Omnivits Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is an eight-carbon disulfide water- and fat-soluble compound that is synthesized in smallquantities in the liver and other tissues. Oral supplementation readily crosses the blood brain barrier after it isabsorbed in the small intestine, goes into the portal vein, and is distributed via systemic circulation. Once inthe tissues, ALA can be found inside and outside the cells including inside the mitochondria where it functionsnaturally as a coenzyme for the oxidation of pyruvate, alpha ketoglutarate, and branched-chain amino acids.*