What it is used for
- Easing tingling, burning, pain or numbness from diabetic nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy), alongside good blood sugar control
- Sometimes used for other nerve problems, where evidence is limited
How it is used
- Tablets and capsules are swallowed whole with water, often on an empty stomach before a meal as the leaflet says, because food can reduce absorption
- Effervescent tablets and sachets are dissolved fully in water before drinking
- Use it as your doctor or pharmacist advises, and keep taking your diabetes medicines
Possible side effects
- Nausea, stomach pain or diarrhoea
- Skin rash or itching
- Headache
- Low blood sugar in people with diabetes (sweating, shaking, hunger, confusion)
Who should not use it
- Do not use it if you are allergic to alpha-lipoic acid or any ingredient in the product
Before and while using it
- It may lower blood sugar; check your sugar more often when you start it if you take diabetes medicines or insulin
- It does not replace good blood sugar control, which is the main way to protect the nerves
- Avoid alcohol, which makes nerve damage worse
- See your doctor about new numbness, weakness or wounds on the feet
- Rarely it has been linked to repeated low blood sugar caused by insulin antibodies; get medical help for repeated unexplained low sugars
Medicine interactions
- Diabetes medicines and insulin: risk of low blood sugar
- It may bind iron, magnesium and calcium; take it at a different time from mineral supplements and dairy products
- Tell your doctor or pharmacist about all your medicines and supplements
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- There is not enough information on its safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding; use it only if your doctor advises it
How to store it
- Store at room temperature away from heat and moisture, out of the sight and reach of children.
Get medical help straight away if
- Your face, lips or tongue swell, or you find it hard to breathe.
- You get a severe rash, blistering or peeling skin.
- A side effect worries you or doesn’t go away: contact your doctor or pharmacist.
Questions about this medicine?
Talk to a doctor by video, or send your question by text.
Source: Standard international medicine references
This guide is general information and doesn’t replace advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Don’t start, stop or change a medicine without asking them, and always read the leaflet in the pack.