Alpha-Lipoic Acid — answers to ALA
Hasn’t appeared in a scanned product yet.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Roll Call does not check drug interactions or assess personal safety.
Alpha-lipoic acid is a compound made naturally in small amounts by the body and found in foods like organ meats, spinach, and broccoli. It functions as a cofactor for certain energy-producing enzymes and has antioxidant properties.
Why it’s used
Taken by some to support nerve-related symptoms associated with diabetes and for general antioxidant support.
What the evidence is for
symptom relief in diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
What the evidence says
Clinical trials, including a Cochrane-reviewed body of work, have examined oral and intravenous alpha-lipoic acid for symptoms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy, with some trials reporting modest improvement in symptoms like pain and numbness over several weeks. Evidence for other claimed uses, such as general antioxidant or metabolic support in people without diabetes, is much thinner. There is no dedicated NIH ODS fact sheet on this compound.
Dose studied
600–1800 mg — oral doses studied in diabetic neuropathy trials.
Context
Trials in diabetic neuropathy have most often used oral doses in the range of about 600 to 1,800 mg per day for several weeks to months, with intravenous administration used in some of the original European trials.
Educational information, not medical or safety advice. Consult a professional for allergies or medical concerns.