Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)
Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) is an antioxidant that the body makes in small amounts and that also comes as a supplement. Antioxidants limit oxidative stress, the harm unstable molecules do to cells.
Work on ALA in reproductive care is early and small. One randomized trial added it to vaginal progesterone in women with early pregnancy bleeding and a pocket of blood beside the pregnancy sac. That pocket cleared faster in the ALA group.1 A 2021 review gathered five small studies of ALA in pregnancies at risk.2
An open trial followed 398 women with endometriosis pain. They took ALA with two other antioxidants for six months, and their pain scores improved.3 A cause-based workup still comes first.
Cited in this entry
- Porcaro G, Brillo E, Giardina I, Di Iorio R. Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) effects on subchorionic hematoma: preliminary clinical results. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences. 2015. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26439038/
- Petca A, Bot M, Maru N, Calo IG, Borislavschi A, Dumitrascu MC, Petca RC, Sandru F, Zvanca ME. Benefits of α-lipoic acid in high-risk pregnancies (Review). Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine. 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34539828/
- Lete I, Mendoza N, de la Viuda E, Carmona F. Effectiveness of an antioxidant preparation with N-acetyl cysteine, alpha lipoic acid and bromelain in the treatment of endometriosis-associated pelvic pain: LEAP study. European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology. 2018. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30007250/
This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult an RRM clinician or healthcare provider for guidance specific to your situation.
