ALA and R-ALA- What Do They REALLY DO???

[Texas Ranger]

Guys, I've been researching ALA and R-ALA from different boards. I must say that I'm TOTALLY confused! I read Fonz's thread and it's too technical for me. What do they do? What's the difference between the two? When and how do you take them? What's the optimal dose of each and will they help losing bodyfat? Can someone explain these facts in layman's terms? Thanks! And excuse my ignorance, I'm from Texas.

 

[Ceebs]

What they do: in a nutshell, they improve insulin sensitivity. Better insulin sensitivity means that your muscles soak up more nutrients, your blood sugar isn't up and down all over the place, you're not as hungry, and your risk for diabetes later in life is diminished.

What's the difference between the two: r-ALA is the naturally occurring form, while racemic ALA is a mixture of r-ALA and s-ALA. R-ALA is better at improving insulin senstivity, but supposedly racemic ALA is a better antioxidant.

When and how do you take them: post-workout, or with meals, especially meals that will cause a large release of insulin.

Optimal dose: 100mg of r-ALA per 30-50 grams of carbs. The dose for racemic ALA is harder to approximate, because there's no telling the porportions of how much r- and s-ALA might be in the ALA mixture. 300-500mg of racemic ALA with a meal is a good ballpark figure.

Hope this helps.

 

[JayBro]

what Ceebs said.

I dont know if it will "help" you lose fat but I believe it will keep the body from storing carbs as fat, so it keeps you from getting fatter.
It is also known for its liver detoxifying properties.

 

[Texas Ranger]

Ok, lets say my goal was to lose bodyfat. If I used ALA, I would take 300-500mgs each with my first meal and 2 post-workout meals, right? If I used R-ALA, I would take 100mgs each with my first meal and 2 post workout meals, right?

 

[Spidey]

The dose for racemic ALA is harder to approximate, because there's no telling the porportions of how much r- and s-ALA might be in the ALA mixture.

By definition, a racemic mixture is 50% R and 50% S enantomers. The problem with extrapolating a dose in this case is more that the S-ALA can actually inhibit the oxidation of R-ALA in some tissues, thereby making the R-ALA in the racemic mixture less effective. It is difficult to generalize the effect and extrapolate an effective dose because it is different in different tissues.

-Spidey

 

[Texas Ranger]

Bump for answer...

 

[juiceismyantidrug]

Bump for answer...

Hey bro,

It looks to me like most of these bro's gave you answers to the questions you had. But if you still have more questions feel free to PM me. I have used r-ALA and regular ALA myself.