ALA is a powerful antioxidant that plays a role in:

• Reducing oxidative stress
• Supporting mitochondrial energy (hello egg quality + early pregnancy support)
• Helping regulate inflammation and immune signaling
• Supporting liver detoxification pathways
• Supports circadian rhythm

It’s also been shown to reduce the risk of miscarriage:

“ALA decreases the secretion of prostaglandin E2 and nitrogen oxide, and reducing the risk of miscarriage in the first trimester of pregnancy.”

“ALA has been proven to be efficient in maintaining the length of the cervix and keeping it closed following one episode of premature labor.”

Petca, A., Bot, M., Maru, N., Calo, I. G., Borislavschi, A., Dumitrascu, M. C., Petca, R. C., Sandru, F., & Zvanca, M. E. (2021). Benefits of α-lipoic acid in high-risk pregnancies (Review). Experimental and therapeutic medicine, 22(5), 1232. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2021.10666

Because of that, we often consider it when someone has:

• A history of miscarriage
• Suspected implantation challenges
• Endometriosis or chronic pelvic inflammation
• Histamine issues or immune sensitivity
• Higher inflammatory burden overall

Again, not a cure-all. But a very useful aid when the foundation is being addressed.

A real-life client win

We currently have a client using ALA as part of her support plan to help reduce miscarriage risk since she is currently newly pregnant. One unexpected but welcome change she noticed? Improved sleep.

She has a long history of waking throughout the night, and after adding ALA, she reported more restful sleep and better daytime energy. That sent us digging.

ALA + circadian rhythm (this part is really cool)

Emerging research suggests that ALA may help support circadian rhythm regulation by interacting with metabolic and liver pathways that influence our internal clock. Which makes sense when you think about it:

• Liver function and circadian rhythm are deeply connected
• Circadian rhythm impacts hormone signaling, inflammation, and implantation
• Poor sleep and circadian disruption are common in fertility challenges

So when a nutrient can support both liver health and circadian rhythm, that’s a quiet win in our book.

The big picture (because context matters)

ALA works best when it’s part of a bigger, individualized plan:

• Mineral balance
• Blood sugar stability
• Nervous system and circadian rhythm support
• Adequate nourishment and rest

That’s why we don’t hand it out as a blanket recommendation, but we do keep it in our toolbox.

Here are some other great resources around the issues that ALA helps, and what else we do to support these concerns.

• Support for endometriosis
• Getting To The Root Cause Of Miscarriage Workshop
• Miscarriage and Gut Health

Want support figuring out if this applies to you?

Inside Nurture Your Fertility, we look at your history, labs, symptoms, and patterns to decide what actually makes sense for your body, including if and when something like ALA might be supportive.

​Here are more details, if you want to explore that next step.

As always, we’re cheering you on and holding so much hope for your journey!