Alpha Lipoic Acid

[dobbs]

I've been taking 400mg of alpha lipoic acid daily for about four months now (also vitamins B12 and C) to try to improve the neuropathy in my feet and lower legs. I'm pretty sure it's helping, but being fairly new to this diabetes lark (diagnosed August 2008) I have little to compare it with. Does anybody out there have good experiences with ALA, or any other advice on nutrients that help neuropathy?

[sumi]

Hi Dobbs,
I, too am taking alpha lipoic acid. I was only diagnosed last December so, like you, I don't know if it has done anything, but the occasional shooting pains in my legs and the slight numbness in two toes are gone. This might just be from getting my sugar levels under control. I'm going to be brave and not buy another bottle when this one is done, just to see if I notice any difference. When I was diagnosed, I realized that there were endless supplements that one could take, and decided that I would allow myself just one. Alpha lipoic acid was my choice. I suppose that stopping it for a while is the only way to tell if it is helping.

[Mich]

That's exactly how I found out ALA helped both my neuropathy and cramping. I stopped taking it.

It took a bit, but my burning pain and cramps came back. They left as soon as I resumed taking the ALA.

I've inadvertantly forgotten to take it for a few days and awaken with cramps.

I take the 300mg sustained release.

Mich

[duck]

Benfotiamine...I don't have such problems yet, and I pop the stuff like it is candy today. There are a few threads where benfo is mentioned, but if you search, you may also want to search on "bentofiamine" since sum of uz cant spel. :D

[genie86333]

Hmmmm, Mich, interesting that you mention that. I stopped taking it a few weeks ago because I didn't think it was doing anything...about a week ago I started getting cramps in my legs & feet. I hadn't had them before taking the ALA, so I didn't associate the two things...I'll have to start taking it again to see if it helps.

[Ionutz]

A "serious" dose of ALA should be over 1000 mg per day. I've taken ALA six months and it's really working . But...there are two types of alpha lipoic acid on the market, type R and S. Typr R is natural one, the other is synthetic. The natural one is more potent and recomended in neuropathy treatment.

[1st_rate_mate]

http://burnettfoods.com/neuropathy.htm

For some reason this forum is not allowing image insertion of a table I ran across.
I posted it FYI.
You will note in the footnote of the table that only POSITIVE research results qualified for inclusion in the table.
Hope this helps.

jb@burnettfoods.com

Table of Nutrients for treament of diabetic periphreal Neuropathy: (http://burnettfoods.com/neuropathy.htm)