Question for Mrs. D. Regarding R-Lipoic Acid
 

April 8, 2016

Dear Ms. D.:

For someone who wants to use R-Lipioc Acid to help control blood sugar, when is the best time to take a once or twice daily dose?

For example, with or without food, AM or PM, ect ...?

I use "Doctors Best" 100mg capsules taken once or twice daily.

Thanks!

David

If you are using the stabilized R form (NaRala) you can take it with a light meal. (the old ALA form had studies showing food
impairs absorption up to 30%).

I don't think timing is important. The lipoic has to reach the tissues to work and the mitochondria. That takes time.

When I was using it I had no effects on A1C or lowering of glucose. But everyone is different. Some posters here in the past had good effects on lowering A1C. It probably only works well in those "low" in it in the first place.

... many thanks for your swift response. Do you think that R-Lipoic Acid (200mg / day) is any better than the old Alpha Lipoic Acid (1200 mg / day)?

Oh, yes.... much better. The old form was 1/2 inactive, with the S- isomer, and poorly absorbed.

The only down side is that some people seem to get heartburn from lipoic acid. I've stopped using it, as it did nothing much for me. I am having very good response from acetyl carnitine though. Everyone is different in their needs and genetics that determine their biochemistry.

If you take lipoic acid for any length of time you will have to add in some biotin. Biotin shares the transporter that carries lipoic around the body. So when that transporter is full of lipoic you won't be getting any biotin delivered. Spacing them about 12 hours apart should minimize this effect.

I did not know about taking Biotin
 

MrsD How much Biotin do you recommend? I have been taking 100mg of stabilized R-lipoic acid and 150 mg Benfotamine for awhile now. Thank you!

Basically 1mg of biotin is enough for some people.
But there is no upper limit proposed for higher doses if people want to try that.

But new evidence has come out for MS patients (who are considered autoimmune patients now) to use really high doses of biotin which are now compounded since no mega high supplement exists. There is a thread here on NT on MS forum about biotin for MS.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ghlight=biotin

Puritan's has 5mg and 7.5mg tablets inexpensively. I also found 10mg on Amazon, so I moved up to the 10mg from long term prior use of 7.5mg. Biotin is often prescribed by dermatologists for skin, hair and nail repair and support.

Thanks from me, too. I checked and I am taking the Jarrow Formula, Jarrow Formulas R-Alpha Lipoid Acid, with Biotin. I think this is the right formula. We have to be 'detectives' to get things right.

Regards, ElaineD

I have tried doctors best stabilized R-Lipioc Acid (100 mg/60 veggie caps) with food and it gave me heartburn. Is there any way to avoid/stop the heartburn?

Thanks,

Cliffman :)

There are TWO forms of R-lipoic. The old form, which has poor solubility, (there are youtubes showing how it turns into a sticky mess in the stomach which is insoluble in water), and the new
one called stabilized R-lipoic which is a sodium or potassium salt and is very soluble in the stomach. The company who makes it
did a study showing that it begins to be absorbed in 15-20minutes. Hence it is much better at getting into the blood stream, and so lower doses are used. Its abbreviation is NaRala.

One needs to read the labels very carefully therefore, or you may not get much benefit if you purchased the old R-lipoic.

Cliffman, you ask about heartburn. I had heartburn when I was pregnant 53 yrs ago and never since. Why I don't get it, I don't know but I'm not complaining. But I did end up with an ulcer back in the 80's from a pharma drug and so I have that concern. So for some yrs now I take DGL for stomach protection. I've posted about it here and there are many info links to read up on it. Here is just one link to read plus read the reviews.

http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2010/...for-heartburn/

Keeping the body more alkaline vs acidic is one cause for heartburn I've read. Coffee is acidic and I drink two cups organic daily but add some baking soda to my grounds to CUT the acid...so far I'm good there. Alcohol is acidic too. Anyway, here is what works for me thankfully. DGL