R-ALA

Antioxidant and Energy Supplement--Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) is known by a variety of names, including thioctic acid, 1, 2-dithiolane-3-pentanoic acid, 1, 2-dithiolane-3 valeric acid, dihydrolipoic acid, lipoic acid, and 6, 8-thioctic acid. The importance of ALA was first discovered in the 1950s, when it was recognized as a powerful antioxidant and an important cofactor in the Krebs cycle (i.e., citric acid cycle), the body's main process for converting carbohydrates into energy. Put simply, ALA converts glucose (i.e., blood sugar) into energy for the body’s normal function. ALA is a sulfurous fatty acid that would be classified as a vitamin except for the fact that it can be readily synthesized within the human body. ALA can also be obtained in our diets from both animal and plant sources. It is found in small amounts in foods such as spinach, broccoli, peas, Brussels sprouts, rice bran, red meat, organ meats (e.g., liver, kidney and heart), and yeast (particularly Brewer's yeast). Alth