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Alpha Lipoic Acid in Flow Nerves: Studies, Doses, Cautions
Alpha lipoic acid, or ALA, is an antioxidant the body makes in small amounts. It is one of six names listed for Flow Nerves, and no milligram amount is printed for it. Trials in people with diabetic nerve symptoms used 600 mg a day, mostly by vein. NIH sees no clear conclusions, and ALA can lower blood sugar.
- No mgprinted for this name
- 600 mga day in the trials
- 3 weeksby vein in those trials
- Low sugarthe main caution
Written by the Flow Nerves label deskUpdated
The basics
What is alpha lipoic acid?
Alpha lipoic acid is an antioxidant that your body makes in small amounts. It is also found in foods such as spinach and organ meats. The brief and the seller's page list it as the second name in Flow Nerves.
An antioxidant is a substance that can soak up unstable molecules called free radicals. The seller says ALA "helps protect nerve cells from oxidative stress". That is the seller's wording. Below we set it next to what the sources found.
The form is not printed. Alpha lipoic acid is sold as R-lipoic, as a mix of both forms, or as a salt. The amount is not printed either.
| Name on the list | Alpha Lipoic Acid |
|---|---|
| What it is | An antioxidant the body makes in small amounts; also found in foods such as spinach and organ meats |
| Form | Form (R-lipoic, racemic) and amount are not printed |
| Printed amount | Not printed in the material we have. No Supplement Facts image was supplied and the sales page prints no milligram for this name. |
| Amount used in research | Trials in people with diabetic nerve symptoms used 600 mg a day, mostly by vein for 3 weeks; for pills the pooled review says it is unclear whether results at more than 600 mg a day are clinically relevant |
| How the label compares | The label prints no amount, so it cannot be set next to 600 mg |
| Strength of evidence | Studied in diabetic neuropathy, with mixed and limited results; NIH says there are no clear conclusions |
| Marketed or traditional use | Sold as an antioxidant that 'helps protect nerve cells from oxidative stress' |
| Main caution | It can lower blood sugar and may add to diabetes medicine, so low blood sugar is the concern. It may weaken some cancer treatments. |
The picture at the top is the vendor's illustration of the ingredient. It is not a photo of what sits inside a capsule.
The evidence
Does alpha lipoic acid work for nerves?
Studies of alpha lipoic acid in nerve symptoms have mixed and limited results, and NIH says they lead to "no clear conclusions". Every trial we read enrolled people with diabetes, not the general public.
NCCIH says most ALA studies are small and differ in people, forms, doses and length (NCCIH, Diabetes and supplements). MSK says studies of IV and oral forms suggest better symptoms in people with diabetes, while earlier work on reversing nerve damage gave mixed results (MSK, Alpha-lipoic acid).
A 2012 pooled review found that ALA given by vein at 600 mg a day for 3 weeks gave a meaningful drop in nerve pain. It also said it is unclear whether results from pills at more than 600 mg a day are meaningful (Mijnhout 2012, ALA meta-analysis). Flow Nerves is a capsule, with no amount printed. So no trial can be matched to it.
| What the trials used | What Flow Nerves prints |
|---|---|
| 600 mg a day | No amount |
| Mostly by vein, for 3 weeks | A capsule with a meal |
| People with diabetic nerve symptoms | No group named |
The numbers
How much alpha lipoic acid is in Flow Nerves?
The material we have does not say how much alpha lipoic acid is in one Flow Nerves capsule. No Supplement Facts image was supplied, and the seller calls the six names a "proprietary blend".
The bar for the trial dose is below, next to the dashed "not printed" bar. It shows what a study used. It does not show what is in a capsule.
A fair question for the seller is: how many milligrams of alpha lipoic acid, and in which form, are in one capsule? The formula page explains why a blend can hide the answer.
Side effects
What are the side effects of alpha lipoic acid?
Alpha lipoic acid can cause nausea, vomiting and indigestion, and high doses can cause low blood sugar symptoms. MSK also warns of a rare condition called insulin autoimmune syndrome in people with certain genes (MSK, Alpha-lipoic acid).
The 2012 review adds a flag from one 4-year trial. Serious adverse events were more common on ALA (38.1%) than on placebo (28.0%), and heart rate and rhythm problems were more frequent (6.9% against 2.7%) (Mijnhout 2012, ALA meta-analysis). That trial used a dose we cannot match to the capsule. It is a reason to ask a clinician, not a reason to panic.
Shaky, sweaty, dizzy, hungry, confused, a fast heartbeat. NIDDK says very low blood sugar needs treatment right away (NIDDK, Low blood glucose). Call 911 for fainting or a seizure.
Medicine check
Does alpha lipoic acid interact with medicines?
Yes. Alpha lipoic acid can add to the effect of diabetes medicine, and the concern is low blood sugar. MSK says it may also interfere with chemotherapy and radiation (MSK, Alpha-lipoic acid).
NCCIH adds that some supplements can interact with diabetes medicines (NCCIH, Diabetes and supplements). Keep taking your prescribed medicine, and do not change a dose because of a supplement. Your doctor or pharmacist can say whether to check your blood sugar more often.
| If you take | Why to ask first |
|---|---|
| Insulin or diabetes pills | ALA may add to them. Low blood sugar is the concern. |
| Chemotherapy or radiation | MSK says ALA may interfere. Ask your oncology team. |
| Nothing, but you have new numbness | See a doctor. Diabetes is a common cause, and a test can find it. |
The Medicine Switchboard shows every link between the six names and common medicines.
Who should ask first
Who should ask a doctor first?
Ask a doctor first if you have diabetes, take diabetes medicine, are having cancer treatment, are pregnant or nursing, or are under 18. Flow Nerves is for adults 18 and older.
Numbness, tingling or burning in the hands and feet needs a doctor's visit before any supplement. Mayo Clinic says to seek medical care right away (Mayo Clinic, Peripheral neuropathy). Our guide on when to see a doctor lists the warning signs.
FAQ
Flow Nerves questions people ask
What is alpha lipoic acid?
Alpha lipoic acid, or ALA, is an antioxidant your body makes in small amounts. It is also in foods like spinach and organ meats. It is the second of six names listed for Flow Nerves, with no amount printed.
How much alpha lipoic acid is in Flow Nerves?
No amount is printed in the material we have. No Supplement Facts image was supplied. Ask the order desk at +1 (302) 200-3480 for the milligrams and the form per capsule.
What dose of alpha lipoic acid did studies use?
The diabetic neuropathy trials used 600 mg a day, mostly by vein for 3 weeks. For pills, a pooled review says it is unclear whether results above 600 mg a day are meaningful (Mijnhout 2012, ALA meta-analysis).
Does alpha lipoic acid lower blood sugar?
It can add to diabetes medicine, and MSK says high doses can cause low blood sugar symptoms (MSK, Alpha-lipoic acid). If you take insulin or diabetes pills, ask your pharmacist before you start.
What are alpha lipoic acid side effects?
MSK lists nausea, vomiting and indigestion, and warns of low blood sugar symptoms at high doses. One long trial saw more serious events on ALA than on placebo (MSK, Alpha-lipoic acid).
Is alpha lipoic acid safe during chemotherapy?
Ask your oncology team first. MSK says alpha lipoic acid may interfere with chemotherapy and radiation, so it should not be added on your own (MSK, Alpha-lipoic acid).
Does alpha lipoic acid help diabetic neuropathy?
The evidence is mixed. In people with diabetes, trials of 600 mg a day by vein reported a drop in pain, but NIH says most studies are limited and lead to no clear conclusions (NCCIH, Diabetes and supplements).
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the brand panels and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is the information site for a U.S. stocking partner for Flow Nerves. It is not the manufacturer or a distributor named on the label. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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Ready to try Flow Nerves?
Check your medicines first with the Switchboard, especially diabetes medicine, blood thinners and blood pressure medicine, and see a doctor about new numbness or tingling, then pick a pack. On the seller's count one bottle is 30 days; 3 bottles cover 90 days and 6 cover 180.
- Pay at the seller checkout
- 60-day guarantee
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