Ingredient profile
Alpha Lipoic Acid in SciatiEase: 250 mg of R-ALA Compared With the Trials
Alpha lipoic acid is an antioxidant studied mostly for diabetic nerve symptoms. SciatiEase lists 250 mg of the R form (R-ALA) per 4 capsules, or 125 mg per 2. Oral trials used 600 to 1,800 mg a day: symptom scores improved, but pain scores and nerve tests did not. It may lower blood sugar.
Written by the SciatiEase label deskUpdated
The basics01
What is alpha lipoic acid?
Alpha lipoic acid is a sulfur-containing antioxidant that your body makes in small amounts. As a supplement, it is sold for nerve health and blood sugar support.
People searching for a "neuropathy supplement acid" usually mean this one. Most of its research is in diabetic nerve damage, not sciatica (Linus Pauling Inst., Lipoic Acid).
The molecule comes in two mirror-image forms, R and S. SciatiEase lists only the R form, printed as R-Alpha Lipoic Acid (R-ALA).
Where R-ALA sits on the label
R-ALA shares the 750 mg AlphaPalm™ Blend with PEA. The panel prints both amounts: R-ALA 250 mg and PEA 500 mg. So R-ALA makes up one third of the blend by weight.
Dose02
How much alpha lipoic acid is in SciatiEase?
SciatiEase holds 250 mg of R-alpha lipoic acid per 4-capsule serving. Two capsules, the sales-page morning dose (SciatiEase sales page), give 125 mg.
Oral trials in diabetic neuropathy used 600, 1,200 or 1,800 mg a day (Hsieh et al., Nutrients 2023). At the full serving, SciatiEase gives about 42% of the lowest of those doses.
Our sources report doses of alpha lipoic acid without singling out the R form. So we cannot say whether 250 mg of R-ALA counts for more than its weight suggests.
| Name on the label | R-Alpha Lipoic Acid (R-ALA) |
|---|---|
| What it is | The R form of alpha-lipoic acid (antioxidant) |
| Group on the label | AlphaPalm blend |
| Amount per 4 capsules | 250 mg per 4 capsules |
| Amount per 2 capsules | half of that |
| Amount used in research | 600-1,800 mg a day in oral neuropathy trials |
| Strength of evidence | Some symptom-score benefit in diabetic neuropathy; pain scores did not change |
| Marketed or traditional use | Antioxidant |
| Main caution | May lower blood sugar in people on diabetes medicine. |
| Capsules a day | R-ALA per day | Share of 600 mg |
|---|---|---|
| 2 (sales-page start) | 125 mg | About 21% |
| 4 (label serving) | 250 mg | About 42% |
Research03
Does alpha lipoic acid help nerve pain?
Alpha lipoic acid improved some nerve symptom scores in trials, but not pain scores. The evidence comes from people with diabetic neuropathy.
A 2023 meta-analysis pooled 10 oral trials with 1,242 patients. ALA improved total symptom scores, disability scores and overall satisfaction. It did not improve pain on a visual scale, vibration sense or nerve conduction (Hsieh et al., Nutrients 2023).
The drip form shows clearer results. IV lipoic acid at 300 to 600 mg a day for 2 to 4 weeks reduced symptoms, while oral results are mixed. Many trials came from one German group funded by a lipoic acid maker (Linus Pauling Inst., Lipoic Acid).
| Evidence | Dose | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| Meta-analysis of 10 oral trials (Hsieh et al., Nutrients 2023) | 600-1,800 mg a day | Symptom scores better; pain scores and nerve tests unchanged |
| 5-week oral trial, 181 patients (Linus Pauling Inst., Lipoic Acid) | 600, 1,200 or 1,800 mg a day | 600 mg worked as well as the higher doses |
| 4-year oral trial, 421 patients (Linus Pauling Inst., Lipoic Acid) | Oral, long term | Missed its main goal |
| IV meta-analyses (Linus Pauling Inst., Lipoic Acid) | 300-600 mg a day by drip, 2-4 weeks | Symptoms clearly reduced |
Sciatica04
Is alpha lipoic acid studied for sciatica?
No human trial in our sources tested alpha lipoic acid for sciatica. The studies cover diabetic nerve damage, which starts in the feet and has a different cause.
Sciatica comes from pressure on a nerve root in the low back (MedlinePlus, Sciatica). A result in diabetic feet does not transfer to a pinched root. Animal studies of the sciatic nerve exist, but they are not human evidence.
If you have diabetes and leg symptoms, ask your doctor which problem you have. The nerve supplements guide compares the options.
- Studied: diabetic neuropathy symptoms, at 600 mg a day or more
- Not studied: sciatica, or the SciatiEase formula
- Not seen in the pooled trials: lower pain scores
SciatiEase: from $49.99 a bottle120 capsules · 1, 3 or 6 bottles · 180-day money-back guarantee
See packsSafety05
Can alpha lipoic acid lower blood sugar?
Yes, it may. People on insulin or diabetes pills are advised to watch their blood sugar when they add lipoic acid (Linus Pauling Inst., Lipoic Acid).
Reported side effects include rash, nausea, belly pain and vertigo (Linus Pauling Inst., Lipoic Acid). SciatiEase holds 250 mg, under what the trials used.
Diabetes medicine
Insulin, metformin or other pills: check sugars more often in the first weeks, and tell your doctor.
Blood thinners or sedatives
Not because of ALA, but because SciatiEase also holds feverfew (NCCIH, Feverfew) and passionflower (NCCIH, Passionflower).
Rash or dizziness
Stop the capsules and call your doctor if a rash or spinning feeling appears.
Never stop or lower diabetes or pain medicine because you start a supplement. Leg weakness, numbness around the genitals or bottom, or new bladder or bowel trouble needs emergency care (AANS, Cauda Equina Syndrome). See supplements and nerve medicines.
Timing06
Should alpha lipoic acid be taken on an empty stomach?
Lipoic acid is absorbed better on an empty stomach (Linus Pauling Inst., Lipoic Acid). The SciatiEase sales page, though, says to take the capsules with breakfast and dinner (SciatiEase sales page).
That advice covers the whole formula, not lipoic acid alone. Follow the brand's directions unless your doctor says otherwise. Do not go past 4 capsules a day to make up for food.
R-ALA is a sensible partner for PEA, but at 250 mg it sits well below the trial doses. If lipoic acid is the main reason you are buying, discuss the gap with your doctor.
Which SciatiEase ingredient should you read next?
Read acetyl-L-carnitine next, another nerve nutrient set below its trial doses.
Each profile follows the same order: label amount, studied dose, cautions. All 12 lines are on the ingredients overview.
FAQ07
Alpha lipoic acid questions, answered from the label
Is alpha lipoic acid good for nerve pain?
It helps some nerve symptoms more than pain. In pooled oral trials of diabetic neuropathy, symptom scores improved but pain scores did not (Hsieh et al., Nutrients 2023). No trial in our sources tested it for sciatica.
What is the difference between R-ALA and alpha lipoic acid?
R-ALA is one of the two mirror-image forms of alpha lipoic acid. Standard alpha lipoic acid mixes the R and S forms. SciatiEase lists only the R form, at 250 mg per 4 capsules.
Is 250 mg of alpha lipoic acid enough?
It is below the oral trial doses. Those used 600 to 1,800 mg a day (Hsieh et al., Nutrients 2023), so 250 mg is about 42% of the lowest. Our sources do not say whether the R form changes that math.
How much alpha lipoic acid is in 2 SciatiEase capsules?
125 mg of R-ALA. The panel lists 250 mg per 4-capsule serving, so the sales-page morning dose of 2 capsules gives half of that.
Can alpha lipoic acid cause low blood sugar?
It may lower blood sugar, mainly in people on insulin or diabetes pills (Linus Pauling Inst., Lipoic Acid). If you take those, check your levels more often in the first weeks and tell your doctor before you start.
Can alpha lipoic acid upset your stomach?
Yes, nausea and belly pain are reported side effects, along with rash and vertigo (Linus Pauling Inst., Lipoic Acid). Taking SciatiEase with meals, as the sales page says, may make it easier on the stomach.
Why does SciatiEase pair alpha lipoic acid with PEA?
The brand groups them as the AlphaPalm blend, 250 mg R-ALA plus 500 mg PEA. Each has its own small research base. No trial has tested the pair together.
Who wrote this08
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the Supplement Facts panel, the brand pages and linked NIH, FDA, FTC, NHS and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . See our editorial standards and the way we check reviews. This website is run by Isciatiease, a U.S. desk for SciatiEase, not by the manufacturer or by SciatiEase Labs. Purchases made through our order links earn us a commission.
Keep reading
More about SciatiEase
U.S. desk for SciatiEase
Ready to try SciatiEase?
Check your medicines first, then pick a pack. Bigger packs cost less per bottle, and the 180-day money-back guarantee gives you time to judge it.
- Secure checkout on the brand page
- 180-day guarantee
- Ships from the U.S.
