Re: Which type of ALA are you taking?

Chris Malcolm <cam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Ozlover <this@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Cheri <cherig3@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"Ozlover" <this@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:8h0t4mFb0U1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[Subject: changed.]

Tiger Lily <me@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On 10/4/2010 12:44 PM, Ozlover wrote:
Janet<boxhill@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

First of all congratulations on your results!

I take ... ALA to improve BGs.

Why do you take metformin *and* ALA? And why take *either*,
considering your excellent HbA1c?

OTOH, my doctor also wanted me to taper down my metformin slowly,
instead of stopping it alltogether. (My HbA1c went from 5.7 (4 months
ago) to 5.3, and I was on 1000mg (2*500) metformin a day.)

hi Frank

i take 300mg of ALA daily as a preventative AND because it improves
insulin sensitivity

i do this to protect my eyes, kidneys, nerves

it's considered to be an uber-anti-oxidant :D

kate
type 1, 1989

Thanks for that, Kate. In the future I may (try to) switch from
metformin (which gives me the common problems) to ALA. When the time
comes I will probably post about it. But in the meantime your response
helps me in my decision making. Thanks again.

BTW, I understand [1] that we should mention *which* type of ALA we're
talking about, R+ (good), S- (bad) or R/S (so-so).

What *type* (not brand) of ALA are you people taking?

I use extended release.

Cheri

I was referring to the R+ (good), S- (bad) or R/S (so-so) types.

R+ (or RLA) exists naturally and in the body. S- (or SLA) is the
byproduct of the chemical production of ALA. It's not toxic, but
decreases the effectiveness of R+/RLA. R/S (or R/S-LA) is the combined
product, easier to produce, but much less effective (than R+/RLA).

The S form doesn't decrease the effectiveness of the R form, it simply
dilutes it. The easily produced and cheaper combined form has half of
each, so the combined form is half as effective and requires twice the
dose.

As I said in another post, some companies/researchers claim that in
the *body* the S form *does* decrease the effectiveness of the R form.

If you search on "ALA racemic", you will probably find some
references. This one is reasonable, but in Dutch (I couldn't find the
English version of it), but the footnotes are in English:

<http://www.insulow.nl/Insulow%20brochure.pdf>

And PLEASE, don't bother to 'discuss' this or any other documents any
further. I've had enough redundant, irrelevant, meaningless and partly
faulty lectures, from you already.

This isn't something special about ALA. It's a common feature of
chiral biochemicals.

--
Frank Slootweg, "You can either agree with me or be wrong."
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Which type of ALA are you taking?
    ... OTOH, my doctor also wanted me to taper down my metformin slowly, ... metformin to ALA. ... The S form doesn't decrease the effectiveness of the R form, ... so the combined form is half as effective and requires twice the ...
    (alt.support.diabetes)
  • Re: Success with ALA
    ... that I'd had to metformin after I quit the metformin. ... So if you have no IR, and if you're easily adrenally suppressed, ALA could make that worse via the increased effect of insulin on suppressing steroid synthesis and cortisol binding globulin. ... Certainly, most, if not virtually all diabetics who low carb have reversed their IR because receptors sensitize once more when less of a hormone is available. ...
    (alt.support.diabetes)
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    ... I dropped metformin, and all my ... my D3, magnesium, glucosamine and fish oil. ... ALA, or is there some sort of interaction contra-indication? ... prior to the trip and my exercise is less than while I was traveling. ...
    (alt.support.diabetes)
  • Re: Which type of ALA are you taking?
    ... Metformin has a modest, at best, effect on glucose levels beyond its ... ALA lowers bg, presumably also primarily ... stronger post meal bg lowering effect than metformin, and no fatigue, ...
    (alt.support.diabetes)
  • Which type of ALA are you taking? (was: More good news)
    ... OTOH, my doctor also wanted me to taper down my metformin slowly, ... Thanks for that, Kate. ... metformin to ALA. ...
    (alt.support.diabetes)