What is Alpha-lipoic Acid and why is your product referred to as R(+)- lipoic acid?
Alpha-lipoic acid (or sometimes thioctic acid) is the generic term given to lipoic acid that is manufactured in a laboratory. When manufactured, alpha-lipoic acid is chiral, meaning that it is automatically ‘twinned’ into two molecules; the natural R(+)- enantiomer that is used by the body, and the artificially twinned S(-)- enantiomer. The latter cannot be used by the body and is at best inert, and it comprises 50% of alpha-lipoic acid formulations. AOR’s R(+)- lipoic acid consists almost exclusively (approximately 96%) of the natural R(+)- enantiomer.
