Cinderella Injection

• You want to confirm what the Cinderella injection really contains
• You take blood-sugar medication and want to know whether it is safe for you
• Your face has flushed or you have felt short of breath during an injection before

If weight management is your goal, we discuss evidence-based approaches such as diet, activity and medication rather than this injection.

• 01

  Where you are now, and where we start

  Thioctic acid’s approved indications, infusion speed and blood-sugar precautions

• 02

  The change you want, the impression you keep

  We first ask whether you use insulin or other glucose-lowering medicines for diabetes. The product information lists rare hypoglycemia.

• 03

  How it differs from similar options

  Weight loss and fatigue relief are not approved indications. Tell us exactly what you hope for, and we will explain whether there is evidence for it.

• 04

  Health information and recovery schedule

  The ingredient is sensitive to light, so the product information says the diluted infusion must be shielded from light.

Thioctic acid 600mg injection is approved for “relief of diabetic polyneuropathy”.

In the MFDS drug database (nedrug), thioctic acid 600mg (trometamol salt) injection is approved for “relief of diabetic polyneuropathy”. Low-concentration (5mg/mL) thioctic acid injections are approved for uses such as “supplementation when the need for thioctic acid increases (during strenuous physical labor)”, with a note that they should not be continued if there is no effect after about a month. There are no cosmetic or weight-related indications.

How it works

• 01

  Ingredient

  The active ingredient is thioctic acid (alpha-lipoic acid). Unlike supplements of the same name, the injection is a prescription-only medicine.

• 02

  Approved use by formulation

  The 600mg trometamol salt product is approved for relief of diabetic polyneuropathy; the 5mg/mL product has different approvals, such as supplementation when the need increases and some types of hearing loss.

• 03

  Infusion speed

  The 600mg product is diluted in 100–250mL of normal saline and given over at least 12 minutes, at no more than 50mg of thioctic acid per minute.

• 04

  Protection from light

  Because the ingredient is unstable in light, ampoules are taken out just before use and the diluted infusion is covered with aluminum foil or similar.

1. 01

   Blood-sugar check

   We check for diabetes, use of insulin or glucose-lowering medicines, and when you last ate.

2. 02

   Expectations vs approved use

   We set what you hope for side by side with thioctic acid’s approved indications.

3. 03

   Infusion at the set speed

   We stay within the approved infusion speed and watch for headache, dizziness or sweating during the infusion.

What the procedure is like

• If you feel dizzy after the infusion, stay seated for a while rather than standing up straight away.
• If you take diabetes medication, don’t skip meals after you get home.
• Bruising at the needle site usually fades within a few days.

Safety & considerations

The Cinderella injection is not a medicine approved for weight loss or fatigue relief. If you are being treated for diabetes, you must tell us beforehand. Individual responses vary.

1. During infusion

   Reactions to fast infusion

   The product information says a rush of blood to the head and breathing difficulty can often occur after rapid infusion and fade with time. Tell us straight away if you feel unwell.

2. Right after

   Signs of low blood sugar

   Very rarely, blood sugar may drop, causing dizziness, sweating, headache or visual disturbance.

3. After you get home

   Hypersensitivity

   If you develop a skin rash, hives or itching, let us know before your next session.

All based on Korean-approved products with the same ingredient. None of the three is approved for weight loss or fatigue relief.

• Q. What’s in the Cinderella injection?

  Thioctic acid, commonly known as alpha-lipoic acid. When the MFDS revised its safe-use manual for these medicines in 2018, it named it “thioctic acid injection (a.k.a. Cinderella injection)”. Unlike dietary supplements with the same name, the injection is a prescription-only medicine.

• Q. Will the Cinderella injection help me lose weight?

  Weight loss is not an approved indication in Korea. The 600mg product is approved for relief of diabetic polyneuropathy. If weight is your concern, we can discuss other evidence-based options with you.

• Q. Can I have the Cinderella injection if I take diabetes medication?

  You must tell us before you have it. The product information says that because glucose utilization improves, blood sugar can very rarely fall, and when it overlaps with insulin or glucose-lowering medicines the risk of hypoglycemia needs to be assessed separately. After the infusion, dizziness, sweating, headache or vision problems can be signs of low blood sugar, so tell us straight away. Don’t skip meals after you get home, either.

• Q. Why is the Cinderella injection given so slowly?

  That is the approved method. The 600mg product is given over at least 12 minutes at no more than 50mg per minute. The label notes that giving it faster can cause a rush of blood to the head or breathing difficulty.

• Q. Why is the IV bag wrapped in foil?

  Because thioctic acid is unstable in light. The product information says the diluted infusion should be shielded from light with aluminum foil or similar, and that the shielded solution stays stable for about 6 hours. For the same reason, the ampoule is taken out only just before use.