Has anyone tried this for PN? My doctor today recommended it. He also told me that the fact that my symptoms were getting worse was a good thing. He said that it always gets worse before it heals. Something to do with how the nerves heal.

I think a lot of us use it. It was the first supplement I started on, and I do think it helped.

I take R-Lipoic Acid which is a more bio-available form of ALA.

I sas taking 300/mg two times a day for about a year. I have been taking 600 2x a day for two months. I'm not sure if it is helping, but I have not isolated any issues from consumption. I figure it may be slowing down degredation. I don't want to stop and find out.

I should probably switch to r lipoic on next restock.

You will want to get the STABILIZED (and more soluble) R-lipoic as it allows for lower doses and better absorption. 100mg a day is all you need for this one.

http://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-S...+R-lipoic+acid

The r-lipoic that is not stabilized does not have NaRala on the label. The historically (and cheaper) older alpha lipoic products have much lower absorption rates. This is in keeping with many supplements now which are undergoing improvements for better responses. Curcumin is another product along with CoQ-10 that both have enhancements for better absorption.

I tried ALA for a while, but found it was causing my blood sugar to drop too low and causing me to feel weak and shaky. This is strange because I am not diabetic or even pre-diabetic.

I've been taking ALA for a few months now. (I was taking the regular ALA at 600 Mg/day then switched to the stabilized R form at 200 Mg/day.) I haven't noticed any change that I could attribute to the ALA.

As for your other question - I don't know if there's any scientific studies - but a lot of people say that the symptoms may get worse before they get better as they heal. (On the other hand, feeling worse can also mean they are getting worse.)

I think the most important thing is not to get too freaked out if things feel worse in the short term. In my case my symptoms are a roller coaster - some days I hardly notice the symptoms, other days I wonder how much longer I'll be able to do my job. It's starting to become clear to me that I have to measure improvement or regression over periods of weeks or months - not day to day.

Alpha-lipoic acid has been shown in scientific studies to reduce diabetic PN pain. Personally, I have been taking alpha-lipoic acid for years now since it does help with my pain, and I am not diabetic. I have proven to myself, time and time again, that my pain is worse without it. I take 600 mg per day Jarrow Alpha Lipoic Sustain with biotin. To be fair, this does contain biotin so it's possible this could be the culprit.
Ron