Alpha-Lipoic Acid

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evidence score

supplement

ALAlipoic acidthioctic acid+2 more

Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a naturally occurring organosulfur compound that functions as a cofactor for mitochondrial enzyme complexes (PDH, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase) and as a potent antioxidant that recycles other antioxidants (vitamins C, E, glutathione, CoQ10). FDA-approved drug in Germany for diabetic neuropathy (600mg IV or oral). Strong clinical evidence for insulin sensitivity improvement, peripheral neuropathy (pain, tingling), and mitochondrial function. R-ALA is the biologically active enantiomer with better bioavailability than racemic ALA; Na-RALA (sodium R-lipoate) has the highest bioavailability. Combined with ALCAR it is one of the most studied mitochondrial restoration combinations.

Evidence

No score yet

Safety

Unknown safety profile

Clinical Status

No formal phase listed

Research Sync

Not synced yet

Dosing

Typical

600 mg

300 mgRange1800 mg

Frequency2-3x/day (racemic) or 1-2x/day (R-ALA)

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Pharmacology

Half-lifeR-ALA: ~30 minutes (plasma); mitochondrial effects persist longer

OnsetGlycemic effects acute (1-2 weeks); neuropathy benefits 3-6 months

DurationOngoing with daily supplementation

Routes

oral

intravenous

Evidence Score

—

0 studies indexed

Scoring Factors

Volume(40%)—

Quality(30%)—

Sample Size(10%)—

Consistency(10%)—

Replication(5%)—

Recency(5%)—

Evidence Levels

AScore ≥75 with at least 1 meta-analysis and 3+ RCTs

BScore ≥50 with at least 1 RCT or meta-analysis

CScore ≥25 — observational or animal evidence only

DScore <25 — very limited or preclinical data

Plain-English Snapshot

Alpha-Lipoic Acid is currently categorized as a supplement compound.

Evidence scoring has not been fully computed yet, so interpret this profile as preliminary.

Safety scoring is incomplete. Start conservatively and monitor carefully.

Core mechanism

Mitochondrial PDH/KGDH cofactor; recycles vitamins C, E, Q10, and glutathione; activates AMPK; Nrf2 induction; inhibits NF-kB; chelates heavy metals

Practical Context

Strongest current signals

No indexed study summaries yet.