Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) as a supplementation for weight loss: Results from a Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Researchers combined the results of 12 randomized controlled trials, studies that randomly gave people ALA or a comparison treatment. The studies included 1,036 adults, mostly people with overweight or obesity. Alpha-lipoic acid, often sold as an antioxidant supplement, led to about 0.7 kilograms more weight loss than the comparison treatment. It also produced a very small reduction in body mass index, a weight-to-height measure, but did not clearly reduce waist size.

What this means for you: ALA may help with a small amount of weight loss, but the benefit was modest and is unlikely to make a major difference by itself. It is not strong enough evidence to buy ALA specifically for weight loss, especially since the studies varied in length and quality.