Alpha lipoic acid is a naturally occurring fatty acid that can be found in many foods such as yeast spinach broccoli potatoes and organ meats such as liver or kidney Alpha lipoic acid has been used as a nutritional supplement and antioxidant Not all uses for alpha lipoic acid have been approved by the FDA Alpha lipoic acid should not be substituted for medications prescribed for you by your doctor Alpha lipoic acid is often sold as an herbal supplement There are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for many herbal compounds and some marketed supplements have been found to be contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs Herbal health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination Alpha lipoic acid may also be used for purposes not listed in this product guide