AOR R Lipoic Acid 60 v-caps

 The health-promoting, anti-aging benefits of regular lipoic acid pills are only delivered by half of the supplement. The other half is worse than useless: it actually antagonizes the effects of the good half of the supplement. Many molecules used by the body have a specific “handedness” (chirality). In some cases, synthetic versions of these molecules have a different “handedness” than the natural molecule. Some of these artificial molecules are merely less potent than the natural forms, such as in the case of dl-alpha-tocopherol. But others are actually harmful – for example, trans-fatty acids. Unless they specify otherwise, “lipoic acid” supplements are a 50/50 mixture of the natural R-lipoic acid, and the synthetic S (-) lipoic acid. These mixtures are called “racemates.” In some cases, S (-) lipoic acid – or the racemate – is simply less effective than R-lipoic acid. But in other cases, the S (-) form actually acts in opposition to the activity of R-lipoic acid.