To those who did NOT get results from ALA and ALC

[Shashi]

Where did you get your acetyl L-carnitine and alpha lipoic acid? What brands were they?

I'm wondering if maybe the reason some folks get great results and others don't might be the quality of the supplements they are buying. I get mine online from Puritan's Pride and the ALC is a quick acting supplement. I've had great results, but I've never tried any of the other brands, such as the one from Walmart that I know a lot of people try.

So, where did you buy your's, how much were you taking, were you taking them every day, and how long did you take them?

[SNOOPY]

Hi Shashi,

All of my vitamins/supplements are from GNC. I tried acetyl L-carnitine and alpha lipoic acid for a month, I took them each morning and I believe I was using the amount you recommended, but it was quite awhile ago.

I have thought about trying the combo again but I had added in another supplement and I prefer to add in supplements one at a time to make sure they agree with me.

[Sequoia]

I got mine online from Bronson Labs, which is the brand/source recommended by Dr. Elliott Frohman. It was a combo pill of 500 mg ALC + 200 mg ALA, recommended dose two a day for a total of 1000 mg ALC and 400 mg ALA.

Dr. Frohman's recommendation is the original reason many MSers are taking ALC/ALA. It was widely discussed on many MS boards starting several years ago, and took off from there.

Although the quality of the various brands people are currently taking may be a factor in why some people aren't getting good results (I didn't myself), it should also be kept in mind that not everyone reacts the same to any given supplement or medication. In other words, it's not surprising that some people don't experience relief from fatigue when taking ALC/ALA.

[terie-tk]

I took the... **

Wal-Mart brand & worked up to the max dose & did take on a empty stomach. Total time I gave my trial was 3 months. I've also have been thinking of doing another re-trial with a different brand.

And also this time trying the B-Complex along with it. **

[Shashi]

Wal-Mart brand & worked up to the max dose & did take on a empty stomach. Total time I gave my trial was 3 months. I've also have been thinking of doing another re-trial with a different brand.

And also this time trying the B-Complex along with it. **

Terie-tk, you might try the Puritan's pride brands. They're what I take and they've worked great for me.

Sequoia, did you take both of the 500 mg doses at the same time or twice a day? I take 1,000 mg of ALC and 200 mg of ALA all in one dose, not broken up into two. I wonder if that might make a difference. Also, the university studies used a dosage of 2,000 mg of ALC. You might need to double the dosage if you're not getting results at 1,000 mg.

[christine bauma]

headaches

Although this helps me I get horrible headaches from this.

[woohoogirl]

Although this helps me I get horrible headaches from this.

I wasn't able to see if it helped for not. I like christine, got miserable headaches from it.

[lovejoy]

did it for about 6 months got it from holistic center only thing it did for me was waste my money

[Shashi]

did it for about 6 months got it from holistic center only thing it did for me was waste my money

Actually, you probably did get some benefit from them, as they are both substances which our bodies need. (They help our cells metabolize nutrients into energy more efficiently.) There have also been studies done that show that they can be useful in the treatment of MS itself. So, even though they might not have helped your fatigue, they probably weren't a complete waste of money.

[lovejoy]

well they erent in that i learned that i wont waste anymore money on them...lol.i think supplementss are like anything else they work on some and dont on others... it just amazes me that people are quick to say try this and boom your cured, read a study on ms that a person did it said eat fish for 90 days and your cured of ms yep that worked to grew up on seafood living on the calif coast bottom line things are because they are

[snowy]

Hi,
Just saw this post. I read somewhere else about taking L-Carnitine for fatigue. I didn't know about the Lipoic Acid. If I take just the L-Carnitine will that help my fatigue? I just started taking it yesterday. My neuro said it was ok for me to take the L-Carnitine.
Thank you

[CocoH]

I did buy quality supps from The Vitamin Shoppe. Unfortunately, the ALA/ALC just didn't work for me. Total bummer!

[snowy]

What times do you take the L-Carnitine?

[Shashi]

What times do you take the L-Carnitine?

I always have taken the acetyl L-carnitine with the alpha lipoic acid, so I'm not sure how effective the ALC might be without the ALA. Also, I take both of them on an empty stomach when I first wake up in the morning.

Good luck. I hope they work for you.

[GinnyRuth]

Terie-tk, you might try the Puritan's pride brands. They're what I take and they've worked great for me.

Sequoia, did you take both of the 500 mg doses at the same time or twice a day? I take 1,000 mg of ALC and 200 mg of ALA all in one dose, not broken up into two. I wonder if that might make a difference. Also, the university studies used a dosage of 2,000 mg of ALC. You might need to double the dosage if you're not getting results at 1,000 mg.

Shashi: with the university studies did they take the 2,000 mg of ALC all at the same time? I have been really dragging lately and have been considering trying the 2,000 mg or even 1,500.