[Apollo]

This is an important message for those exploring the use of R-Lipoic Acid to help control blood sugar results. I have just completed a careful trial using myself as a test subject and the impressive results are as follows.

I did a two-hour glucose challenge test at my doctors office on September 27, 2011 PRIOR to starting my R-Lipoic Acid. I am 5'8" and my weight that day was 179 pounds.

My initial test results were a fasting blood sugar level of 115, a two-hour level of 189, and an A1C level of 5.7.

I then began taking 200 mg of "Doctors Best" R-Lipoic Acid per day. I did so by taking a 100 mg capsule on an empty stomach early morning and a second 100 mg capsule on an empty stomach late at night before bed.

On November 1, 2011, I repeated my two-hour blood glucose challenge test. My weight on November 1st was again 179 pounds and all other things were kept constant to match the September 27th draw date.

My post R-Lipoic Acid numbers were a fasting blood glucose of 95 (vs 115), a two-hour reading of 125 (vs 189), and an A1C level of 5.6 (vs 5.7).

I am amazed at the results and will let you draw your own conclusions!

David

[mrsD]

That is very good. Thanks for posting.

I sure wish I could get to 200mg.... Maybe I'll try the extra 100mg over my normal dose, every other day for a while. The higher dose makes me so uncomfortable and jittery!

Those are good results. Congratulations!

[amit]

good to know.

[ger715]

Mrs. D, I like you get a bit hyper taking 100 mg's daily of R-Lipoic. The only plus is having lost almost 10 lbs. since starting it. Also, feel a little jumpy. Afraid what 200 mg's would do to.I know you mentioned you had been on 200 mg's and had to go down to 100 mg's because of feeling jittery. Good Luck.

[mrsD]

I use the 300mg Theanine at night. It helps.

The feeling I get with the lipoic is a tight tight chest and feeling short tempered, and irritable.

It is always possible too... and I don't want to sound like a damper on the good news so far...but sometimes the body accommodates to supplements. So the glucose lowering may fade somewhat over longer time periods than this test was.

It took a month on 50mg for me when I started a couple of years ago... to get up to 100mg. This stablized R-version is also much more potent I think than the unstablized R I was using.

I haven't seen any weight loss --- dang!

[aussiemom]

There are some other things to consider. Amount and types of food eaten the day befor and the day of. Any excercise? Various amounts of stress? What other meds are you on?

Or it just could be the D gremlins messing with you. Sorry, I don't think the ALA-R is responsible.

[ger715]

I am on high dose of Oxycotin, etc. Have had D tested and was a bit low. Doctor had me on 50,000IU capsules for a while. I now am on a maintenance dose of 3,000 IU's daily. Unfortunately, not too much with the excerise; except for regular housework.

I noticed loosing a few pounds a couple of weeks after starting the R-Lipoic. Eventually, up to 10 lbs. give or take a few. That was the only thing different I had done other than taking Doctor's Best BEnfotiamine 150mg at the same time I started the R-Lpoic.

[mrsD]

I do think blood sugar can be cortisol stimulated.

Low grade stress, may increase cortisol, which then increases
blood sugar. I noticed on vacation my fasting went down to low 100's ... 103 ave.. But at home I run at least 10-15 points higher.

My sugars are lower now without metformin than with it.. very
odd . But metformin made my GI tract very irritable and that was a major stressor!

[glenntaj]

--R-lipoic 100mg/day for years now, and it is perhaps true that I'm accomodated to it. It seems to do a good job of stabilizing my blood sugar (I've been fast-testing in the high 80's/low 90's, and prior to that was closer to high 90's most of the time. Of course, morning fasting blood sugar levels can swing fairly widely depending on time of test and activity level.)

I'm not diabetic, though demonstrably insulin resistant. And I am prone to a degree of reactive hypoglycemia--my considerable insulin secretion post meals tends to drive my blood sugar down into the 60'7/low 70's roughly 1.5-2.5 hours post consumption if I am not active.

I'm a little leery of going higher in part due to the above, though I'm intrigued by the stabilized form.

[karsten]

I'm currently taking one 600 mg ALA ( Alpha Lipoic Acid) per day. Is this approximately equal to 100 mg of the R-Lipoic acid? I thought about switching, but the ALA tends to be less expensive.