DESC: R-Lipoic Acid is a natural form of lipoic acid that your body can synthesize and safely metabolize. It may be better absorbed and more effective as an antioxidant than alpha-lipoic acid. R-lipoic acid by itself may be 10 times more effective than other forms of lipoic acid. It has been called the mitochondrial antioxidant because it is a key component of mitochondrial dehydrogenase complexes, which may help slow the natural aging process in animals. R-lipoic acid may be more effective than other forms of lipoic acid in increasing or maintaining levels of other antioxidants that may decline with age, including CoQ10, vitamins C and E, and glutathione, according to animal research.