Quiet Nerves Blog
Alpha Lipoic Acid and Nerves, Explained for Quiet Nerves Buyers
Quick answer
In the SYDNEY 2 trial, 600 mg of alpha lipoic acid a day by mouth eased diabetic nerve symptoms over 5 weeks, as well as higher doses. A review found IV ALA helped most, while oral gains were unclear. ALA can lower blood sugar with diabetes medicine. Quiet Nerves does not publish its ALA amount.
Alpha lipoic acid is the most studied of the six ingredients in Quiet Nerves. This post explains what it is, what the main trial and a later review found, why the way it is given matters, and who should be careful with it. It does not promise that any capsule will fix nerve damage, because no study shows that.
What ALA is
What is alpha lipoic acid?
Alpha lipoic acid, or ALA, is an antioxidant compound that is also called thioctic acid. Plants, animals and people all make small amounts of it, and it is also sold as a supplement (Linus Pauling Institute, lipoic acid).
Researchers have tested ALA mostly in people with nerve damage from diabetes, which most often affects the feet and legs. Those trials scored symptoms such as pain, burning and numbness on a points scale.
In Quiet Nerves, ALA is one of six ingredients in a single daily capsule. The amount is not published.
- Other name
- Thioctic acid
- Type
- Antioxidant compound
- Main research use
- Symptoms of diabetic nerve damage
- Amount in Quiet Nerves
- Not published
SYDNEY 2
What did the SYDNEY 2 trial find?
SYDNEY 2 found that ALA taken by mouth eased nerve symptoms more than a placebo over 5 weeks (Ziegler et al., 2006). The lowest dose, 600 mg once a day, worked as well as the higher ones.
Who took part and what they took
The trial enrolled 181 people with diabetes and nerve symptoms. They took 600, 1,200 or 1,800 mg of ALA once a day, or a placebo, for 5 weeks.
What changed
Symptom scores fell by about 4.5 to 4.9 points in the ALA groups, against 2.9 points on placebo. The gap between 600 mg and the higher doses was small, so more ALA did not bring more relief.
What went up with the dose
Nausea, vomiting and dizziness became more common as the dose rose. In this trial, the lowest dose gave the best balance of benefit and side effects.
What the trial did not show
Five weeks is a short time, and the trial measured how people felt, not whether nerves healed. It tested ALA alone, not a mix like Quiet Nerves. The placebo group improved as well, so not every change people felt came from ALA.
Review
What did the review of ALA trials find?
A review that pooled four trials found that ALA lowered symptom scores by a modest amount (Mijnhout et al., 2012). The clearest benefit came when ALA was given into a vein, and the authors were unsure whether the smaller gains from oral ALA matter in daily life.
Which trials it pooled
Two trials gave 600 mg a day by IV drip for 3 weeks. Two gave ALA by mouth, at 100 to 1,800 mg a day, for 3 weeks to 6 months.
How big is a modest change?
In SYDNEY 2, the ALA groups improved about 1.6 to 2 points more than the placebo group (Ziegler et al., 2006). That extra change over placebo is the part researchers credit to ALA. The review authors asked whether gains of this size by mouth are large enough for patients to notice in daily life.
A later look at more studies
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health describes a 2022 review of 8 studies that found inconsistent results for ALA in diabetic nerve damage (NCCIH on diabetes and supplements). Some studies helped, others did not, and the overall picture is not settled.
IV vs oral
Why does it matter whether ALA is given by IV or by mouth?
It matters because the best results came from IV ALA, and a supplement capsule is taken by mouth. An IV dose goes straight into the blood in a clinic, while a capsule has to pass through the gut first.
| Point | IV ALA | Oral ALA (capsule) | Quiet Nerves |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it is given | Drip into a vein, by a clinician | Swallowed by mouth | One capsule by mouth, daily |
| Dose in research | 600 mg a day (Mijnhout et al., 2012) | 600 to 1,800 mg a day (Ziegler et al., 2006) | Not published |
| Length in research | 3 weeks | 3 weeks to 6 months | Not stated; 30 capsules a bottle |
| What the evidence says | Clinically relevant benefit | Smaller gains; unclear if meaningful | No study of the product |
For a buyer, the table points to one practical fact. Even a capsule with a full 600 mg of ALA would match the oral trials, not the IV ones.
With Quiet Nerves, you cannot tell whether a capsule comes close to 600 mg, because the amount is not published. That is the single most useful number to ask the brand for.
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Safety
Is alpha lipoic acid safe?
ALA has known side effects, and two cautions matter most for people with diabetes. The Linus Pauling Institute lists skin rashes, stomach upset and dizziness (Linus Pauling Institute, lipoic acid).
Common side effects
- Headache and heartburn (NCCIH on diabetes and supplements)
- Nausea and vomiting, more often at higher doses (Ziegler et al., 2006)
- Skin rash (Linus Pauling Institute, lipoic acid)
- Dizziness (Linus Pauling Institute, lipoic acid)
Low blood sugar with diabetes medicine
ALA may lower blood sugar, so people who use insulin or diabetes pills face a possible risk of lows (Linus Pauling Institute, lipoic acid). Tell your doctor before you start, as NCCIH advises for any supplement you use (NCCIH on diabetes and supplements).
A rare immune reaction
In one case report, a 56-year-old woman took 600 mg of ALA a day for nerve pain. After two weeks she had severe, repeated low blood sugar from insulin autoimmune syndrome, which needed steroid treatment and took about six months to settle (Veltroni et al., 2018). This is rare, but repeated lows after starting ALA need a doctor right away.
Pregnancy
The Linus Pauling Institute advises ALA in pregnancy only under strict medical supervision (Linus Pauling Institute, lipoic acid). If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, ask a doctor before any supplement.
Every caution for the full formula is on the Quiet Nerves side effects page.
Basics
Why do blood sugar control and foot care still matter?
They matter because they protect nerves in ways no supplement has been shown to replace. Up to half of people with diabetes have nerve damage in the feet or hands, and managing blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol helps prevent it (NIDDK, diabetic peripheral neuropathy).
Daily foot checks
NIDDK advises checking your feet every day and calling a doctor right away about any foot problem. Numb feet may not feel a blister or cut, so looking matters more than feeling.
Finding the cause first
Diabetes is the leading cause of peripheral neuropathy in the US, but low vitamin B12, alcohol, infections and chemotherapy can cause it too (NINDS, peripheral neuropathy). Treatment depends on the cause, so new numbness, tingling, burning or weakness needs a doctor visit before any supplement.
For Quiet Nerves buyers
What does the ALA research mean for Quiet Nerves?
It means the ALA in Quiet Nerves is a well-studied ingredient in an unknown amount. The research gives a clear yardstick of 600 mg a day by mouth, and the brand gives no figure to set against it.
Five other ingredients share the same capsule, and none has a published amount either. Our post on Quiet Nerves ingredients vs the research sets all six against their studied doses, and the Quiet Nerves ingredients page covers each one in more depth.
Three questions to ask about the ALA in Quiet Nerves
- How many milligrams of alpha lipoic acid are in one capsule?
- Will the label carry a caution for people who take insulin or diabetes pills?
- Is there a lab report, from a named lab, for the lot on my bottle?
The order desk takes questions by phone, and its sales email works for written answers. Save any reply with your order email so you can show it to your doctor.
If you decide to try it, you have 60 days from purchase to ask for a refund. Pack prices and cost per day are on the Quiet Nerves pricing page.