grade · NSF tested

          Scientific evidence (9)

          RCTDiabetes Care · 2006

          ALA for diabetic peripheral neuropathy (SYDNEY 2)

          Ziegler D, et al.

          5-week RCT of oral ALA in diabetic neuropathy.

          Key findings

          Significant symptom improvement at 600 mg/d.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) — Reduces diabetic neuropathy symptoms

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) Reduces diabetic neuropathy symptoms" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) and "Reduces diabetic neuropathy symptoms". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) — Improves insulin sensitivity

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) Improves insulin sensitivity" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) and "Improves insulin sensitivity". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) — randomized controlled trial

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) — meta-analysis

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) — pharmacokinetics

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) — safety adverse events

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) — dose response

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

          Google Scholar: Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) — clinical evidence

          Live Scholar search

          Cross-database citation index for Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) as it relates to "clinical evidence".

          Key findings

          Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

          Open study
          Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.