ALA, a powerful antioxidant that occurs naturally in foods including brewer's yeast, spinach and liver, is believed to improve whole-body glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity in sufferers of type 2-diabetes.
It has also been used in Germany for a quarter of a century to reduce the symptoms of neuropathy, a painful condition often developed by diabetics - a use substantiated by a recent survey carried out by the Mayo Clinic and the Russian Medical Academy.
According to the company, however, most formulations deliver ALA that remains in the body for just 30 minutes, meaning that multiple daily doses or intravenous delivery is necessary for it to have a sustained effect.
"While more clinical studies are needed with controlled-release oral formulations of alpha-lipoic acid, it is clear that such preparations should be very helpful," said Dr Ira Goldfine, director of the division of diabetes & endocrine research and Mount Zion Medical Center, University of California San Francisco.