ALA vs Metformin for blood sugar
Short answer: For blood sugar, users rate them about the same: 100% report improvement with ALA (9 reports) and 96% with Metformin (27 reports).
ALA has 100 meta-analyses and 243 randomized trials on PubMed; Metformin has 1,367 and 3,450.
Based on 320 reports about ALA and 175 about Metformin. Not medical advice.
| ALA Supplement | Metformin Medication | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 65%helped54 reports · medium confidence | 29%helped67 reports · medium confidence |
| Verdict | Mostly positive | Mixed |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | AResearch: Strong |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 100 / 243 | 1,367 / 3,450 |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Blood sugar % reporting improvement | 100% (9) | 96% (27) |
| Energy % reporting improvement | 100% (15) | 40% (10) |
| Performance % reporting improvement | — | 0% (15) |
| Longevity % reporting improvement | 100% (2) | 100% (11) |
| Weight loss % reporting improvement | 50% (2) | 90% (10) |
| Common side effects | liver damage, headache, fatty liver, mercury brain | stomach issues, diarrhea, b12 depletion, nausea |
| Typical dose reported | 600 mg / daily | Not listed |
ALA treatment had favorable effects on DSPN by reducing sensory symptoms, and it resulted in a dose-dependent response relative to the placebo for TSS and the global satisfaction score. The use of ALA to prevent neurological symptoms should be further researched.
Nutrients, 2023 ↗“I also take alcar, alpha lipoic acid, choline, and pqq, but... there is some difference with these, but not as major as with CoQ10.”
The choice of metformin or COCP treatment should be based on symptoms, noting some biochemical benefits from combination treatment targeting both major endocrine disturbances seen in PCOS (hyperinsulinemia and hyperandrogenism).
J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2024 ↗“Metformin currently has enough data for me personally to feel comfortable not only taking it myself (and my wife), but also recommending it to my patients.”
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Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate