I was looking at the Lipoic Acid supplement from Vitamin World. It is a 300mg tablet and it states that it should be taken with a meal.

1 - Is the Vitamin World brand a good brand for Lipoic Acid?
2 - Should it be taken with a meal or empty stomach?
3 - Is 300mg a day a good dose or 600mg?

The old alpha lipoic acid (mixture) should be used on an empty stomach. There is a study showing up to 30% less absorption with food.

The new stabilized R-lipoic acid is more soluble and needs less high dosing. Probably not in stores yet. You only need 100mg a day of the new type.
It is at iherb.com and Amazon. Doctor's Best brand.
http://www.iherb.com/Doctor-s-Best-B...-Veggie-Caps/4

There are many posts on PN about lipoic acid... if you search
"lipoic acid" you find them. The new form is more efficient in smaller doses. The old ALA form, has 1/2 -s- form which is not active and not well absorbed from the GI tract.

How long does it take for lipoic acid to show any results?

Have people seen improvements within 4 weeks or is that too soon?

If you are absorbing it... there should be some improvements.

Many people claim it works. I never noticed much myself, but I still take it to help with glucose control.

The research however has been going on in Europe for over a decade. The papers call it thioctic acid... you can put that in a keyword at PubMed and see all the papers. There is a PubMed link at the right top of each page here.

Some of the papers may call it alpha lipoic acid... or just lipoic acid, but most of the non-US papers call it thioctic acid.

Using the racemic mixture (alpha lipoic acid) requires high doses, because of poor absorption and the 1/2 of it that is inactive.
600 to 1800mg a day on an empty stomach.

The new form that is solubilized called NaRALA or stabilized R-lipoic acid, the average dose is 100mg a day.

This is the Linus Pauling article on alpha lipoic acid:
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/othernuts/la/

mrsd - i have been reading a lot on these boards the last couple of days - mainly about diabetic PN and suggested supplements. i really appreciate all of your wonderful advice on the subject. i just have a quick question. what is the approximate size of the capsule Doctor's Best Stabilized R-Lipoic Acid -- 100 mg? thanks in advance!

Welcome to NeuroTalk:

Mine measures 18mm long and 6mm wide.

If you go to this link, and print out the scale:
http://www.capsuleconnection.com/fil...ctual_size.pdf

It is a size 1.