Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) 250 mg, 60 Vegan Capsules

What Is Alpha Lipoic Acid?

Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) is a naturally occurring antioxidant your mitochondria make in small amounts and use as a cofactor for pyruvate dehydrogenase, the enzyme that starts glucose conversion into cellular energy. Unlike single-solubility antioxidants, ALA dissolves in both water and fat, letting it recycle vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione, and CoQ10 — extending the working life of all 4[1]Lipoic Acid Biological Activity and Therapeutic Potential — PubMed View source.

Remedy's Nutrition Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) 250 mg, 60 vegan capsules delivers the pharmaceutical-grade racemic R/S form in every capsule — the same form used in most of the clinical trials cited on this page[2]Lipoic Acid Physiological Role and Clinical Application — PubMed View source. One 60-capsule bottle is a 2-month supply at the 1-capsule daily antioxidant serving. For the full identity and history breakdown, see our complete alpha lipoic acid guide.

• Water- and fat-soluble — works inside and outside the cell membrane
• Cofactor for pyruvate dehydrogenase, the enzyme that starts glucose-to-ATP conversion
• Remedy's capsule: 250 mg racemic R/S ALA, 60 vegan capsules per bottle
• Most-studied use case: diabetic peripheral neuropathy, with over 30 years of German clinical data

ALA occurs in trace amounts in foods like spinach, broccoli, and organ meats, but food-form ALA is bound to protein and delivers only a fraction of a milligram per serving. Every clinical trial referenced on this page used a free-form, unbound supplement dose — the same delivery form as this 250 mg capsule.

Alpha Lipoic Acid Benefits: Clinical Evidence

Alpha lipoic acid's benefit profile is strongest for diabetic nerve health and blood sugar support, with 6-plus decades of German and international trial data behind those 2 uses specifically. The table below summarizes the highest-quality evidence by benefit area, including where the picture is mixed.

• Strongest evidence: diabetic peripheral neuropathy and blood sugar/insulin sensitivity
• Most positive neuropathy trials used IV dosing or IV-to-oral loading, not oral-only
• The largest 4-year oral-only trial (NATHAN 1, 460 patients) missed its primary endpoint
• Weight-loss effect is modest (-2.29 kg average) and more pronounced in women

For a benefit-by-benefit evidence grade — including the weaker skin and burning-mouth-syndrome uses — see our full alpha lipoic acid benefits breakdown.

How Alpha Lipoic Acid Works

ALA's antioxidant action runs through 2 pathways: direct free-radical scavenging in both watery and fatty cell compartments, and indirect "recycling" of vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione, and CoQ10 back into their active forms. Its mitochondrial cofactor role feeds pyruvate dehydrogenase and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, 2 enzyme complexes central to converting glucose into usable ATP.

This dual antioxidant-plus-cofactor mechanism is why ALA shows up in both blood-sugar research and nerve-health research — oxidative stress and impaired glucose metabolism are core drivers of diabetic nerve damage, and ALA addresses both simultaneously rather than working through a single narrow pathway.

Racemic ALA (R,S-ALA)

The naturally occurring 50/50 mixture of the R- and S- mirror-image forms (enantiomers) of alpha lipoic acid. This is the pharmaceutical-grade form used in the majority of published clinical trials, including ALADIN, SYDNEY 2, and NATHAN 1, and it is the form in this 250 mg capsule.

R-ALA (R-enantiomer)

The single "right-handed" isomer, marketed as more bioavailable. Pharmacokinetic data on that claim is mixed and age-dependent rather than a simple universal advantage.

Enantiomer

One of 2 mirror-image versions of the same molecule. R- and S-ALA have the same chemical formula but different 3D shape, which can change how enzymes and receptors process them.

Pyruvate dehydrogenase

A mitochondrial enzyme complex that converts pyruvate (from glucose breakdown) into acetyl-CoA, the entry point into the energy-producing citric acid cycle. ALA is a required cofactor for this step.

Alpha Lipoic Acid for Neuropathy and Nerve Health

Neuropathy is ALA's most-researched use, and the honest picture depends heavily on delivery route. The 3 trials with the clearest positive results — ALADIN, ALADIN III, and SYDNEY 2 — used intravenous dosing or an IV-to-oral loading protocol, not oral capsules from day 1[3]ALADIN Study: IV Alpha-Lipoic Acid for Diabetic Neuropathy — PubMed View source[5]SYDNEY 2 Trial: Oral Alpha-Lipoic Acid for Diabetic Polyneuropathy — PubMed View source.

NATHAN 1, the largest oral-only trial, followed 460 patients for 4 years on 600 mg daily; the primary composite endpoint missed significance, though a secondary impairment score improved[6]NATHAN 1 Trial: 4-Year Oral Alpha-Lipoic Acid Outcome — PubMed View source. A critical appraisal of the ALADIN/SYDNEY/NATHAN trial series called the evidence real but more modest than the IV studies alone suggest[7]Critical Appraisal of Alpha-Lipoic Acid for Diabetic Polyneuropathy — PubMed View source.

• ALADIN (IV): 82.5% symptom response at 600 mg over 3 weeks
• SYDNEY 2 (oral): sensory symptom improvement in 181 patients over 5 weeks
• NATHAN 1 (oral, 4 years): primary endpoint missed significance (P=0.105)
• Oral bioavailability runs roughly 30-40% and drops further when taken with food

The practical takeaway: oral ALA capsules like this one deliver a real but more modest effect than the headline IV trial numbers imply, and consistency over 8-12 weeks matters more than any single high dose. Our alpha lipoic acid neuropathy guide breaks down dosing protocols study-by-study for anyone using an oral alpha lipoic acid supplement for nerve support.

Alpha Lipoic Acid for Diabetes and Blood Sugar Support

ALA is a complementary blood-sugar tool, not a substitute for prescribed diabetes medication. In people with type 2 diabetes, ALA improved insulin-stimulated glucose disposal in early mechanism research, supporting its role as an add-on rather than primary therapy[8]Alpha-Lipoic Acid Enhances Glucose Disposal in Type 2 Diabetes — PubMed View source.

A broader review of ALA in type 2 diabetes management covers both glycemic and neuropathy endpoints together, reflecting how closely blood sugar control and nerve health are linked in this population[9]Alpha-Lipoic Acid in Type 2 Diabetes Management — PubMed View source. A 2022 meta-analysis of oral ALA supplementation trials in type 2 diabetes evaluated efficacy and safety together across the pooled data[10]Oral Alpha-Lipoic Acid for Type 2 Diabetes Meta-Analysis — PubMed View source.

• Never stop or reduce prescribed diabetes medication to add ALA alone
• Monitor glucose closely for the first 2 weeks after starting a 250 mg capsule
• Coordinate any insulin or sulfonylurea dose change with your provider
• ALA is complementary, not a replacement for A1c-lowering prescription therapy

Anyone managing type 2 diabetes with medication should read our full alpha lipoic acid and blood sugar guide before adding a 250 mg alpha lipoic acid capsule to an existing regimen.

R-ALA vs Racemic Alpha Lipoic Acid: What You're Actually Getting

Remedy's Nutrition capsule contains racemic R,S-ALA, the pharmaceutical-grade 50/50 mixture used in the ALADIN, SYDNEY 2, and NATHAN 1 trials above — not an isolated R-ALA extract. A pilot pharmacokinetic study found the bioavailability advantage often claimed for R-ALA is age- and gender-dependent, not a consistent, universal win[11]Age and Gender Dependent Bioavailability of R-ALA vs Racemic ALA — PubMed View source.

One stabilized formulation, sodium R-lipoate, showed higher plasma concentration and absorption than standard R-ALA or racemic ALA — but that applies to this specific salt, not to R-ALA labeling generally[12]Plasma Pharmacokinetics of Sodium R-Lipoate — PubMed View source. A separate study in progressive multiple sclerosis patients directly compared GI tolerability and absorption between R-ALA and racemic ALA[13]GI Tolerability of R-ALA vs Racemic ALA in MS — PubMed View source.

For most people, a standard racemic ALA supplement at an adequate dose delivers the same clinical benefit documented in the major trials, at a lower cost per milligram than isolated R-ALA. Anyone who wants the full pharmacokinetic study breakdown should read our R-ALA vs alpha lipoic acid comparison before switching to standard racemic ALA capsules.

Alpha Lipoic Acid for Weight Loss and Metabolism

ALA is a modest metabolic support tool, not a fat-burner. A meta-analysis pooling randomized trials through January 2020 found ALA supplementation reduced body weight by a weighted mean difference of 2.29 kg and BMI by 0.49 kg/m2 compared with placebo, with the effect more pronounced in women[14]Alpha-Lipoic Acid and Obesity Risk Meta-Analysis — PubMed View source.

That is a real but small effect — roughly 5 pounds on average across pooled trial data, not the dramatic fat-loss result some marketing implies. Waist-circumference change was duration-dependent, meaning longer trials showed more consistent results than short ones.

• Average weight change across pooled trials: -2.29 kg (about 5 pounds)
• Average BMI change: -0.49 kg/m2
• Effect more pronounced in women than men across the pooled data
• Best framed as a modest metabolic-support add-on to diet and activity, not a standalone solution

A daily alpha lipoic acid supplement paired with diet and activity changes is the realistic use case here. Our alpha lipoic acid weight loss guide covers the full study data and realistic timelines for this specific use.

Why Choose Remedy's Alpha Lipoic Acid

Remedy's Nutrition Alpha Lipoic Acid is a single-ingredient, filler-free formula built around the 250 mg dose that flexes from a daily antioxidant baseline up to the 600-1200 mg range used in neuropathy protocols when 2-4 capsules are combined. It keeps the label simple on purpose, with no proprietary blend hiding the actual ALA content per capsule.

This flexible-dose alpha lipoic acid supplement lets a single SKU cover both the low-dose antioxidant use case and the higher, split-dose neuropathy or blood-sugar protocols described in the dosage table below, without needing to stock multiple strength options.

Alpha Lipoic Acid Dosage: How Much to Take Per Day

Clinical protocols for ALA span a wide range: 250 mg daily covers a general antioxidant baseline, while diabetic neuropathy studies used 600-1800 mg daily, most often split into 2-3 doses because ALA's plasma half-life is only 30-60 minutes[5]SYDNEY 2 Trial: Oral Alpha-Lipoic Acid for Diabetic Polyneuropathy — PubMed View source.

Take a 250 mg alpha lipoic acid capsule on an empty stomach roughly 30 minutes before a meal — food, especially a high-carbohydrate meal, can reduce absorption by 30-40%. Never exceed 1800 mg in a single day. Full details on splitting doses and timing are in our alpha lipoic acid dosage guide.

• Short plasma half-life (30-60 minutes) is why higher doses get split, not taken as one large dose
• Food reduces absorption 30-40%, especially high-carbohydrate meals
• Give any regimen at least 8-12 weeks before judging nerve or blood-sugar results
• 1800 mg/day is the upper limit used in clinical trials — do not exceed it

Safety and Drug Interactions

Reported side effects across trials are generally mild: stomach upset, nausea, and occasional skin rash are the most common, usually resolved by lowering the dose or taking with a small amount of water[1]Lipoic Acid Biological Activity and Therapeutic Potential — PubMed View source. Anyone on diabetes medication or thyroid therapy should read our full alpha lipoic acid side effects guide for the complete drug-by-drug breakdown before starting clean, filler-free alpha lipoic acid capsules.

Who Should Avoid Alpha Lipoic Acid

ALA is well tolerated by most healthy adults at label doses, but several groups need medical clearance first or should avoid it entirely.

If any of these apply to you, talk with your physician or pharmacist before adding a daily alpha lipoic acid supplement to your routine, particularly if you are already managing blood sugar with prescription medication.

Frequently Asked Questions

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