Ingredient profile
Alpha-Lipoic Acid in Slim Metrix: The Ingredient the Ads Leave Out
Alpha lipoic acid is the first ingredient in the Slim Metrix 276 mg blend, which likely makes it the largest share, but no amount is published. The seller's six-ingredient list leaves it out. It may lower blood sugar and add to diabetes medicines, and this site cites no evidence that it helps with weight.
Written by the Slim Metrix editorial teamUpdated
Label facts
How much alpha-lipoic acid is in Slim Metrix?
The label does not say. Alpha lipoic acid opens the 276 mg proprietary blend, and the blend shows only its total weight (Slim Metrix label graphic).
Because it is listed first, and blend ingredients run from most to least by weight (FDA: labeling guide (proprietary blends)), alpha lipoic acid is probably the biggest single share. It still weighs less than 276 mg, since seven other ingredients sit in the same blend. An equal split would give about 34.5 mg each; the real split is not published.
| Name on the label | Alpha lipoic acid |
|---|---|
| What it is | Fatty-acid antioxidant |
| Form | Antioxidant compound |
| Amount per capsule | Part of the 276 mg blend (not disclosed) |
| What research used | No weight-loss dose cited on this site |
| Strength of evidence | Not reviewed for weight here |
| Why it is sold | Sold for blood sugar metabolism |
| Main caution | May lower blood sugar and add to diabetes medicines; may counteract chemotherapy or radiation. |
Read the panel
Why is alpha lipoic acid listed first on the Slim Metrix label?
Because the law asks blends to list their ingredients from heaviest to lightest. First place means it weighs at least as much as any other blend ingredient.
The order is the only clue the label gives about the split. It tells you which ingredient is heaviest, not by how much. Here is the full order, as printed:
| Order | Ingredient | On the seller's short list? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alpha lipoic acid | No |
| 2 | Green tea leaf extract | Yes |
| 3 | Milk thistle seed extract | Yes |
| 4 | Berberine HCl | Yes |
| 5 | Resveratrol | Yes |
| 6 | Cayenne fruit | No |
| 7 | Korean ginseng aerial extract | No |
| 8 | Banaba leaf extract | No |
The ad vs the label
Why is alpha-lipoic acid missing from the Slim Metrix ads?
We do not know why. The seller's list names six ingredients, and the brand's graphics say "and more", but the label lists alpha lipoic acid first in the blend.
The short list covers chromium, zinc, green tea, berberine, resveratrol and milk thistle. The label adds four more: alpha lipoic acid, cayenne, Korean ginseng and banaba (Slim Metrix label graphic). That gap matters most for people on diabetes medicine, because alpha-lipoic acid is one of the ingredients that may lower blood sugar. See the whole list on our ingredients page.
The research
Does alpha-lipoic acid help with weight loss?
This site does not cite any weight-loss evidence for it, so we make no weight claim. Alpha-lipoic acid is usually sold for blood sugar metabolism, not as a weight aid.
Its main source here, Memorial Sloan Kettering's herb guide, focuses on blood sugar effects and safety (MSK About Herbs: alpha-lipoic acid). That is where this page focuses too. For weight, the options with real evidence are a reduced-calorie eating plan, more activity and support, aiming for 5 to 10% of your starting weight in 6 months (NIDDK: choosing a safe weight-loss program).
Safety first
Can alpha-lipoic acid cause low blood sugar?
It can. Alpha-lipoic acid may lower blood sugar, can add to the effect of diabetes medicines, and lists low blood sugar among its side effects (MSK About Herbs: alpha-lipoic acid).
Slim Metrix stacks it with chromium, which may add to insulin or metformin (NIH ODS: chromium fact sheet), and Korean ginseng, which might lower blood sugar (NCCIH: Asian ginseng). Nobody knows the combined size of the effect, because the blend amounts are not published.
| What counts as low | Below 70 mg/dL for many people with diabetes |
|---|---|
| Common signs | Shakiness, hunger, dizziness, confusion, a racing heartbeat, blurred vision |
| Higher risk with | Insulin and sulfonylurea pills |
Source: NIDDK (NIDDK: low blood glucose).
If you take insulin, metformin or a sulfonylurea, ask your doctor whether Slim Metrix is a good idea at all, and if so, how often to check your glucose in the first weeks. Never adjust a diabetes medicine on your own.
Who should ask first
Who should avoid alpha-lipoic acid?
People in cancer treatment and people on diabetes medicine should talk to their doctor before taking it. It has also been linked to an insulin problem in people with a genetic tendency to it.
- Chemotherapy or radiation: alpha-lipoic acid may counteract these treatments (MSK About Herbs: alpha-lipoic acid). Ask your cancer care team before any supplement.
- Insulin autoimmune syndrome: it has been linked to this condition in genetically predisposed people (MSK About Herbs: alpha-lipoic acid).
- Stomach upset: nausea and vomiting are listed side effects (MSK About Herbs: alpha-lipoic acid).
Supplements can interact with medicines, so list Slim Metrix on every medication form (NCCIH: using dietary supplements wisely). Read who Slim Metrix is for for the full picture.
Quick check
Does Slim Metrix fit your health situation?
That depends on your medicines and history. Seven questions sort it out; question three, on diabetes medicines, is where alpha-lipoic acid matters.
A checklist, not medical advice. On a GLP-1 drug? Read our article on GLP-1 drugs and supplements.
The rest of the formula
What comes after alpha-lipoic acid in the Slim Metrix blend?
Seven more blend ingredients and two minerals. Pick a page.
FAQ
Alpha-lipoic acid in Slim Metrix: common questions
Does alpha-lipoic acid help you lose weight?
This site cites no evidence that it does, so we make no weight claim for it. It is usually sold for blood sugar metabolism. The approaches with strong evidence for weight are a reduced-calorie eating plan, more activity and support (NIDDK: choosing a safe weight-loss program), with medicine when a doctor prescribes it.
Can I take Slim Metrix during chemotherapy?
Ask your cancer care team first, before the first capsule. Memorial Sloan Kettering says alpha-lipoic acid may counteract chemotherapy or radiation (MSK About Herbs: alpha-lipoic acid), and it is the first ingredient in the Slim Metrix blend. Bring the full label to your next visit so the team can see all ten ingredients.
What are the side effects of alpha-lipoic acid?
Nausea, vomiting and low blood sugar are the side effects Memorial Sloan Kettering lists (MSK About Herbs: alpha-lipoic acid). It has also been linked to insulin autoimmune syndrome in genetically predisposed people. The amount in Slim Metrix is not published, so how likely these are at one capsule a day is unknown.
Does alpha-lipoic acid interact with metformin or insulin?
It may add to their effect. Alpha-lipoic acid can add to the glucose-lowering effect of diabetes medicines (MSK About Herbs: alpha-lipoic acid), and the chromium in Slim Metrix may do the same with insulin or metformin (NIH ODS: chromium fact sheet). Ask your doctor before starting, and keep taking your prescribed medicine as directed.
Why does Slim Metrix list alpha lipoic acid first?
Proprietary blends must list ingredients in descending order by weight (FDA: labeling guide (proprietary blends)). So alpha lipoic acid is likely the largest share of the 276 mg blend. The label still gives no milligram figure, so its exact amount, and its share compared with green tea extract, are unknown.
Should I check my blood sugar more often on Slim Metrix?
If you take diabetes medicine, ask your doctor. Alpha-lipoic acid, chromium and Korean ginseng may each lower blood sugar or add to medicines that do (MSK About Herbs: alpha-lipoic acid) (NIH ODS: chromium fact sheet) (NCCIH: Asian ginseng). Your doctor can tell you how often to test and what reading should prompt a call.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Plain-language pages built from the brand's label graphic, the sales page and linked medical sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a U.S. stocking partner for Slim Metrix, not by the manufacturer. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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