I take a mixed brand from the US....Which ss far cheaper than the same from Australian sellers....In Australia 30 600mg capsules are about $25 AUD......Ordering the same from the USA which got here in about ten days....It was 150 600mg capsules for $30AUD....Notice the difference? Let me tell you about the real difference.....
A couple months ago I read that ALA assists with diabetic neuropathy.....So I got an expensive bottle of 30....and in the final day of taking one with breakfast and another with dinner there was a very obvious improvement. So I thought that was good....but ran out of tablets....
Then noticed the old pain, the burning and crushing toe sensations were coming back....So I eventually took my time and shopped around and found 150 600mg capsules for $30 AUD delivered to the front door from the US. Almost a month after my earlier trial....semi- successful....trial
Now how effective are they? The new batch after a over a month?.....Well, in my experience.....I am a type 2 diabetic...not obese or even close....but do have a dead thyroid due to Hashimotos....and suspect I lean a lot to Diabetes 1.5 even though my doc is non-commital....Doesn't matter....What does matter, is the second sustained trail of 600mg of ALA twice a day. I always take them 30-60 minutes before breakfast and dinner....And the results....
I am on 2mg of Amaryl and 50mg of Metformin Xr twice a day.....Works reasonably well but over the last several months my glucose readings have been creeping up....From 6.5 a year ago...to 7.4 a few months ago.....No diet changes but more exercise so unclear what went wrong....
i read about ALA and tried it twice....This second time, longer.....a month now.....well...Still taking my usual meds, Amaryl and Metformin.....but in recent days have gone just a bit hypo and have to hit the jelly-beans a couple times,,,,,,I have recorded my BG readings religiously....and my verdict is that my BG is 15-17% lower with ALA than it was without it,,....I rarely see a reading over 6.5. The best for years.
That however was not the primary reason I am taking ALA.....I do have neuropathy in the toes and feet....Lyrica helps but the side effects and expense put me of it.....So ALA had some good press...fine with me...give it a long-term go.......First attempt with a two week supply was beneficial....put a number on it -30% would be accurate I think? Now with this longer term and more like 70% reduction.....I have no more burning pain, crushing pain, and only...still a fair bit of tingling....but I can live with that.....
Now comes the best part....I have severe osteo in the L's and S's of my lower spine.....Life was pain.....for years....and worsening....No surgeons for me...they crippled my sister for the same issues, and my brother died after one of their attempts only made his life worse......
That said ALA has decreased the back pain level by at least 50% - maybe more - I have more mobility without subsequent pain.....Lyrica also helped in that regard....But frankly I would rather do without it....
Talk to your doc...As a diabetic do the B supplements as you have likely been advised....But discuss ALA with him....Hell, print this out...and give it to him......I feel five years younger and healthier than I did a month ago...Plus I actually sleep at night without feeling my feet going thru a tree shredder.......Ask your doc to prescribe something that will do that.....