How to take lipoic acid

Contents

1 Types of supplements of lipoic acid and recommended doses

Types of supplements of lipoic acid and recommended doses

Uses of lipoic acid supplements

Lipoic acid is being investigated for its potential benefits on different degenerative diseases that affect the nervous system, such as diabetic neuropathy, Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis.

Alpha lipoic acid supplement.

To summarize, the main effects of lipoic acid supplements are:

Antioxidant
Neuronal antioxidant
To reverse damage to nerve fibers (for example, damage from diabetes)

At this point, it is also worth mentioning that supplementation has a limited effectiveness, because the most important part in the cure of a disease is a good treatment, diet and lifestyle. Consultation and supervision of the physician is always recommended.

What should we look for when buying supplements with lipoic acid?

In the market there are different types of lipoic acid with different degrees of absorption, but the most important thing is that many supplements have a much lower dose than that used in clinical studies, therefore, when a therapeutic effect is sought, it is necessary to Know how to choose a good supplement.

Are there foods that provide lipoic acid?

Before considering the supplementation of a nutrient, be it a vitamin, protein or mineral, it is always interesting to know if it can be obtained from the diet, since normally foods are the most complete source of nutrients.

In the case of lipoic acid, it occurs naturally in the body, which is found in food, and can also be produced in laboratories for supplementation. However, only in the form of supplements is it possible to achieve the therapeutic dose of lipoic acid that has been proven to be possibly beneficial in the studies. See then how these supplements should be.

Types of supplements with lipoic acid

Any lipoic acid supplement must contain alpha lipoic acid (ALA), which is the form that has the greatest absorption and benefits for the body.

Dosage or recommended amount of alpha lipoic acid

The most likely mistake that can be made when buying this supplement is to purchase a product with very little lipoic acid. Surprisingly, there are many lipoic acid supplements in the market with a really minimal amount of this component.

For a similar price, the dose of ALA between products varies a lot, so one of the most important recommendations when buying this supplement is to look carefully at the labels and see exactly what dose of ALA it contains.

How much lipoic acid should a supplement have?

The therapeutic dose of lipoic acid that has been tested in studies is about 1,200 mg per day for the treatment of multiple sclerosis or diabetic neuropathy (as examples). However, many supplements contain only 60mg or 100mg of lipoic acid, which would take about 10 capsules a day, which is totally uncomfortable.

Ideally, you should find supplements of 600 mg of alpha lipoic acid per dose.
It is recommended to look for supplements that contain at least 300 mg of alpha lipoic acid per dose.

What is racemic lipoic acid? Is it better than nonracemic supplements?

Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) is a molecule that, chemically, has a central “chiral” carbon that can be displayed in two ways, resulting in the S or R isomers. According to studies, racemic alpha lipoic acid (R-ALA) has greater availability.

When an ALA supplement is not specified, it means that it contains a racemic solution with both types of ALA, but there are also supplements of R-ALA and those bound to sodium (Na-R-ALA).

However, before recommending the purchase of R-ALA acid, it is important to know that there are other factors that affect the absorption of this component, such as age and sex (absorption seems to be greater in women than in men). In our modest professional opinion, it is not so important that it contains the “R-ALA” form but that it has a high amount of ALA (as mentioned in the previous point).

How to take alpha lipoic acid (ALA) supplements.

Do lipoic acid supplements work?

There are clinical studies that support the use of this product, but the level of evidence is still low and continues to be investigated. Due to what was previously commented on the interindividual differences in the absorption of this supplement, differences of effect between individuals and different responses in therapy can be expected.