{
  "slug": "alpha-lipoic-acid",
  "name": "Alpha-Lipoic Acid (Thioctic Acid · R-ALA · Racemic ALA)",
  "alternate_names": [
    "Thioctic acid",
    "R-alpha-lipoic acid",
    "6,8-thioctic acid",
    "ALA (not alpha-linolenic)"
  ],
  "mechanism": [
    "Mitochondrial cofactor for pyruvate dehydrogenase and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complexes",
    "Direct radical scavenger in both aqueous and lipid compartments (dual-soluble antioxidant)",
    "Recycles other antioxidants (vitamin C / E / glutathione)",
    "NRF2 / endogenous antioxidant gene expression modulation"
  ],
  "target": [
    "Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation",
    "Diabetic neuropathy symptom burden",
    "Hepatic and peripheral oxidative stress markers"
  ],
  "use_case": [
    "symptomatic diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (positive evidence at 600 mg/day IV 3-week dosing)",
    "antioxidant adjunct in metabolic conditions",
    "general mitochondrial cofactor supplementation"
  ],
  "body_system": [
    "NEURO",
    "METABOLISM",
    "CELL"
  ],
  "evidence_tier": "B",
  "evidence_anchor_pmid_count": 1,
  "dosage_range": "600 mg/day intravenous for 3 weeks established the symptomatic improvement in diabetic polyneuropathy (Ziegler 2004 PMID 14984445 Diabetic Medicine meta-analysis of ALADIN I + ALADIN III + SYDNEY + NATHAN II · n=1,258 patients · responder rates 52.7% ALA vs 36.9% placebo · 24.1% relative difference). Oral 600-1,800 mg/day used in some trials but evidence base is strongest at the IV 600 mg/day protocol",
  "safety_notes": "Generally well tolerated; rare biotin metabolism interaction (high-dose ALA may reduce biotin status); insulin sensitisation effect requires monitoring in diabetic patients adjusting hypoglycaemic medications; the dietary supplement form is not equivalent to the IV protocol used in the strongest evidence base",
  "regulatory": {
    "fda": "GRAS · DSHEA dietary supplement (oral form) · structure/function claims permitted; not an FDA-approved drug for any condition in the US",
    "efsa": "No standalone EFSA Reg 432/2012 authorized health claim adopted for alpha-lipoic acid",
    "anvisa": "RDC 243/2018 dietary supplement · no IN 28/2018 Anexo V alegação funcional for ácido alfa-lipoico"
  },
  "ingredient_hub_url": "https://asxan.ai/ingredients/alpha-lipoic-acid/",
  "related_goal_slugs": [
    "longevity-stack",
    "inflammation-relief"
  ],
  "related_lifestyle_slugs": [
    "senior-60-plus"
  ],
  "last_evidence_review": "2026-06-04",
  "schema_version": "nc-public-v0.2",
  "api_version": "nc-public-v0.3",
  "_meta": {
    "last_evidence_review": "2026-06-04",
    "ip_axes_disclosed": {
      "public_axes": [
        "mechanism",
        "target",
        "use_case",
        "body_system",
        "evidence_tier",
        "dosage_range",
        "safety_notes",
        "regulatory",
        "authorized_claims"
      ],
      "ip_axes_not_exposed": [
        "proprietary_formula_ratios",
        "clinical_protocol_internals",
        "rnd_pipeline_compounds",
        "supplier_specific_grade_specifications",
        "unpublished_endpoint_data"
      ],
      "rationale": "asxan.ai surfaces the educational, evidence-tier-disclosed slice. Formula composition, clinical-protocol internals, and RnD pipeline data are intentionally outside this public surface."
    }
  }
}