We use essential cookies (authentication, your saved goals/stack) by default. With your permission we’ll also enable privacy-respecting analytics (Vercel Web Analytics, anonymous load-time metrics) and error-replay diagnostics (Sentry — DOM snapshots only when an error fires) so we can fix bugs faster. Learn more about cookies
Ala7.0
Alpha Lipoic Acid Research
Likely helps
326 peer-reviewed studies
What the evidence says
Likely helps
Alpha Lipoic Acid appears to help in 13 of 15 studies with measurable effects — the evidence leans clearly favourable.
Most evidence is from high-quality meta-analyses and randomised trials published 1971–2026 with a typical study size of 137 participants.
Based on 326 studies · 44 meta-analyses · 228 RCTs · 892,881 total participants
Confidence
High confidence
What the studies found
13helped2unclear· 311 more without graded effect data
By outcome
Glucose & metabolicImproves insulin sensitivity and supports mitochondrial energy · 4-12 weeks · Improved glucose disposal and insulin sensitivity · 2-4 weeks
Heart & blood pressureImproves endothelial function and reduces oxidative stress · 8-12 weeks
Mostly mechanism / observational13 studies
Cholesterol & lipidsImproves endothelial function and reduces oxidative stress · 8-12 weeks
Mostly mechanism / observational7 studies
InflammationImproved insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control · 4-12 weeks
Mostly mechanism / observational7 studies
Safety profile
Mostly mechanism / observational7 studies
Liver healthAntioxidant cofactor for liver function · 4-8 weeks
Mostly mechanism / observational6 studies
Cognitive function
Mostly mechanism / observational4 studies
By the numbers
Pulled from 62 studies with measurable effects
Likely real effects
75%
across studies
People studied
893k
typical study: 137 people
Strongest designs
272
44 pooled, 228 randomised
Showed benefit
87%
13/15 studies
How long studies ran
1–3 months
1
3+ months
4
Populations Studied
Patients with burning mouth syndrome5
General population3
Patients with diabetic polyneuropathy2
Adults2
Active research area
119 studies in the last 5 years · Latest meta-analysis: 2026
197119982026
1Intermediate disease markersMeta-Analysisn=704 · large study2025
Luo Y, Zhang J, Guo H. · BMJ open (2025)
Begg's test indicated no evidence of publication bias.
Conclusions No significant associations were detected between ALA intake and intermediate disease markers, including TG, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, HOMA-IR and FBS levels, in overweight or obese adults.
Further research is needed to explore the potential associations of ALA, especially in high-risk populations with metabolic disorders, by employing longer intervention durations, higher dosages and optimised formulations.
4Endothelial functionSystematic Reviewn=1,106 · large study2022
In plain English: In conclusion, these results suggest improvement of endothelial function, but not endothelium-independent vasodilation as a potential mechanism by which ALA attenuates cardiovascular diseases.
Hajizadeh-Sharafabad F et al. · Critical reviews in food science and nutrition (2022)
Of 11 trials that evaluated endothelial function by methods such as flow-mediated dilation (n = 7), reactive hyperemia (n = 2) and ACh-induced endothelium-dependent vasodilation (n = 2), 10 reported a significant improvement in endothelial function.
In contrast, none of six trials examining the response of endothelium-independent vasodilation reported the favorable impact.
The effect of ALA on arterial stiffness measures has been poorly studied.
In plain English: These findings suggest that ALA is a viable supplement to improve some of the glycemic and inflammatory biomarkers.
Rahimlou M et al. · Clinical Nutrition ESPEN (2019)
Noticeable benefit
← WorseNo effectBetter →
Likely real
The results demonstrated the significant effect of ALA on Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) (weighted mean difference (WMD)) = -6.57, 95% confidence interval (CI: -11.91 to -1.23, P = 0.016), Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (WMD = -0.35, 95% CI: -0.55 to -0.15, P = 0.004).
Significant effects were also seen on Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α) (WMD = -1.57, 95% CI: -2.29 to -0.85, P < 0.05), Interleukin 6 levels (IL-6) (WMD = -1.15, 95% CI: -1.58 to -0.72, P < 0.001), and C-reactive protein (CRP) (WMD = -0.31, 95% CI: -0.47 to -0.16).
No effect was detected for ALA on insulin and the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).
In plain English: The use of certain dietary supplements has resulted in a significant decrease in migraine prophylaxis.
Talandashti MK et al. · Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology (2025)
In adults, compared with placebo, these supplements did not significantly affect other outcomes, and omega-3 supplementation did not yield a statistically significant reduction in any of these outcomes.
The use of certain dietary supplements has resulted in a significant decrease in migraine prophylaxis.
Further clinical trials of high quality appear to be beneficial.