When you eat foods such as kidneys, liver, spinach, potatoes or broccoli, you absorb alpha-lipoic acid, a fatty acid. Herbalists may recommend a supplement of alpha-lipoic acid to help improve your nutrition and to serve as an antioxidant, Drugs.com indicates, although uncontrolled formulations of the supplement may not provide any benefit. Antioxidants may help to protect your cells by retarding the progress of substances called free radicals, according to the National Cancer Institute; cell damage caused by free radicals may eventually lead to development of cancer. You should question your doctor about the use of alpha-lipoic acid as a supplement, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved its use as a drug.
Hypoglycemia
An alpha-lipoic acid supplement may induce hypoglycemia, a drop in your blood glucose level, notes Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Your body typically balances and uses the glucose from the food you eat with insulin, a substance produced by your pancreas. If the blood sugar level falls significantly below normal levels, it can cause serious health problems. For example, your heartbeat may speed up beyond normal levels, a type of arrhythmia known as tachycardia. If left untreated, tachycardia can produce heart attacks and hypertension. Other signs of hypoglycemia include great hunger or nausea, according to Drugs.com, along with confusion, difficulty in thinking clearly, blurred vision or faintness. Seek prompt medical help if you develop any of these signs.
Pain
Alpha-lipoic acid may produce some minor pain as a temporary and typically nonserious side effect, especially when you first use it as a supplement. During your first few days of taking the supplement, you may experience mild headaches or muscle pain in the form of spasms or cramps. These side effects usually subside without intervention but speak with a medical professional if they continue.
Fatigue
Drugs.com states that you may feel unusually tired after taking alpha-lipoic acid as a supplement; this fatigue is usually a mild and temporary side effect. However, if you feel bodily weakness as well, it may relate to hypoglycemia; consult your doctor if such circumstances occur.
Dizziness
Taking alpha-lipoic acid as a supplement can make you feel a bit unbalanced at initial usage. You may experience dizziness that, if ignored or left unresolved, could cause you to fall down. Dizziness should cease once your body becomes accustomed to the supplement.
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