ALA vs R-ALA

[Boxman]

Sorry for the noobie question but my searches for answers turned up too many contradicting statements.

What's the difference between R-ALA and ALA?

I bought a bottle of ALA from a local GNC. The container is labeled "Alpha Lipolic Acid 100". The only ingredient is listed as "alpha Lipolic Acid". These are 100mg softgells.

I don't see anything on the bottle that says "R-ALA" or "S-ALA".

Did I waste my money? Will plain 'ol ALA be of any use to me?

And by the way, what exactly is ALA for?

Is the main purpose of ALA to allow one to get into ketosis despite eating moderate carbs? Or is ALA for increasing your energy during workout? Or it for increasing muscle gains from your workout?

Confused,
Boxman

 

[Ceebs]

What's the difference between R-ALA and ALA?

Potency. Chances are if you bought from GNC, what you have is racemic ALA (a mixture of the r- and s- isomers, in other words). People were getting great results from racemic ALA before r-ALA hit the scene, so it's likely that you will too; r-ALA is just stronger.

If you don't understand what ALA is or does, re-read the stickies. They're there for a reason.

 

[Boxman]

Re: Re: ALA vs R-ALA

Potency. Chances are if you bought from GNC, what you have is racemic ALA (a mixture of the r- and s- isomers, in other words). People were getting great results from racemic ALA before r-ALA hit the scene, so it's likely that you will too; r-ALA is just stronger.

If you don't understand what ALA is or does, re-read the stickies. They're there for a reason.

Thanks, but the main question that I could not find an answer to in the sticky or from searching previous posts, is whether or not I can use ALA (or R-ALA) to aid a low-carb diet.

Basically, I'm asking if I can eat carbs and yet stay in ketosis by taking ALA.

What's the consensus on that?

 

[Mr.X]

Re: Re: Re: ALA vs R-ALA

Thanks, but the main question that I could not find an answer to in the sticky or from searching previous posts, is whether or not I can use ALA (or R-ALA) to aid a low-carb diet.
low carbs YES! no-carb like ketosis NO!....

Basically, I'm asking if I can eat carbs and yet stay in ketosis by taking ALA.

What's the consensus on that?
***********
you can try, but if it fails you're out of ketosis and, well, back to storing bodyfat

I think R-ALA would be the best product in keeping you in Ketosis if you did massive dosages.

Mr.X

 

[Michael Corleone 21]

massive dosages??As in how much per day or better yet per meal???

 

[Mr.X]

massive dosages??As in how much per day or better yet per meal???

I'm assuming you're asking me: I always recommend 100mg R-ALA per 30g carbs, so if you have 300g carbs on a carb up you'd have about 1g r-ala and of course after your last meal about 300-400mg to drop that blood sugar down.

Mr.X

 

[macrophage69alpha]

the biggest difference between

R-ala

and

r,s- ala

other than potency..

is that r-ala has been shown to lower plasma insulin levels.. r,s has not.

btw- the entire theory behind low carb and keto is a lowered insulin environment

 

[Millie]

macro, then what is roughly the max grams of carbs that one can get away with and stay in ketosis. i mean, without ALA/r-ALA one can maintain ketosis with <100 roughly, right? So with ALA/r-ALA should this be increased to maybe 150gr?

And isn't the whole idea of ALA that it shuttles glucose into the muscles instead of it being stored in the liver or converted to fat? And ketosis is maintained when the liver is depleted of glycogen. In this case one should be able to eat more carbs and maintain ketosis, right? Or have I gotten this all wrong?

 

[macrophage69alpha]

millie,
the advantage of r-ala is that you can eat carbs, not be in ketosis, and still have relatively the same fat burning equivalency.

the lowered insulin environment should allow for comparable fat loss (while feeling better)... though caloric deficit still needed (though likely less due to the reduction of insulin)

 

[krafti1]

bump

 

[Millie]

macro, thanks for the clarification

 

[TheMyth]

Originally posted by macrophage69alpha

millie,
the advantage of r-ala is that you can eat carbs, not be in ketosis, and still have relatively the same fat burning equivalency.

the lowered insulin environment should allow for comparable fat loss (while feeling better)... though caloric deficit still needed (though likely less due to the reduction of insulin)

So let me get this straight here, if I take r-ALA with my meals, I can eat carbs that are simple rather than complex, and acheive the same results whether bulking or cutting as long as my calories are in line?

 

[macrophage69alpha]

So let me get this straight here, if I take r-ALA with my meals, I can eat carbs that are simple rather than complex, and acheive the same results whether bulking or cutting as long as my calories are in line?

within reason, and probably with some exceptions (none come to mind at this moment), YES..

 

[TheMyth]

I have been reading through other posts that too much r-ALA can make you hypoglycemic. I've been taking about 300-400mg of r-ALA with every meal I eat and I don't feel any different. I am eating a ton so I just pop those caps down.

1. Is that too much to take in a day/meal?

2. You say take 100 mg for every 30-50 grams of carbs, does that mean that those carbs will not turn to fat and just all go to the muscle?

 

[TheMyth]

bump

 

[Michael Corleone 21]

I have been reading through other posts that too much r-ALA can make you hypoglycemic. I've been taking about 300-400mg of r-ALA with every meal I eat and I don't feel any different. I am eating a ton so I just pop those caps down.

1. Is that too much to take in a day/meal?

2. You say take 100 mg for every 30-50 grams of carbs, does that mean that those carbs will not turn to fat and just all go to the muscle?

bump for answers to this last question....

 

[Ceebs]

1. Is that too much to take in a day/meal?

2. You say take 100 mg for every 30-50 grams of carbs, does that mean that those carbs will not turn to fat and just all go to the muscle?

1. Define "too much"? I'm surprised that you're not going hypoglycemic on that dose, and that you feel no difference. Does your urine smell different? If it has a very plastic-y, very sour odor, then you're likely pissing out what r-ALA your body can't use.

2. If liver and muscle glycogen are full, and you eat over your maintenance calories for the day, no amount of r-ALA will prevent fat gain.

 

[TheMyth]

Yea my piss does smell bad, but thas normal if yoru taking ALA. As far as feeling anything, I don't feel any bit different, except for the bloat, than I did before I took it. No dizziness, or anything like that. I have never actually felt anything from any supplement I have ever taken, I have no clue why.

 

[Ceebs]

My point was that if you're taking the right amount of r-ALA, your urine shouldn't smell. Stinky pee is common with racemic ALA, but not the r- isomer, unless you're overdosing.

I'm curious what would happen if you went off the r-ALA for a few days, and kept eating the way you're eating. Would you feel a difference then? I rarely feel r-ALA working while I'm taking it, but boy do I notice the difference in my blood sugar when I'm not on it...