{"ok":true,"entry":{"slug":"alpha-lipoic-acid","kind":"supplement","name":"alpha-lipoic acid","aliases":["ALA","R-lipoic acid","thioctic acid"],"brands_sg":["California Gold Nutrition","NOW Foods","Doctor's Best","Life Extension","Best Naturals"],"class":"antioxidant","tags":["general","energy"],"use_for":"unclear — the pooled trials are cardiometabolic, not energy","use_after":null,"use_duration":"the studied window: 800 mg a day or less, 12 weeks or less","take_with":"sold in sg as 600 mg ala or as stabilised r-lipoic acid","pros":["large human base — 63 rcts pooled to may 2025","inflammation markers fell in 20 trials, 947 people","600 mg a day is the dose the sg shelf actually sells"],"cons":["effects were below clinically important thresholds","no effect on ldl, hdl or blood pressure in 63 rcts","case reports tie it to insulin autoimmune hypoglycaemia"],"dose_note":"the 2022 dose-response pooling of 16 trials in 1,035 patients centres on 600 mg a day, the strength sg shelves stock, and reports that its point estimates sat below minimal clinically important difference thresholds for every outcome; a 2026 pooling of 63 rcts published to may 2025 found no substantial effect on ldl cholesterol, blood pressure or hdl cholesterol; a separate blood-pressure meta-analysis of 11 rcts in 674 patients describes the window studied as under 800 mg a day for 12 weeks or less","dosage":{"ul":null,"unit":"mg","fda_dv":null,"rda_ai":null,"ul_status":"none_established","population":"general adult","hsa_max_daily":null},"ul_status":"none_established","sg_class":null,"cautions":["insulin autoimmune syndrome — a bmj case report ties recurrent hypoglycaemia to ala, with hla-drb1*04:03 typing and relapse on re-exposure","hirata syndrome is reported most often in asian populations — that matters in singapore","much of the pooled evidence is in people with type 2 diabetes, not healthy adults","alpha-lipoic acid is not listed in hsa annex a or b — hsa says that list is not exhaustive"],"clashes":[],"sources":[{"id":"nmcd2026","url":"https://europepmc.org/article/MED/41077538","label":"Effects of alpha-lipoic acid supplementation on cardiometabolic risk factors: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis (Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases 2026; PMID 41077538)","quote":"A comprehensive search of several databases identified 63 eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published until May 2025 … no substantial effect of ALA was identified on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood pressure, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"endocrine2022","url":"https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC9578061","label":"Efficacy and safety of oral alpha-lipoic acid supplementation for type 2 diabetes management: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized trials (Endocrine Connections 2022; PMC9578061)","quote":"We included 16 trials with 1035 patients … Levels of FPG and LDL-C decreased up to 600 mg/day ALA intake … The point estimates were below minimal clinically important difference thresholds for all outcomes","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"fcvm2023","url":"https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC10628535","label":"The effects of alpha lipoic acid supplementation on blood pressure in adults: a GRADE-assessed systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of RCTs (Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine 2023; PMC10628535) — cited here only for the dose and duration window studied","quote":"A total of 11 RCTs with the participation of 674 patients were included … at the dosages of <800 mg/day, when administered for ≤12 weeks","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"ijvnr2023","url":"https://europepmc.org/article/MED/33827267","label":"An updated systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of RCTs on the effects of alpha-lipoic acid supplementation on inflammatory biomarkers (Int J Vitam Nutr Res 2023; PMID 33827267)","quote":"Twenty eligible studies with a total sample size of 947 participants were included … ALA supplementation significantly reduced CRP (WMD: -0.69 mg/L) … IL-6 … and TNF-α concentrations","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"bmjcase2026","url":"https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42493219","label":"Hypoglycaemia in a non-diabetic patient due to alpha-lipoic acid-induced insulin autoimmune syndrome with HLA-DRB1*04:03:01G (BMJ Case Reports 2026; PMID 42493219)","quote":"IAS is increasingly recognised worldwide, particularly in association with sulfhydryl-containing medications such as alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) … Given the widespread over-the-counter availability of ALA-containing supplements, careful medication history … are essential","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"cureus2026_ias","url":"https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13261612","label":"A Case of Non-diabetic Hypoglycemia in the Elderly: Insulin Autoimmune Syndrome (Cureus 2026; PMC13261612)","quote":"Insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS), also known as Hirata syndrome, is a rare cause of spontaneous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, most commonly reported in Asian populations","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"hsa_prohibited_2025","url":"https://file.go.gov.sg/hsa-chp-prohibited-restricted-ing-guidelines.pdf","label":"HSA Singapore - Guidelines on Prohibited and Restricted Ingredients in HS and TM, GL-CHPB-1-012 Rev. No. 001 (October 2025), clause 1.3 + Annexes A and B","quote":"The objective of this guideline is to highlight the substances of concern when used in HS and TM and is not meant to be an exhaustive list","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"iherb_sg","url":"https://sg.iherb.com/c/alpha-lipoic-acid","label":"iHerb Singapore — Alpha Lipoic Acid category (Antioxidants), default order","quote":"1 - 48 of 124 results … California Gold Nutrition, Alpha Lipoic Acid, 600 mg … NOW Foods … Doctor's Best, Alpha-Lipoic Acid 600 … Life Extension, Super R-Lipoic Acid … Best Naturals, Alpha Lipoic Acid","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"iherb_sg_forms","url":"https://sg.iherb.com/c/alpha-lipoic-acid","label":"iHerb Singapore — Alpha Lipoic Acid category, forms sold alongside plain ALA","quote":"California Gold Nutrition, Stabilized R-Lipoic Acid with Bio-Enhanced® Na-RALA and Biotin … Life Extension, Super R-Lipoic Acid … California Gold Nutrition, Benfotiamine + Alpha Lipoic Acid","accessed":"2026-08-27"}],"brand_certs":null,"updated_at":"2026-08-29T16:16:10.48466+08:00"},"disclaimer":"kozen-x is not a medical device and does not give medical advice. it lists what published sources have written down. absence of a record is not the same as safe."}