NutriStack
Alpha-Lipoic Acid and Creatine, a synergy.
Alpha-lipoic acid increases skeletal muscle uptake and storage of creatine, raising total creatine and phosphocreatine content above what creatine achieves on its own.
One pair, every claim cited. The two substances, the type, the mechanism, the recommendation, and the primary literature.
Same shape as the other 1,729 pairs in the public database.
From the interaction database
What the row says.
Every entry follows the same shape: what is happening, the mechanism, the recommendation, and the primary literature.
At a glance
- Substances
- Alpha-Lipoic Acid and Creatine
- Pair type
- Synergy
- Evidence (highest tier)
- Emerging
- Source citations
- 1 source
- Stack Score effect
- +2 to your Stack Score (per scored synergy row).
- Scope
- Supplement × Supplement
- Last verified
- May 30, 2026
Synergy · Emerging evidence
Synergy
What is happening. Alpha-lipoic acid increases skeletal muscle uptake and storage of creatine, raising total creatine and phosphocreatine content above what creatine achieves on its own.
Mechanism. Muscle creatine uptake via the SLC6A8 (CRT) transporter is sensitive to insulin signaling. Alpha-lipoic acid acts as an insulin mimetic that enhances glucose and creatine disposal into muscle, increasing intramuscular total creatine and phosphocreatine accumulation during loading.
Recommendation. Take together if the goal is muscle creatine loading. Pairing roughly 1000 mg alpha-lipoic acid with a standard creatine dose, ideally alongside a carbohydrate, can improve loading. Both are taken daily and timing relative to each other is not critical.
Sources (1)
- Burke DG, Chilibeck PD, Parise G, Tarnopolsky MA, Candow DG. Effect of alpha-lipoic acid combined with creatine monohydrate on human skeletal muscle creatine and phosphagen concentration. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 2003
Stack Score
How this pair moves the number.
Effect on the composite score
If both Alpha-Lipoic Acid and Creatine are in the same stack, this pair applies +2 to your Stack Score (per scored synergy row).
The full algorithm, the clamping rules, and four worked stacks are documented at /methodology/stack-score.
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