R-alpha lipoic acid
R-alpha lipoic acid in SciatiEase
R-alpha lipoic acid (R-ALA) in SciatiEase is 250 mg per 4-capsule serving and 125 mg per 2 capsules. It is an antioxidant studied for diabetic nerve damage at 600-1,800 mg a day. A 2024 Cochrane review of 816 adults found it probably makes little or no difference to symptoms at 6 months.
Written by the SciatiEase label deskUpdated
First stop01
What is R-alpha lipoic acid?
R-alpha lipoic acid is the natural form of alpha-lipoic acid, an antioxidant your cells use to turn food into energy. Your body makes small amounts of it on its own.
Alpha-lipoic acid exists as two mirror-image forms, called R and S. Many supplements mix both. SciatiEase prints the R form on its label.
It is one of the best-known neuropathy supplement acids, mostly because of trials in people with diabetic nerve damage in the feet and legs.
| Name on the label | R-Alpha Lipoic Acid (R-ALA) |
|---|---|
| What it is | R form of alpha-lipoic acid (AlphaPalm Blend) |
| Group on the panel | AlphaPalm Blend |
| Amount per 4 capsules (label serving) | 250 mg |
| Amount per 2 capsules | 125 mg |
| % Daily Value | No DV |
| Amount used in research | 600-1,800 mg a day in diabetic neuropathy trials |
| Strength of evidence | Probably little or no effect on symptoms (Cochrane) |
| Marketed or traditional use | Antioxidant |
| Main caution | May lower blood sugar and add to diabetes medicines. |
On the label02
How much R-alpha lipoic acid is in SciatiEase?
SciatiEase lists 250 mg of R-alpha lipoic acid per 4-capsule serving, which works out to 62.5 mg in each capsule. It is the first line of the “AlphaPalm Blend 750 mg”, paired with 500 mg of PEA.
At 2 capsules a day, the routine on the official site, you get 125 mg. At the full serving you get 250 mg. The bottle has no Daily Value for it, because none exists.
| Capsules a day | R-ALA a day | Share of 600 mg trial dose |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 62.5 mg | About 10% |
| 2 | 125 mg | About 21% |
| 4 (label serving) | 250 mg | About 42% |
Research03
Does alpha-lipoic acid help nerve pain?
The best summary says alpha-lipoic acid probably makes little or no difference to nerve symptoms. A 2024 Cochrane review pooled three placebo-controlled trials with 816 adults with diabetic neuropathy (Cochrane, Alpha-lipoic acid 2024).
Those trials gave 600 to 1,800 mg a day for 6 to 48 months. At 6 months, symptoms were about the same as with placebo (moderate certainty). Nerve function tests also showed little change (low certainty).
None of the trials studied sciatica. Sciatica usually comes from pressure on a nerve root in the lower back, which is a different problem from diabetic nerve damage in the feet (MedlinePlus, Sciatica).
| Question | Finding | Certainty |
|---|---|---|
| Symptoms at 6 months | Probably little or no effect | Moderate |
| Nerve impairment | May have little or no effect | Low |
| Stopping for side effects | Probably no different from placebo | Moderate |
Dose check04
Is 250 mg of R-alpha lipoic acid enough to matter?
No, 250 mg is well below the 600 mg low end used in the neuropathy trials, and 2 capsules give only 125 mg. Even the trial doses showed little benefit, so the gap matters less than it seems.
Some sellers say the R form works at lower doses than the mixed form. Our sources do not test that idea, so we compare milligram for milligram.
Safety05
What are the side effects of alpha-lipoic acid?
Alpha-lipoic acid side effects include nausea, upset stomach and low blood sugar. It may add to the effect of diabetes medicines that lower glucose (MSKCC, Alpha-lipoic acid).
Because it is an antioxidant, it might work against some chemotherapy and radiation. In rare, genetically prone people it has been linked to an autoimmune form of low blood sugar (MSKCC, Alpha-lipoic acid).
Young children have been poisoned by swallowing it, so keep the bottle out of reach.
Keep your diabetes, pain and nerve medicines on the schedule your doctor set. A supplement does not replace any of them.
The warning panel is not in the images we have; follow the bottle you receive.
SciatiEase: from $49 a bottle120 capsules · 1, 3 or 6 bottles · free US shipping on 3 or 6 · 180-day guarantee
See packsAsk first06
Who should ask a doctor before taking R-ALA?
People on diabetes medicine or in cancer treatment should ask a doctor before taking R-ALA. Those are the two groups the safety notes single out.
Pregnant or nursing women and anyone under 18 should also ask first, since the trials did not include them.
- Insulin or other glucose-lowering pills: check your sugar more often at first.
- Chemotherapy or radiation: ask the cancer team about any antioxidant.
- Shaky, sweaty or confused spells: these can mean low blood sugar; treat it and call your doctor.
How common medicines and nerve supplements mix is covered in nerve supplements and medicines.
What the brand says07
What does the SciatiEase official site say about R-ALA?
The official site's comparison chart says 300 mg of R-ALA, while the Supplement Facts panel prints 250 mg per 4 capsules. The chart also lists 600 mg of PEA and 300 mg of ALCAR against the panel's 500 mg and 250 mg (SciatiEase official site).
We follow the panel, because it is the label. If your bottle shows a different amount, trust the bottle in your hand.
The sales page does not list R-ALA amounts at all (SciatiEase sales page). It talks about nerves in broad terms instead, so the panel is the only place to read the dose.
Next stops08
How does R-ALA fit with the rest of the SciatiEase formula?
R-ALA is half of the AlphaPalm Blend; the other half, PEA, carries most of the formula's sciatica research. The remaining lines are B vitamins, acetyl-L-carnitine, benfotiamine and four herbs.
Read PEA in SciatiEase next, or see how label features stack up in nerve supplements compared.
FAQ09
R-alpha lipoic acid questions, answered
Is R-alpha lipoic acid better than regular alpha lipoic acid?
Nobody has shown that clearly. The R form is the natural one, and some sellers say it works at lower doses. The trials in the 2024 Cochrane review used 600-1,800 mg of alpha-lipoic acid and found little effect on symptoms (Cochrane, Alpha-lipoic acid 2024).
How much R-ALA is in 2 SciatiEase capsules?
Two capsules hold 125 mg of R-alpha lipoic acid, half of the 250 mg in the 4-capsule label serving. That is roughly a fifth of the 600 mg daily dose at the low end of the diabetic neuropathy trials, so the gap is wide.
Is 250 mg of alpha lipoic acid enough for neuropathy?
It is below what trials used. Studies of diabetic neuropathy gave 600-1,800 mg a day, and even those doses probably made little or no difference to symptoms at 6 months (Cochrane, Alpha-lipoic acid 2024). Four SciatiEase capsules hold 250 mg, and two hold 125 mg.
Can alpha lipoic acid lower blood sugar too much?
It can in some people, especially on diabetes medicine. Alpha-lipoic acid may add to the effect of glucose-lowering drugs (MSKCC, Alpha-lipoic acid). If you use insulin or diabetes pills, ask your doctor first and check your sugar more often for the first weeks.
Why does the official site list 300 mg of R-ALA?
Its comparison chart says 300 mg, but the Supplement Facts panel prints 250 mg per 4 capsules. The panel is the binding label, so we use 250 mg. Look at the panel on your own bottle to confirm the amount.
Can I take R-alpha lipoic acid during chemotherapy?
Ask your cancer team first. Alpha-lipoic acid is an antioxidant, and one cancer center notes it may work against some chemotherapy and radiation (MSKCC, Alpha-lipoic acid). Do not start SciatiEase or any other lipoic acid product during treatment unless they have said yes.
Is alpha lipoic acid safe for children?
No, keep it away from them. Young children who swallowed alpha-lipoic acid have had poisoning and seizures (MSKCC, Alpha-lipoic acid). SciatiEase is an adult supplement, so store the bottle closed and out of reach, and call Poison Control if a child gets into it.
Who wrote this10
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the official site, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a SciatiEase authorized U.S. retailer, not by the manufacturer. We are paid a commission when you buy through our order links.
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