The Sticky Truth

What you need to know when buying R-Lipoic Acid..."the sticky truth"

R-Lipoic Acid (RLA) is one of the most important and exciting new nutraceutical compounds to hit the market. It is a powerful antioxidant, a critical co-factor in ATP production and has been shown to be more effective by a factor of 10 over the commercially available Alpha Lipoic Acid in several bio-tests. This implies that S-LA found in Alpha Lipoic Acid is interfering with the body's utilization of the natural R form. To learn more about what exactly is the difference between SLA and RLA click HERE

R-Lipoic Acid naturally polymerizes into a glue-like substance.

RLA is a highly unstable compound that easily breaks down into a sticky rubber or glue-like substance if it is not prepared, stored and processed correctly. Even under the best conditions, regular RLA is extremely unstable. Exposure to air, light, moisture and temperatures slightly above ambient drastically reduces shelf life and increases the formation of this unwanted bi-product that may impair its intended benefit.

When you buy regular RLA:

Opened and refrigerated bottles of finished regular RLA capsules maintain their potency for 6 months before the polymer content begins to grow.
Around 30 days in un-refrigerated capsules and powder
One hour in a hot car can cause 100% degraded RLA.
Depending on how long the competitors RLA has been in the store shelf you may be buying useless degraded RLA

When you buy HUMAX R-Lipoic Acid
Specifications for HUMAX R-Lipoic Acid:
Only RLA of the highest purity is utilized, after independent analysis confirms the RLA/SLA ratio. Our typical RLA content >99.4%, SLA=0.2-0.6% with a total ALA content of > 99.8%. The polymer content of the starting material is typically between 0.2-0.4%.

Our special process of making Potassium R-Lipoate instead of regular RLA means that our products have a minimum shelf life of 3 years without the need for refrigeration.
The material is non hygroscopic and does not require any special handling. So you can be confident that you are buying the purest RLA available.

THE DEVELOPING RLA MARKET

Now that the differences between racemic alpha lipoic acid (bubble: A mixture of 50%SLA and 50% RLA) and pure RLA are becoming known, many new companies are attempting to manufacture and introduce RLA products into the market. Several of these companies have not been able to consistently produce a quality product with high RLA only purity. There are wide variations in the R/S ratios and total polymer contents of raw material and finished products.

Other companies have not passed on information concerning RLA instability because their products have not been analyzed with state-of-the-art tests (Bubble the test is called Enantioselective HPLC and shows how much SLA and RLA content is in a mixture)to identify RLA only purity. Frequently other supplement companies or on line stores are relying solely on the manufacturer's Certificate of Analysis or are sending samples to analytical labs whose analysts have limited experience with chirality testing (to learn more about chirality click HERE ), which reveals the RLA and SLA ratios and total polymer content.

We keep hearing from customers that several otherwise reputable analytical labs claim that it is impossible to test the R/S ratio by HPLC. There are several peer reviewed articles utilizing three different enantioselective tests for quantifying both RLA and SLA in the literature.

Few supplement companies and even fewer on-line vendors have experience with RLA and are unaware of the myriad problems associated with its encapsulation and stability. The heat of friction and exposure to air during normal blending and encapsulation processes are sufficient to initiate the HYPERLINK "http://www.geronova.com/polymers-of-lipoic-acid.PDF" polymerization of both RLA and ALA (although the heat stability is slightly higher for the racemic mixture).

Since the beginning of 2003, dozens of new companies have introduced RLA in finished products with widely varying prices and quality. Learn more HERE link

Not all R-Lipoic Acid products are created equal

HUMAX tests it’s RLA at every step of the manufacturing process to ensure that we provide our customers with only the highest quality and highest purity R-Lipoic Acid available.

The products and the claims made about specific products on or through this site have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem.