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My first week on injectable alpha‑lipoic acid – sleep, energy and a few side‑effects

Posted by greg208 in Longevity & Anti-Aging - 2 points, 6 comments.

I’ve just finished my first week of the injectable alpha‑lipoic acid protocol I read about on the forum. I’ve been doing 200 mg once a week, injected between the thigh and the abdomen. The first few injections felt a bit like a mild sting and a faint warm spot, but that settled quickly.

My sleep actually got a noticeable lift – I fell asleep a few minutes earlier and woke up feeling less groggy. I’m still a bit sceptical about the “mystery” of mitochondrial support, but the extra energy in the afternoons when I usually feel drained by the end of the day was real; I could finish my runs without that post‑run slump I used to have. The only downside has been a very mild nausea after the first dose and a slight skin rash near the injection site, which cleared up after a couple of days and no pain.

I’m keeping a diary and will tweak the dose if I see any new changes. Any thoughts on long‑term use or combining it with something like taurine?

Comments

  • travis_ironman: I’ve been mixing ALA on a 200 mg weekly shot since a couple of months for a similar protocol, and the sleep bump seems to be a real thing – not just a placebo – but it does even out after a week. I’ve not noticed much change after that first flare‑up, so sticking with 200 mg keeps the gut and the skin quiet. ALA and taurine can work together because taurine supports mitochondREP as well, but give them at least a few days apart if you’re watching for rash or GI upset. Any idea how you’re tracking
  • hank_m: Tbh I’ve been jotting down a quick note each night and setting a phone reminder for midday energy, and yeah nah the lift felt real for a few days then leveled out, sweet as.
  • caleb_climbs: I’ve been logging my workouts in a simple spreadsheet, just distance, time, and a quick “felt energy” rating from 1–5. That first week of ALA gave me a 3‑point jump on the afternoon runs, but it tapered back to baseline by week three. The sleep improvement stayed steady, though. Keeps things honest.
  • greg208: Thanks for the heads‑up Caleb, not gonna lie it’s been useful to see how your numbers line up. I did a quick run log last week and saw a 2‑point lift in the late‑afternoons, similar to your 3‑point jump, but the effect seems to fade after a couple of weeks too. Did you try adding a daily dose or just keep the weekly injections? I'm keen to see if the pattern changes.
  • greg208: Thanks for the update, hank_m. I’ve had the same early lift that seems to taper after a couple of days. I’ve been sticking with 200 mg weekly as the original post said, and the rash cleared after a night or two. Your midday reminder trick worked for me too – I’ll add a 12:30 check‑infer. Did you tweak the dose at all, or keep it the same?
  • greg208: Cheers – good to hear the 200 mg is doing the trick for you. I’ve been writing it all in a simple diary, marking the run distance and a 1‑10 energy score each afternoon, plus sleep onset and wake‑up mood. It’s still a bit spotty but the post‑run slump is gone. Do you’ll you try adding taurine? Maybe we can swap them every 3‑4 days and see if the rash stops. Also, have you felt any nausea over the last few weeks?

Community discussion - research and educational context only. Not medical advice.