R-ALA Thoughts and Reviews

Diet and Nutrition
1

So, I’ve been using R-ALA for a while now. I’ve been on a ketogenic diet and use R-ALA on my carb-up days. Generally I use 2 capsules (400mg) before big carb meals…if I’m gonna hit a buffet or something I’ll take 3, If I’m having 1 large bowl of cereal I’ll take 1. I also will say that occasionally I throw in a tablespoon or 2 of apple cidar vinegar.

The last few weeks I’ve also popped 200mg of R-ALA on the 3 evenings preceding my carb up day to help dispose of left over glucose.

My thoughts?

After paying attention to my love handle/back area and just observing myself following very high glycemic and high carb days (low on fat of course) I will say that this stuff impresses me.

This just sort of anecdotal because it would be false to claim that all my variables have been held constant and it is the R-ALA etc etc.

But, I think this stuff has really helped out my insulin sensitivity and subsequently my ability to handle carbs the way I’d like too. I am going to most certainly keep using it and paying attention to my results but I am pretty impressed with it so far.

Of course its not a magical supplement and is just a little icing on the cake, but I think it helps.

It might be useful for some of ya’ll who struggle with insulin issues. Don’t confuse it with the cheaper ALA. R-ALA is the active isomer of ALA in a concentrated form.

Anyone else have success with this stuff? I mean, I am certainly training hard and cardioing hard so all that stuff plays a factor, but I really believe R-ALA really helps my insulin secretion and my ability to handle massive amounts of tasty carbs, when the time is right.

2

What brand are you using?

3

AST sports science

R-ALA 200 Hyper-Glucose transport system.

R[+]-Alpha Lipoic Acid 200mg

The third thing I listed is what you want to look for. But I don’t imagine the brand plays a large role in such a thing. AST has been around a while though and I think is trustworthy.

Anyone else have results with R-ALA?

4

I’ve also had good success with using r-ala. It seems to really help when I’m dieting and then have a refeed or a cheat day.

I’d use it more often, but frustrating thing for me is that nobody local to me carries it in stock. I know there are online retailers, but generally the r-ala would be the only thing I’d order from them.

What I don’t understand is why more companies don’t make it. They all seem to exclusively make ALA products, but not R-ALA products.

5

I agree that R-ALA is not found that often. I buy mine from The Vitamin Shoppe

I will probably try it for a while when not dieting as well.

6

I currently use this R-ALA,

allmaxnutrition.com/prod348.aspx?source=js

it’s easy to get and pretty inexpensive. I have had great results espcially when carbing-up. R-ALA is great for carbing cuz in helps crank up gylcogen stores which in turn tightens the skin and gets you cut. I’ve found it also helps to incorporate plenty of cardio for maximum results.

7

[quote]AngryVader wrote:
What I don’t understand is why more companies don’t make it. They all seem to exclusively make ALA products, but not R-ALA products.[/quote]

The process of making r-ALA is different from ALA in general. The way I understand it, ALA can be made artificially and you get both s-ALA and r-ALA because the process doesn’t distinguish the two. You use a biological process to make only r-ALA, which is a harder and more expensive process.

If somebody knows more, let us know.

8

I think you may be right yorik.

9

Will it help minimize fat gain during bulking?

10

I’ll be keeping a detailed log of how r-ala among other things will be effecting me. Coach Thibaudeau gave me the following protocol because I’m doing a radical type diet. All ketogenic but 2 weeks low calorie, 1 week up, everyday under 30 grams of carbs.

I was going to get it from vitacost.com but CT, said I’d be pissing my money away on low quality stuff. My thread is here in case you want to follow along. I’m starting June 3rd when I get my stuff.

http://www.T-Nation.com/tmagnum/readTopic.do?id=2127993&pageNo=0

My problem is with cortisol. The below is the quote and protocol he recommends, I’m doing this for 30 days.

Situation 3 (stressed and tired): Normally occurs after a certain period of ‘stressed and wired’ which placed an excessive demand on the adrenals. As a result your body doesn’t produce much cortisol in the morning (so you feel tired or have a hard time getting up in the morning) but wired at night from the day’s stress (the body can still produce cortisol in response to stress at this point).

Situation 4 (flat line): This is adrenal burnout. You asked so much from your adrenals that you can’t pump out cortisol anymore. At this point you will feel lethargic and lack energy all day. The bad thing is that in this state your body also produces almost no testosterone.

Since you are in stage 3 you will actually need to do a double cortisol modulation: increase it in the morning (and extend its half-life to releave the stress on the adrenals) and decrease it in the evening.

Upon waking up: 3-5g of Yang R-ala (6-10 caps) on an empty stomach

Breakfast: 2 caps of licorice supreme + 1 cap of Panthetine supreme

At lunch: 2-3g of Yang R-ala (4-6 caps) + 2 licorice supreme + 1 panthetine

At supper: 400mg phosphatidylserine + 5g glycine

Evening: 400mg phosphatidylserine + 5g glycine

Bed time: Z-12 + ZMA + Serenity 2.0

Z-12 and ZMA are from Biotest, the other ones are from www.charlespoliquin.net

11

GS,

  1. Are you following Thib’s recommendations for the carb-up… i.e. 150-200g carbohydrate every 7th day until one is under a “true” 10%? I recently started keto’ing and will be using this approach.

  2. Have you any experience using the r-ALA post-workout(PWO)? Similar to how those on the steroid forum have written that insulin PWO is overkill and should be reserved for non-PWO carbohydrate meals, do you feel this way about r-ALA? I was thinking that I would use the r-ALA at breakfast and perhaps it would not be necessary PWO. Thoughts?

13

just a quick point here for those who depend on the internet for r-ala. a lot of the ‘fancy’ stores carry it. eg: whole foods, most organic stores and other stores generally associated with hippies, vegans and the like.

G

P.S. while it’s true that regular ala pilla will have some s-ala in it, getting all r-ala pills is expensive. My bottle of 100% r-ala comes in at $45/bottle of 90 pills.

14

I had good results with Anabolic-Pump. Similar in function ro R-Ala

15

ALA is a fascinating supplement. In order to balance out the information I wrote a review of it here: http://www.T-Nation.com/article/supplements/ala_anabolic_fat_loss&cr=

16

[quote]Evil1 wrote:
just a quick point here for those who depend on the internet for r-ala. a lot of the ‘fancy’ stores carry it. eg: whole foods, most organic stores and other stores generally associated with hippies, vegans and the like.

G

P.S. while it’s true that regular ala pilla will have some s-ala in it, getting all r-ala pills is expensive. My bottle of 100% r-ala comes in at $45/bottle of 90 pills. [/quote]

you’re overpaying. big time. unless each pill is a gram,lol. r-ala can easily be found for less than a 1 dollar per gram.

17

Bump.

I am learning more about this supplement.

Anyone have experiences to add to this old thread?

18

No, other than the fact that I have just started taking R-ALA, as well Acetyl-L Carnitine… really just for the hell of it. Apparently R-ALA helps restore the antioxidant activities of vitamins C and E, as well as reversing insulin resistance. Carnitine is supposedly good in fat metabolism as it acts as a carrier molecule for fats entering the mitochondria of cells to be used as energy.

I’ve been taking 1g of R-ALA and 1g of Carnitine first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach. Really seems to help ‘clear the fog’.

19

[quote]PB Andy wrote:
No, other than the fact that I have just started taking R-ALA, as well Acetyl-L Carnitine… really just for the hell of it. Apparently R-ALA helps restore the antioxidant activities of vitamins C and E, as well as reversing insulin resistance. Carnitine is supposedly good in fat metabolism as it acts as a carrier molecule for fats entering the mitochondria of cells to be used as energy.

I’ve been taking 1g of R-ALA and 1g of Carnitine first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach. Really seems to help ‘clear the fog’.[/quote]

Interesting. Please keep us informed how you progress with this.

I remember in the early 90’s “L-Carnitine” and “Chromium Picolinate” was the SHIT! I used to take a liquid L-Carnitine, but I forget the brand.

I’m interested in learning about the insulin affecting properties of R-ALA.

20

[quote]PB Andy wrote:
I’ve been taking 1g of R-ALA and 1g of Carnitine first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach. Really seems to help ‘clear the fog’.[/quote]

How do you take your 1 g of R - ALA ? Divided dosages? pre and post workout?

I take 3 grams of ALCAR with 900mg of Alpha GPC pre workout (only if I workout in the morning).
Now I’m adding in 500 mg of R - ALA (mostly PWO).

You wanna talk about clearing the fog! :slight_smile:

21

Liquid L-carnitine did jack for me. I took 3000 mg of it, too, every morning on an empty stomach, for like a month.

It’s expensive and, in my opinion, not worth the marginal boost it MIGHT provide.