--essential fatty acids, not alpha lipoic acid.

The usual admonition about taking B12 on an empty stomach is due to the fact that the cobalamin molecule is among the largest absorbed and used by the body, and so it is very easy to interfere with its absoption.

Most sources I've seen say try not to eat anythiing two hours before taking B12 lozenges and at least one hour afterwrds.