--- title: "Alpha lipoic acid: benefits, side effects and blood sugar" description: "What the NIH says about alpha lipoic acid: blood sugar, nerve pain, side effects, and which blood sugar labels skip the dose." canonical: https://glucosebench.com/alpha-lipoic-acid alternate_html: https://glucosebench.com/alpha-lipoic-acid language: en-US last_updated: 2026-10-27 type: guia --- # Alpha lipoic acid: what the research says, and what the labels skip 1. [Home](https://glucosebench.com/) 2. [Guides](https://glucosebench.com/guides) 3. Alpha lipoic acid: what the research says, and what the labels skip Alpha lipoic acid shows up in blood sugar supplements and nerve formulas. The evidence the NIH summarizes points in a different direction than the sales pages do. By **[GlucoseBench editorial team](https://glucosebench.com/about)** Updated October 27, 2026 ![A woman reading on her laptop and taking notes at the kitchen table](https://glucosebench.com/img/guia-alpha-lipoic-acid-768.webp?v=65f5206653) Short answer The NIH's summary of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) points to nerve pain, not blood sugar: one 2022 review found it might ease diabetic nerve pain, and a 2019 review found it no better than placebo for blood sugar. According to the NIH's complementary health center (NCCIH), that 2019 review of 10 studies found it "was no better than placebo at reducing levels of blood sugar, cholesterol, or triglycerides" in type 2 diabetes, while a 2022 review found it "might help reduce pain in people with diabetic neuropathy", though another 2022 review found mixed results. A large 2020 review found it safe in healthy people and in people with certain diseases; the most common side effects are headache, heartburn, nausea and vomiting. Four products we've reviewed sell it for blood sugar, and none says how much is inside. ## What the studies found, according to the NIH Question What NCCIH reports Blood sugar in type 2 diabetes A 2019 review of 10 studies (553 participants): ALA "was no better than placebo at reducing levels of blood sugar, cholesterol, or triglycerides." Nerve pain (diabetic neuropathy) Mixed: a 2022 review of 8 studies found 3 showing improvement and 5 not; another 2022 review of 9 studies found ALA "might help reduce pain in people with diabetic neuropathy." Eyes (diabetic macular edema) A 2011 study of 467 people with type 2 diabetes compared 600 mg a day for 2 years with placebo and found no statistically significant difference. Kidneys (diabetic nephropathy) A 2022 review of 12 studies found ALA "did not improve kidney dysfunction in people with diabetes." Source: NCCIH, "Diabetes and Dietary Supplements" (last updated November 2023), read on September 27, 2026. ## Alpha lipoic acid and diabetic nerve pain Neuropathy is where the NIH summary is least negative, and it's still split: of the two 2022 reviews in the table above, one found ALA "might help reduce pain" and the other found improvement in 3 studies out of 8. The NIDDK (the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) adds what a supplement label leaves out. It says you prevent the problems neuropathy causes by managing your diabetes, "which means managing your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol." About supplements, the NIDDK page says: "Diabetes experts have not made special recommendations about supplements for people with diabetes. For safety reasons, talk with your doctor before using supplements or any complementary or alternative medicines or medical practices." It also sets the routine a pill can't replace: with diabetes, a thorough exam of how you feel in your feet and legs "at least once a year", a check of your feet every day, and if you notice any foot problems, "call or see your doctor right away." Source: NIDDK, "Peripheral Neuropathy" (last reviewed February 2018), read on September 27, 2026. ## Side effects and safety ### Generally safe NCCIH cites a 2020 review of 71 studies (4,749 participants) that "found alpha-lipoic acid supplementation was safe in healthy individuals and in patients affected by certain diseases", diabetes included. ### Common side effects The most common, according to NCCIH, "are headache, heartburn, nausea, and vomiting." ### With diabetes drugs ALA is sold for blood sugar, so tell your doctor before adding it to diabetes medication, and never change a prescription because of a supplement. ## The products on this site that contain alpha lipoic acid All four sell it for blood sugar, a use the NIH summary finds no support for. None gives an amount. Each has a full review. Product Where ALA appears Amount Our verdict Glucore Named on the sales page; no label published Not disclosed Not recommended Blood Sugar Blaster Inside a 12-ingredient blend on the label Not printed Not recommended Glucotide Inside an 82 mg blend of 12 ingredients on the label Not disclosed Not recommended Nucentix GS-85 Inside a 12-ingredient blend on the label Not printed Not recommended From each official page and label, read on September 27, 2026 (Glucotide and Nucentix GS-85 on October 27, 2026). All four are reviewed on this site but not recommended, for reasons explained in their reviews. ## Frequently asked questions **What are the benefits of alpha lipoic acid?** The clearest signal in the NIH summary is for nerve pain in diabetic neuropathy, where one 2022 review found it might help and another found mixed results. For blood sugar itself, a 2019 review found it no better than placebo. **Does alpha lipoic acid lower blood sugar?** According to NCCIH, a 2019 review of 10 studies found it was no better than placebo at reducing blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. **What are the side effects of alpha lipoic acid?** NCCIH lists headache, heartburn, nausea and vomiting as the most common. A large review found it safe in healthy people and in people with certain diseases. **How much alpha lipoic acid is in blood sugar supplements?** The four we've reviewed don't say. Glucore publishes no label, Blood Sugar Blaster and Nucentix GS-85 put ALA inside a blend with no amounts, and Glucotide lists it in an 82 mg blend with no split. **Does alpha lipoic acid help with neuropathy?** Maybe, for the pain. NCCIH reports one 2022 review that found it "might help reduce pain in people with diabetic neuropathy" and another with mixed results (3 studies found improvement, 5 didn't). The NIDDK says diabetes experts "have not made special recommendations about supplements for people with diabetes," so talk with your doctor before trying it. **What does the research say about 600 mg of alpha lipoic acid?** It's the one daily amount NCCIH's diabetes summary names, from a 2011 study of 467 people with type 2 diabetes: 600 mg a day for 2 years made no statistically significant difference compared with placebo in developing diabetic macular edema. NCCIH gives no recommended dose, so whether you take any, and how much, is your doctor's call. ## Sources U.S. government health pages this one draws on. Each opens in a new tab. 1. [Diabetes and Dietary Supplements: What You Need To Know](https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/diabetes-and-dietary-supplements-what-you-need-to-know), National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH) 2. [Peripheral Neuropathy](https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/preventing-problems/nerve-damage-diabetic-neuropathies/peripheral-neuropathy), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH) ## Related pages Reviews ### [Glucore review: "many more" ingredients, zero amounts](https://glucosebench.com/glucore) We don't recommend Glucore: its page shows no label and no amounts, and it's sold with a customer story about avoiding insulin injections. It's a capsule, two a day. Reviews ### [Blood Sugar Blaster review: good numbers on the label, bad advice on the page](https://glucosebench.com/blood-sugar-blaster) We don't recommend Blood Sugar Blaster, and on October 27, 2026 its domain had no web address in DNS, so the website couldn't load. Guides ### [Berberine for blood sugar: the dose, the side effects and the fine print](https://glucosebench.com/berberine-for-blood-sugar) Berberine is a compound found in plants such as barberry, goldenseal and Oregon grape. Updated October 27, 2026. [See our full method](https://glucosebench.com/how-we-choose) --- ## GlucoseBench - GlucoseBench, published by Grupo Marfre Automação e Tecnologia (Contagem, Brazil) - Email: contact@glucosebench.com - Home: https://glucosebench.com/ - llms.txt: https://glucosebench.com/llms.txt · llms-full.txt: https://glucosebench.com/llms-full.txt · sitemap: https://glucosebench.com/sitemap.xml