If you've dealt with burning, tingling or numbness in your feet — especially at night — you've probably already tried a few things. New shoes, foot creams, changing how you sleep, maybe even adjusting your diet.
But lately, one ingredient keeps coming up in conversations around nerve health: R-Alpha Lipoic Acid, or R-ALA.
And the first thing most people don't realize is that not all Alpha Lipoic Acid is the same.
Alpha Lipoic Acid can exist in two mirror-image forms, known as R-ALA and S-ALA. R-ALA is the naturally occurring form found in the body, while many standard ALA supplements contain a mixture of both forms.
That little “R” on the label might look insignificant, but it's an important distinction when comparing different Alpha Lipoic Acid products.
And that's only the beginning — because what researchers have studied about Alpha Lipoic Acid is even more interesting.




