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Can You Tell Me If Alpha Lipoic Acid Helps In The Absorption Of Vitamin B12?

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Posted on Tue, 9 Mar 2021
Question: Can you tell me if Alpha Lipoic Acid helps in the absorption of vitamin B12 (oral)?
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Answered by Dr. Malik (2 hours later)
Brief Answer:
ALA can be used for neuropathic pain but no effect on Vit B12 absorption

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,

Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) has antioxidant properties that removes potentially dangerous oxidizing agents in a the body especially liver, heart and nervous system and it also can break down sugars for energy purpose. Because of these properties it is used mainly for heart diseases, diabetes and in a pain syndrome from different nerve damages.
ALA can be useful for you to relief neuropathic pain, but it may not have any effect on Vitamin B12 (Vit B12) absorption.
Vit B12 is absorbed in the small intestine – in the ileum. After the surgery that you had your Vit B12 absorption got impaired. Unfortunately, there was no research up to know to show the effect of ALA on Vit B12 absorption after removal of ileum. Probably one can assume from the physiologic absorption mechanisms of VitB12 and ALA that ALA has no effect on Vit B12 absorption.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Thank you
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
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Answered by
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Dr. Malik

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :2006

Answered : 353 Questions

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Can You Tell Me If Alpha Lipoic Acid Helps In The Absorption Of Vitamin B12?

Brief Answer: ALA can be used for neuropathic pain but no effect on Vit B12 absorption Detailed Answer: Hello and welcome, Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) has antioxidant properties that removes potentially dangerous oxidizing agents in a the body especially liver, heart and nervous system and it also can break down sugars for energy purpose. Because of these properties it is used mainly for heart diseases, diabetes and in a pain syndrome from different nerve damages. ALA can be useful for you to relief neuropathic pain, but it may not have any effect on Vitamin B12 (Vit B12) absorption. Vit B12 is absorbed in the small intestine – in the ileum. After the surgery that you had your Vit B12 absorption got impaired. Unfortunately, there was no research up to know to show the effect of ALA on Vit B12 absorption after removal of ileum. Probably one can assume from the physiologic absorption mechanisms of VitB12 and ALA that ALA has no effect on Vit B12 absorption. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Thank you