Alpha-Lipoic Acid
An antioxidant that recharges your other antioxidants once they're spent.
Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is an antioxidant the body makes in small amounts on its own, and one of its more unusual properties is regenerating other antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin E, and glutathione, once they have been used up neutralising free radicals. It has been studied particularly for nerve-related discomfort and insulin sensitivity. R-ALA is the form the body produces naturally and absorbs best; standard R/S-ALA is a cheaper 50/50 mix of R-ALA and its less-active mirror-image form; the sodium salt Na-R-ALA is a more stable, water-soluble version of the natural R form. All forms absorb best away from food.
Reference values
Daily reference values from official nutrition authorities. These are population reference figures, not personal recommendations.
| RDA | Upper limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 600 mg | 1800 mg | UK |
Forms and bioavailability
Not all forms are absorbed equally. The form on your supplement label affects how much your body can actually use.
| Form | Absorption | With food | Timing | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-ALA (R-alpha-lipoic acid) | Higher | without | Either | Likely |
| R/S-ALA (racemic alpha-lipoic acid) | Typical | without | Either | Likely |
| Na-R-ALA (sodium R-alpha-lipoic acid) | Higher | without | Either | Likely |
Stack Almanac tracks which ALA form you're taking and reminds you it's best taken away from meals, unlike most of the antioxidants it works alongside.
Track your Alpha-Lipoic Acid in Stack Almanac
Last reviewed: 2026-07-08. Reference values are adult-general RDAs from UK. Individual needs may vary. This page is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.