Alpha-Lipoic Acid

Tier-CPublic-ready7/2/2026

Glucose and metabolic health markers is closer to a research marker, so it should be read separately from a directly felt benefit.

The 42.1 score includes research signals from patient or disease contexts. General supplement evidence is not repeated enough, so the C tier remains conservative.

Representative tier calculated from paper evidence that passed the collection audit.

Papers analyzed

Caution signal

Low

Context-specific research signal

42.1

Glucose and metabolic health markersBlood pressure and vascular health markersCognition, memory, and focus

Main benefit evidence

The representative ingredient tier is calculated from these target-level evidence groups.

Glucose and metabolic health

2 studiesTier-C

Glucose and metabolic health markers

Fairly consistent positive signal in studiesResearch marker focusPatient-group study

This card is closer to a measured biomarker or lab outcome than a directly felt user benefit. These findings come from a defined study population, so everyday effects may differ.

Evidence score

48.7

Study context

Patient-group study

This score reflects the strength of this benefit group. The ingredient tier also considers paper count, repetition, population, and study context.

Blood pressure and vascular health

2 studiesTier-C

Blood pressure and vascular health markers

Some positive signal observedResearch marker focusPatient-group study

This card is closer to a measured biomarker or lab outcome than a directly felt user benefit. These findings come from a defined study population, so everyday effects may differ.

Evidence score

37.4

Study context

Patient-group study

This score reflects the strength of this benefit group. The ingredient tier also considers paper count, repetition, population, and study context.

Cognition and focus

1 studiesTier-C

Cognition, memory, and focus

Some positive signal observedFelt benefit focusPatient-group study

Potential benefit studied in Cognition and focus. These findings come from a defined study population, so everyday effects may differ.

Evidence score

20.9

Study context

Patient-group study

This score reflects the strength of this benefit group. The ingredient tier also considers paper count, repetition, population, and study context.

Recent research

Updated This Month10 new papers

Side effects and combination findings in studies

Findings from studies of this ingredient alone are separated from findings involving another supplement or medication.

Caution index

1.5

Caution band: Low

Caution signals

Side effects + combos + curated rules

Key precautions

No curated contraindication rule is available yet, but literature caution signals are shown below.

1 combo signals and 0 added-signal combos shown below.

These are signals reported in studies. They do not predict what will happen to an individual.

Findings to review with care

Side effects reported for the ingredient alone are separated from findings involving another supplement or medication.

Side effects reported when this ingredient was used alone

Symptoms or adverse events reported in studies of this ingredient without another active ingredient.

Adverse effect signal1 papers

A case report described potentially life-threatening relapsing hypoglycaemia due to insulin autoimmune syndrome precipitated by alpha-lipoic acid in a patient with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance.Human studies · Study type not identified

Adverse effect signal1 papers

A case was reported where alpha-lipoic acid supplementation induced insulin autoimmune antibody syndrome, resulting in severe hypoglycemia and unresponsiveness in a non-diabetic female.Human studies · Study type not identified

NELL1-associated membranous nephropathy1 papers

High-grade proteinuria and NELL1-associated membranous nephropathy were identified as unexpected adverse events in patients with multiple sclerosis receiving lipoic acid supplementation, with remission observed upon discontinuation.Human studies · Randomized controlled trial

Adverse effect signal1 papers

The study reports a case where alpha-lipoic acid exposure was linked to the development of insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS), characterized by hypoglycemia and high insulin autoantibody titers.Human studies · Study type not identified

Adverse effect signal1 papers

A case report described severe recurrent hypoglycaemia associated with high insulin and C-peptide levels in a patient who consumed alpha-lipoic acid, leading to a diagnosis of insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS).Human studies · Study type not identified

Adverse effect signal1 papers

A case report described a potential relationship between alpha-lipoic acid consumption and the development of insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS) in a patient presenting with recurrent hypoglycemia.Human studies · Study type not identified

Adverse effect signal1 papers

Anti-insulin antibody syndrome, characterized by severe hypoglycemia and elevated insulin autoantibodies, was reported in three human cases following alpha-lipoic acid use.Human studies · Study type not identified

Adverse effect signal1 papers

Alpha-lipoic acid was reported to induce or exacerbate hypoglycemia in a patient with Insulin Autoimmune Syndrome (IAS), leading to a diagnosis of hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia.Human studies · Study type not identified

Positive combinations studied

Positive combination findings are separated by how the study compared the groups. This is not a recommendation to combine them.

Positive findings when used together

The combination had a positive result, but the contribution of each ingredient could not be separated.

오메가-3The combination of omega-3 fatty acids and alpha-lipoic acid showed significant benefits in slowing cognitive and functional decline compared to placebo or omega-3 alone.

Evidence summaries

Paper IDs and full lists are private. Only study types and summaries are shown.

Key Evidence #1

Public scholarly dataCitation signal: 958

review

Though LA has long been touted as an antioxidant, it has also been shown to improve glucose and ascorbate handling, increase eNOS activity, activate Phase II detoxification via the transcription factor Nrf2, and lower expression of MMP-9 and VCAM-1 through rep

Key Evidence #2

Public scholarly dataCitation signal: 256

observational

The combination of ω-3 + LA slowed cognitive and functional decline in AD over 12 months and further evaluation of the combination of omega-3 fatty acids plus alpha-lipoic acid as a potential treatment is warranted.

Key Evidence #3

Public scholarly dataCitation signal: 130

observational

The protective effects of alpha-lipoic acid on hepatic steatosis appear to be associated with the transcription factors sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1, forkhead box O1 and NF-E2-related factor 2.

3 more summariesLimited representative sample by study type.

Public scholarly dataCitation signal: 93

review

The most recent clinical data on α-lipoic acid in the prevention, management, and treatment of a variety of diseases, including coronavirus disease 2019 are discussed.

Public scholarly dataCitation signal: 80

observational

The data suggest that α-LA played a positive role in protecting the heart against adverse effects of chronic pressure overload and that ALDH2 which was activated by α-LA governed the activation of Nrf1–FUNDC1 cascade.

Public scholarly dataCitation signal: 64

observational

Alpha-lipoic acid and spinal cord stimulation were effective for pain; studies were short-term with quality deficits and further research should address long-term outcomes and other non-pharmacologic treatments.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid

Evidence score: 42.1|Caution index: 1.5

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