Alpha Lipoic Acid | R-Alpha Lipoic Acid

Alpha Lipoic Acid is sold as a supplement in two forms: standard Alpha Lipoic Acid and the more active R-Alpha Lipoic Acid. The latter consists entirely of the active R form. Regular Alfa-Lipoic Acid consists of only half of the R-Alfa-Lipoic Acid form.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid is often used along with or instead of Antioxidants, Vitamin E, Glutathione and Coenzyme Q10.

Bio-Enhanced® Na-RALA, made by GeroNova, is the sodium salt form of R-Alpha-Lipoic Acid that is known to be the most stable, best and fastest absorbing form available.

This Bio-Enhanced® R-Alpha-Lipoic Acid is much more stable than other forms, even at high temperatures. Therefore, this R-Alpha-Lipoic Acid form also does not need to be kept refrigerated, while others do.

R-Alpha-Lipoic acid: the Active form

Alpha lipoic acid occurs naturally as a 50/50 mixture of R-lipoic acid and S-lipoic acid. In contrast, in the body, R-lipoic acid is the dominant and biologically active form. The "S" form is not, or much less, biologically active.

Most (cheaper) supplements containing alpha lipoic acid consist of 50% R(+)-alpha lipoic acid (the natural, endogenous form) and 50% S(-)-alpha lipoic acid (the synthetic variant). The difference between the enantiomers R(+)- and S(-)-alphalipoic acid is their three-dimensional structure. Like the left and right hand, they are each other's mirror image.

However, only R-alpha lipoic acid has health-promoting effects; S-alpha lipoic acid probably has no function, is possibly harmful to the body, may counteract the beneficial effects of R-alpha lipoic acid and promotes insulin resistance. Thereby, intake of the natural form of alpha lipoic acid leads to a higher plasma concentration than the synthetic form.

A supplement containing only the body's own R-alpha lipoic acid (preferably bound to sodium because of the instability and temperature sensitivity of R-alpha lipoic acid) is therefore preferable to one containing a (50/50) mixture of natural and synthetic alpha lipoic acid.

Sulfuric fatty acid

Alpha lipoic acid is a sulfur-containing fatty acid. It is found in all cells of the human body. There is natural biosynthesis of lipoic acid within the body, meaning that the body is able to produce alpha lipoic acid itself. In addition, although in very limited amounts, it is found in almost all food.

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