ALPHA LIPOIC ACID

Your Pet's Spine and Brain Are Under Attack.  Alpha Lipoic Acid is Their Defense.

Willy had cervical disc disease and couldn't move his front legs.  After one week on our ALA, he started to move one. 

Jacqueline had watched her senior dog go from healthy to paralyzed. She had found Dr. Kevin, started the r-ALA, and then — a week later — something moved that hadn't moved before.

That is not a story she expected to be telling.

Kristi's 12-year-old Alaskan Malamute had early signs of GOLLP — a progressive degenerative neurological disease. After a week of r-ALA, he was navigating the stairs to join her husband in his home office. Less stumbling on walks. Fewer pauses mid-step. Paws scuffing less on pavement.

These are not anecdotes about a supplement that 'might help.' These are owners reporting observable neurological change — in dogs whose conditions are considered progressive and difficult to treat — after starting the one form of alpha lipoic acid that actually reaches the central nervous system in therapeutic concentrations.

 

Why Almost Every ALA Supplement is The Wrong One.

Alpha lipoic acid exists in two mirror-image molecular forms: R-ALA and S-ALA. They share a name. They do not share a mechanism.

R-ALA is the form found naturally in living cells — the form the body recognizes, absorbs efficiently, and converts into the antioxidant and neuroprotective molecules the brain and spinal cord depend on. It is the form used in every clinical study that demonstrated neuroprotection, glutathione elevation, and spinal nerve support.

S-ALA — or the R/S racemic mixture sold in most supplements — is a synthetic byproduct. It absorbs poorly. It competes with R-ALA at the cellular uptake level, reducing the effectiveness of the R form. And it has been shown to produce none of the clinical benefits that make ALA worth giving at all.

HPLL's Alpha Lipoic Acid contains only R-ALA — the bioactive form, at 80 mg per capsule, dosed to the research-validated 5 mg/kg/day that produces the neuroprotective and antioxidant outcomes the studies measured. This is not a small distinction. For a dog with spinal disease, IVDD, degenerative myelopathy, or cognitive decline, it is the difference between a supplement that works and one that doesn't.

 

What r-ALA Does In The Spine and Brain.  Specifically.

R-ALA's primary value in veterinary medicine is neuroprotection — specifically the protection and partial restoration of nerve function in spinal cord injury, degenerative disc disease, and age-related cognitive decline. Here is how it works:

 

Four Mechanisms That Drive the Results: •     GLUTATHIONE ELEVATION — R-ALA is the most effective known natural agent for raising intracellular glutathione levels. Glutathione is the body's master antioxidant — the compound neurons and spinal cord cells depend on to neutralize oxidative damage. When oxidative stress accumulates in the CNS (as it does in every spinal cord injury, every disc herniation, every neurodegenerative process), glutathione depletion accelerates cell death. R-ALA restores the supply. •     DIRECT NEUROPROTECTION IN SPINAL DISEASE — Published research demonstrates R-ALA's specific neuroprotective effects in spinal cord injury and intervertebral disc disease — including reduction in secondary injury progression, preservation of surviving nerve fibers, and support for functional recovery. This is the mechanism Willy and Jacqueline experienced: not reversal of the structural damage, but protection and partial restoration of the surviving neural tissue. •     COGNITIVE SUPPORT AND CANINE COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION — R-ALA crosses the blood-brain barrier more efficiently than virtually any other antioxidant supplement. In the brain, it reduces oxidative damage to neurons, protects mitochondrial function, and supports the neurotransmitter metabolism that underlies cognitive clarity. Published research shows benefit for canine cognitive dysfunction — the disorientation, disrupted sleep cycles, and behavioral changes that mark CCD in senior dogs. •     METABOLIC AND BLOOD SUGAR SUPPORT — R-ALA improves insulin sensitivity and supports healthy glucose metabolism at the cellular level. For senior dogs managing metabolic changes alongside neurological conditions — or for dogs on acarbose — r-ALA's complementary metabolic effects support a more stable internal environment for nerve cell function.

 

Is r-ALA Right For Your Pet?  It is, if They...

•     Have intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) at any stage — cervical, thoracic, or lumbar; r-ALA protects surviving neural tissue and supports recovery alongside conventional treatment

•     Have degenerative myelopathy (DM) — a progressive spinal cord condition common in German Shepherds, Pembroke Welsh Corgis, and Boxers; r-ALA slows the oxidative damage driving progression

•     Have GOLLP (Geriatric Onset Laryngeal Paralysis Polyneuropathy) or other polyneuropathies — r-ALA supports nerve cell integrity throughout the peripheral and central nervous systems

•     Show signs of canine cognitive dysfunction: disorientation, disrupted sleep cycles, reduced interaction with family, behavioral changes without obvious cause; r-ALA crosses the blood-brain barrier and reduces the neuronal oxidative damage driving cognitive decline

•     Are recovering from spinal surgery — r-ALA's neuroprotective effects support recovery by protecting the surviving neural tissue from secondary oxidative injury

•     Are senior dogs with metabolic concerns — r-ALA's insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism support complements acarbose and provides a more stable cellular environment for nerve function

 

CRITICAL — DO NOT USE ALA IN CATS: •     Alpha lipoic acid is TOXIC TO CATS — this applies to R-ALA, S-ALA, and all forms of alpha lipoic acid •     Cats lack the liver enzymes required to metabolize ALA; even small doses can cause severe liver failure and death •     This product is for DOGS ONLY — never give to cats under any circumstances •     If your cat has ingested ALA, contact your veterinarian immediately

 

Why Dr. Kevin Chose the R Form... And Why He Charges A Litte More For it.

Most supplement companies use the racemic R/S mix because it is cheaper to manufacture. The S form is a synthetic artifact of the production process — it is not found in nature, it does not produce the therapeutic effects, and it actively competes with the R form at cellular uptake.

Choosing to use only R-ALA costs more. Dr. Kevin made that choice because the alternative — giving a pet with IVDD or degenerative myelopathy a supplement that doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier at therapeutic levels — is not really giving them anything at all.

 

What Pet Parents Say About our Alpha Lipoic Acid

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"My cervical IVDD pup had front leg paralysis. After just one week of Alpha Lipoic Acid, my sweet senior Willy started to move one of his front paws. I was absolutely elated — a huge sign that he will recover. I look forward to reporting a full recovery in the coming months."

— Jacqueline G. — Willy's Mom, Cervical IVDD

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"My 12.5-year-old Malamute had early signs of GOLLP. After 1 week of a capsule a day I see him navigating the stairs much better — more steady, little to no pauses ascending. Scuffing his back paws less on walks, definitely less stumbling. No side effects seen, only positives."

— Kristi G. — Senior Malamute, Early GOLLP

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"I love all the products and the service is always wonderful and prompt."

— Janice R.

Dosing of our r-ALA For Your Pet

The correct dose of ALA for pets is 5 mg per kg body weight per day.  

Our capsules contain 80 mg of r-ALA.  Dosing is as follows: 

• One capsule per day with food for dogs 30-60 lb
• One capsule twice daily with food for dogs over 60 lbs   

Build Your Pet's Complete Neurologic Protocol

PAIR WITH r-ALA →	WHY IT MATTERS
Rapamycin for Dogs	mTOR inhibition (rapamycin) + oxidative neuroprotection (r-ALA) = two pathways addressing the same outcome: preserved neurological function as the body ages. Dr. Kevin uses both in spinal disease and cognitive decline protocols.
Fisetin Vet	Fisetin clears senescent cells from the brain and spinal environment; r-ALA protects surviving neurons from the oxidative damage within it. Sequential cellular protection — upstream environmental clearance, downstream neuron defense.
NMN for Pets	NAD+ restoration (NMN) + glutathione elevation (r-ALA) = two complementary antioxidant and energy-restoration pathways. Both support mitochondrial function in neurons. The combination is additive for pets with cognitive decline.
Longevity Strategy Session	Neurological conditions — IVDD, DM, GOLLP, CCD — are complex and benefit from a personalized protocol. Dr. Kevin will evaluate your pet's specific diagnosis, map the right combination of r-ALA, Fisetin, NMN, and Rx longevity drugs, and build a monitoring plan for progression.

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Alpha Lipoic Acid -- Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between R-ALA and regular alpha lipoic acid?

Alpha lipoic acid exists in two molecular forms: R-ALA (naturally occurring, bioactive) and S-ALA (synthetic, produced as a manufacturing byproduct). Most ALA supplements contain a 50/50 racemic mix of both. S-ALA does not produce the neuroprotective or antioxidant effects demonstrated in clinical research, and it competes with R-ALA at cellular uptake sites — reducing the effectiveness of the R form. Published research confirms R-ALA is the significantly more effective enantiomer. HPLL's formula contains only R-ALA.

Can r-ALA help a dog who is already paralyzed?

R-ALA's mechanism is neuroprotective — it reduces secondary oxidative injury to surviving neural tissue and supports the functional recovery of nerve fibers that were injured but not permanently destroyed. It does not regenerate destroyed tissue. Willy's experience — moving a front paw after one week — reflects the protection and partial recovery of surviving neural tissue, not reconstruction of permanently damaged cord. Combined with conventional treatment and time, r-ALA supports the best possible recovery trajectory. Contact Dr. Kevin for guidance specific to your pet's diagnosis.

How does r-ALA work alongside rapamycin for neurological conditions?

Rapamycin addresses neurodegeneration through mTOR pathway inhibition — reducing the cellular signaling that accelerates aging and neuron loss. R-ALA addresses the oxidative damage mechanism — protecting surviving neurons from the oxidative stress that compounds neurological injury. The two mechanisms are complementary: rapamycin reduces the structural driver of neurodegeneration; r-ALA protects the neurons that remain from the oxidative environment that accelerates their loss. Dr. Kevin includes both in protocols for IVDD, DM, and cognitive dysfunction.

How does r-ALA help with canine cognitive dysfunction?

Canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) is driven in part by oxidative damage to neurons — the same mechanism that makes r-ALA effective for spinal disease. R-ALA crosses the blood-brain barrier more efficiently than most antioxidants, reaches neurons directly, elevates glutathione, and reduces the mitochondrial dysfunction that underlies cognitive decline. The disorientation, disrupted sleep, and behavioral changes of CCD improve as the oxidative burden on surviving neurons is reduced. Published research specifically supports r-ALA for canine cognitive dysfunction.

Can r-ALA and Fisetin Vet be used together for cognitive decline?

Yes — they address cognitive aging through different mechanisms and are fully compatible. Fisetin clears the senescent cells creating a pro-inflammatory environment in the brain. R-ALA directly protects surviving neurons from oxidative damage within that environment. The combination is more comprehensive than either alone for pets with canine cognitive disease.  Dr. Kevin uses both in comprehensive cognitive support protocols.

 

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Willy Moved An Immobile Paw.  A Malamute Climbed The Stairs That Had Stopped Him.

These are not miracles. They are what happens when the right form of the right compound reaches the right cells at the right dose. When oxidative damage is being addressed — not masked, not slowed marginally, but directly addressed at the cellular level — function returns.

The dogs who had the best outcomes were the ones whose owners found Dr. Kevin and found r-ALA before the window for recovery closed. The spinal cord is not infinitely forgiving. But it is more forgiving than most owners are told, when given the right support.

Start today. Report back.