I think 100mg of stablized R-lipoic is not very expensive. It is also far more potent than what you are using. Far more absorbed and biologically available to the body.

60 alpha lipoic acid (original form)
example:
http://www.iherb.com/Source-Naturals...les/38661?at=0

Doctor's Best stabilized R-lipoic:
http://www.iherb.com/Doctor-s-Best-B...ie-Caps/4?at=0

Same price same quantity....very different bioavailability!

Thanks for your advise. I have been taking the following:

http://www.iherb.com/Healthy-Origins...les/10097?at=0

Pretty inexpensive. I am a thrifty shopper since I take so many supplements! I will look into the R-Lipoic acid once I run out of my existing stores.

While you are using this up, take on an empty stomach to get
best results. Only 1/2 of ALA is active. The new RALA stabilized
is far more potent in smaller doses and far more absorbed too.

... everything was kept absolutely consistant from test to test. This was also the third time that I have taken Lipoic Acid (regular or R-form) and each time I have seen a major drop in all of my blood sugar numbers.

I just got back from my doctor and testing for A1C....

My A1C dropped to 5.7 from 6.4.

I am using 100mg of stabilized R-lipoic and 300mg of SunTheanine daily. I haven't been on my metformin since early August, so it is not that change. It is lower now than when I was on metformin in fact! I had been using another brand--Source Naturals-- and had no change in A1C on that. The Doctor's Best appears very superior based on my new tests. "Stabilized" is the way to go and must be because of its better absorption.

I think this is a combination of lowering cortisol, which may have been high for me, causing the increased blood sugars. The Theanine lowers cortisol when elevated. Elevated cortisol raises blood sugar as a side effect.