Hi Everyone, I started R-lipoic acid today. I have Doctor's Best stabilized 100mg. I want to be sure that is right. Mrs D. I read the RLA site and I saw that you said yours is 250mgs so I am wondering if I have the right dose. Also, you mentioned in my other post that I am starting to sound lik lupus. My rheumo just told me at my last appt that he would not be surprised if eventually I tested + for lupus. I had a sister who had a severe case of RA and her lupus levels were always high. She never got an actual dx of lupus though. We'll see.
Any infor on R-Lipoic that I should know would be appreciated. Thanks everyone!

Yours is the right one.

Take the 100mg in the morning on an empty stomach and see how that goes. This is not going to phase lupus much...but it may help any nerves affected. It is not a quick fix. It will take time.

If you tolerate the 100mg well, you can try adding 100mg later in the day.

I found taking 200mg all at once too much for me. But spaced out later in the day, I don't get hyper at all. I took one last night and slept well.

I know you and I have a tendency to get a bit hyper when taking R-Lipoic and had reduced the mg's to 100mg a day. Are you now just dividing the dose and taking the R-Lipoic twice a day or just doing this occasionally?

(Gerry)

Yes, it is working divided up. Some afternoons I forget to take it...but I am averaging 5 times a week so far. I don't get that tense thing when dividing the dose over the day. I take it around 4pm way before dinner.

My biggest problem has been sleeping and pain. I tried Elavil in 10mg dose, and it seemed to work for a week, then stopped...then my blood sugar went up..and I found that some new studies show effects on blood sugar for diabetics (due to some neuroendocrine thing--unexplained further). So I stopped it and my sleeping became broken again.

Now I am doing L-tryptophan again, and I have to say...it is really nicely working. People on SSRIs or things like Cymbalta cannot do this, but since I am not medicated that way, and it has been over a month on Elavil for one week...I can safely do it. I had a bottle left over from last year of 500mg NOW brand. I finished that off and replaced it with Doctor's Best...and wouldn't you know it! It is dynamite! This is the 3rd supplement I've found better at Doctor's Best. Theanine, from Swanson's was disappointing, and now the R-lipoic, and tryptophan. The kitten and Weezie make alot of noise at night playing sometimes, and it also wakes hubby up. So we both are using the tryptophan with great success. In fact we even got equal hangovers from the new one! So I am breaking them in 1/2 so we get 250mg each. I have some empty taurine caps from Oreo which I saved and that is how I do it, for now.

My observations following a week of taking Doctores best RLA 200mg(suspended) and Acetyl L - Carnite 1000mg

Initially spaced out and hyper similar to lots of coffee, this has now abated.

The biggest change is the clearing of my brain fog. I was still having embarrassing moments of word recall and strange noises replacing words and to be honest this was starting to worry me. That has stopped also and Im very clear headed but will wait to see how it goes a few months down the track as Im skeptical that these supplements have helped so much in just 7 days , however Im not skeptical that the ALA (now switched to RLA) has helped immensely with the burning.

p.s is 1000 mg of the Acetyl L - Carnite the correct dose?

I agree. Both are great for the brain. With CFS and POTS, fog can be a problem. No problem at all now. I take one teaspoon of CarniClear. That is 2.5 grams.

Well, you know I believe the correct dose is the smallest dose required to obtain the desired results, but ya gotta start titrating from someplace. 1000 mg (500 twice a day) is what I was taking. I recall getting that figure from someplace here and elsewhere on the web.

Doc

have been researching both ALA and RLA
some amazing benefits outside of PN as well

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ala.htm

improval of physique
Combats free radicals
Protects our genetic material
Slows aging
Protects against heart disease
Protects against cancer
Improves skin and helps erase wrinkles
Regulates blood sugar in diabetics
Protects the liver
May be used as a treatment for Stroke

Yes, ALA is important for everyone. For nerve healing it is usually a high dose.

One does not need a "high"dose if using the new improved version "stabilized", which is rapidly and well absorbed. 100mg a day is enough for most people. Don't try and take the "high" dose of this, that corresponds to the racemic older ALA version.

ALA the original racemic mixture requires high dose (600mg -1800mg) a day.

Take both versions on an empty stomach for best results.