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R-Lipoic Acid for neuropathy

Posted by dmcatoe @dmcatoe, Jun 5 10:08am

Anyone
Using R-Lipoic Acid? Would like to know the pros & cons of this supplement.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Neuropathy Support Group.

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persistentc | @persistentc | 5 days ago
In reply to @johnbishop "@dmcatoe I take na-R-ALA 1200 mg daily along with some other supplements to hopefully slow or..." + (show)
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@dmcatoe I take na-R-ALA 1200 mg daily along with some other supplements to hopefully slow or possibly stop the progression of my neuropathy (my pros). My cons are the cost but I wasted money on much worse things. There is another discussion on the topic in case you haven't seen it.
-- Does any neurologist prescribe Alpha Lipoic Acid?: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/does-any-neurologist-prescribe-alpha-lipoic-acid/

Here's a search of Connect listing related discussions and comments from members who have posted about R-Lipoic Acid - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/.

I don't have pain with my neuropathy, only the numbness and some tingling but if you have pain and it helps that might be another pro. Here's some research:
-- Efficacy of alpha-lipoic acid in mitigating neuropathic pain: mechanistic insights and therapeutic implications: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10787-026-02159-9

If you want to dig a little deeper into more research, Google Scholar has a lot of research on the supplement - https://scholar.google.com/scholar

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@johnbishop I had not heard of na-R-ALA. I've been taking 600mg of R-ALA before breakfast. What does the sodium add to the picture? And can you tell us what brand you are using? Thanks!

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John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | 5 days ago
In reply to @johannamarie "I am curious about differing results in effectiveness between R-Alpha Lipoic Acid (natural) and Alpha Lipoic..." + (show)
Profile picture for johannamarie @johannamarie

I am curious about differing results in effectiveness between R-Alpha Lipoic Acid (natural) and Alpha Lipoic Acid (artificially created, in a lab) — is there truly a difference? I have not started on any form yet. My peripheral neuropathy is from nerve inflammation brought about by my lupus (SLE.) I don’t think the source of the neuropathy makes a difference in this treatment, but I thought I would mention it in case any of you have related lupus insights to share. Thank you all in advance. (This is my first post on Mayo Connect!)

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Welcome @johannamarie, Happy to see that you found Connect which is a great way to connect with other members sharing their experiences with neuropathy and other conditions. Here's some information on the differences between synthetic and natural Alpha Lipoic Acid:
"Supplements labeled as ALA usually contain a 50/50 mixture of R-ALA and S-ALA; while R-Lipoic Acid supplements specifically contain R-ALA only."
-- R-Lipoic Acid vs Alpha-Lipoic Acid: Which Is Better?
https://www.performancelab.com/blogs/energy/r-lipoic-acid-vs-alpha-lipoic-acid
Basically the synthetic version of ALA (S-ALA) has 40 to 50 percent less bioavailability -
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/dietary-factors/lipoic-acid
Since you mentioned your neuropathy is from nerve inflammation caused by Lupus (SLE), I thought you might like to connect with others who mentioned the neuropathy and SLE. Here's a search of Connect with posts by members with similar conditions - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/comments/.

Do you have pain with your neuropathy symptoms?

REPLY
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John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | 5 days ago
In reply to @persistentc "@johnbishop I had not heard of na-R-ALA. I've been taking 600mg of R-ALA before breakfast. What..." + (show)
Profile picture for persistentc @persistentc

@johnbishop I had not heard of na-R-ALA. I've been taking 600mg of R-ALA before breakfast. What does the sodium add to the picture? And can you tell us what brand you are using? Thanks!

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@persistentc I think they are both good but na-R-ALA has slightly more bioavailability than R-ALA (60% vs 43%).

--- Analysis of the Enhanced Stability of R(+)-Alpha Lipoic Acid by the Complex Formation with Cyclodextrins: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6723188/

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John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | 5 days ago
In reply to @persistentc "@johnbishop I had not heard of na-R-ALA. I've been taking 600mg of R-ALA before breakfast. What..." + (show)
Profile picture for persistentc @persistentc

@johnbishop I had not heard of na-R-ALA. I've been taking 600mg of R-ALA before breakfast. What does the sodium add to the picture? And can you tell us what brand you are using? Thanks!

Jump to this post

@persistentc forgot to mention, the na-R-ALA I'm taking now is included in the protocol of supplements I take from this website - https://theprotocolworks.com/faq/. We used to order all of our neuropathy supplements from the manufacturers website or from Amazon and the group maintained a link for each supplement. It got to be a lot of pills so the person who started the group worked with a local pharmaceutical company to include all of the supplements into fewer capsules. The last na-R-ALA I remember ordering was Geronova Research® Bio-Enhanced® R-Lipoic Acid - 600 mg but we also ordered others that we found that were similar but cost less. I shared my neuropathy journey in another discussion here - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/310341/.

REPLY
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persistentc | @persistentc | 5 days ago
In reply to @johnbishop "@persistentc I think they are both good but na-R-ALA has slightly more bioavailability than R-ALA (60%..." + (show)
Profile picture for John, Volunteer Mentor @johnbishop

@persistentc I think they are both good but na-R-ALA has slightly more bioavailability than R-ALA (60% vs 43%).

--- Analysis of the Enhanced Stability of R(+)-Alpha Lipoic Acid by the Complex Formation with Cyclodextrins: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6723188/

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@johnbishop what brand are you using? I am not seeing it among manufacturers I typically trust

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ktbs | @ktbs | 5 days ago

The newest message is that only the drop form of R Alpha Lipoic Acid will be effective. I don't know what to think. Why doesn't my neurologist prescribe the exact product to use? Has anyone found the drop form works better?

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perineuro21 | @perineuro21 | 5 days ago
In reply to @amota "I was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy a year ago. I read about Alpha Lipolic Acid as..." + (show)
Profile picture for amota @amota

I was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy a year ago. I read about Alpha Lipolic Acid as one of the best supplements for neuropathy. I checked about its side effects and I believe it is very safe.
I am taking two 600 mg pills daily. I am not feeling better but my symptoms have not worsen in more than a year.

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@amota
Good luck with it. Isn't two 600 mg pills daily double the recommended dose?
I tried 600 mg daily and found no benefit.

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2 replies
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John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | 4 days ago
In reply to @perineuro21 "@amota Good luck with it. Isn't two 600 mg pills daily double the recommended dose? I..." + (show)
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@amota
Good luck with it. Isn't two 600 mg pills daily double the recommended dose?
I tried 600 mg daily and found no benefit.

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Hello @perineuro21, welcome to Connect. I've been taking 1200 mg daily na-R-ALA (600mg morning and evening) since 2016 but I don't think there really is a recommended daily dosage. Here's more information:

"There are no official alpha-lipoic acid dosage recommendations. Doses of 600-1,800 milligrams a day have been used to treat diabetic nerve pain. Daily doses from 200 to 2,400 milligrams are considered safe, but higher doses offer no extra benefits."
-- Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA): Benefits and Side Effects
https://www.webmd.com/diet/alpha-lipoic-acid-ala
Do you have pain with your neuropathy?

REPLY
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marquis113 | @marquis113 | 4 days ago

Does anyone take this for peripheral neuropathy nondiabetic?

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blowerk1216 | @blowerk1216 | 4 days ago
In reply to @johannamarie "I am curious about differing results in effectiveness between R-Alpha Lipoic Acid (natural) and Alpha Lipoic..." + (show)
Profile picture for johannamarie @johannamarie

I am curious about differing results in effectiveness between R-Alpha Lipoic Acid (natural) and Alpha Lipoic Acid (artificially created, in a lab) — is there truly a difference? I have not started on any form yet. My peripheral neuropathy is from nerve inflammation brought about by my lupus (SLE.) I don’t think the source of the neuropathy makes a difference in this treatment, but I thought I would mention it in case any of you have related lupus insights to share. Thank you all in advance. (This is my first post on Mayo Connect!)

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@johannamarie the S form of ALA cannot be used within the body’s system.

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