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Mitochondrial

Acetyl-L-Carnitine · Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR)

Carnitine crossing into the brain; neurological support.

C
Bevisning grade
Mixed / small human trials

Short answer

Acetyl-L-Carnitine (Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR)) is a mitochondrial with evidence grade C, meaning it is backed by mixed or small human trials. We track 0 produkter containing Acetyl-L-Carnitine. The top-ranked product scores 0 out of 10 on our composite scale (dose, evidence, price, testing, transparency). Prices range up to $0.00 per månad.

Bevisning grade: C Produkter in database: 0 Kategori: Mitochondrial

What it is

A form of carnitine that crosses into the brain, unlike regular carnitine.

Why people take it

Small trials show benefits in diabetic neuropathy, age-associated depression, and cognitive function in older adults.

Our verdict

Reasonable choice for brain-focused stacks, especially with alpha-lipoic acid.

Structure & class

Acetylated L-carnitine, crosses BBB.

Mechanism & clinical data

Multiple trials in age-associated cognitive decline; effect sizes modest.

Pharmacokinetics

~4 hours.

Dose & forms

Trial dose
1500 mg
/ day
Range in trials
500 to 3000 mg
/ day
Common forms
Capsule, Combined with ALA

What to watch out for

Can be stimulating; take earlier in day.

Säkerhet limits and interactions

When a product exceeds the UL or contains an ingredient with clinically significant interactions, a "Review advised" flag appears on its product page and links here.

Known drug interactions
Pivalate-conjugated antibiotics (e.g., pivampicillin) can cause carnitine depletion; anticonvulsants (valproic acid, phenobarbital, phenytoin, carbamazepine) reduce blood carnitine levels.
Säkerhet note
NIH ODS explicitly states carnitine does not have an established UL. Doses around 3 g/day can cause GI effects and fishy body odor. Gut microbiota metabolize L-carnitine into TMAO (trimethylamine-N-oxide), which is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk and all-cause mortality, more pronounced in meat-eaters than vegans/vegetarians.

Source: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Carnitine-HealthProfessional/

Where this dose comes from

The trial dose above is our editorial pick from the published human trials for this ingredient. We choose the dose that the best-available studies used on the endpoint most relevant to longevity. The range shows the lowest and highest doses tested in published trials. The landmark studies below are the papers we read to set it. You can click through and check our work.

When new trials publish, our automated sweeps flag them. If a new study materially changes the dose, we update it through editorial review and record the old dose, new dose, and the triggering study in every affected product's recommendation history. The dose is never changed automatically.

Regelverk status

EUFood supplement
USDietary supplement
UKFood supplement
CANHP

Timeline

Regelverk events, evidence grade changes, and key research milestones for Acetyl-L-Carnitine, most recent first. Every entry links to its primär source.

  • 2025-04 Regelverk single source
    EU Court sharpens the bar for botanical health claims
    A Court of Justice of the European Union ruling in april 2025 further tightened the requirements for how botanical ingredients (herbs, plant extracts) can be marketed with health claims in the EU, effectively removing much of the flexibility of the on-hold list.
  • 2024-06 Regelverk confirmed
    EU report identifies 117 supplement substances as potential health risks
    The HoA Working Group on Food Supplements (26 European countries) published its first report evaluating 117 substances used in food supplements. Of these, 65 were assessed as likely novel foods, 6 were already regulated, 34 had insufficient data, and 12 were prioritized for Article 8 restriction under Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006. The 12 priority substances include ashwagandha, curcumin, melatonin, piperine, St. John's wort, coumarin, p-synephrine, maca, holy basil, Melaleuca, black cohosh, and L-tryptophan. The report drew on 1,500 RASFF alerts reviewed between 2017 and mid-2022.
  • 2021-01 Regelverk confirmed
    EU refuses to authorise health claim for L-carnitine and lipid metabolism
    Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/77 refused to authorise the health claim "L-carnitine contributes to normal lipid metabolism." EFSA concluded in januari 2018 that a cause and effect relationship had not been established between L-carnitine consumption and normal lipid metabolism. All previously submitted L-carnitine health claims (energy production, fat burning, muscle recovery) were also rejected.
  • 2006-12 Regelverk confirmed
    EU Health Claims Regulation adopted
    Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 laid down harmonised rules for nutrition and health claims made on foods, including supplements. Only claims listed in the EU Register of authorised claims can be used. Rejected botanical claims are held in a separate on-hold list.
  • 1997 Regelverk confirmed
    EU introduces the Novel Food Regulation
    Regulation (EC) No 258/97 required any food or food ingredient without a history of consumption in the EU before 15 maj 1997 to be authorised before being placed on the market. This is the framework that captures NMN, spermidine as a supplement ingredient, urolithin A, and many other longevity actives.

Landmark studies

    Found in these produkter

    Alla produkter in our catalog that contain Acetyl-L-Carnitine, ranked by our overall score. Ranking is editorial, never paid.

    No produkter in our catalog contain this yet.

    Redaktionellt guides

    Buying guides and comparisons

    Neighbouring molecules

    Related ingredients

    Se alla in Mitochondrial →

    Molekyler in the same class, plus the actives most often formulated alongside Acetyl-L-Carnitine in our catalogue.

    Urolitin AAsame categoryCoQ10Bsame categoryPQQCsame categoryUbiquinolBsame categoryD-RiboseDsame category

    Frequently asked questions

    What is Acetyl-L-Carnitine?

    A form of carnitine that crosses into the brain, unlike regular carnitine.

    What dose of Acetyl-L-Carnitine should I take?

    The trial dose in published human studies is 1500 mg per dag, with a range of 500 to 3000 mg per dag. Always consult a qualified clinician before starting any supplement.

    Is Acetyl-L-Carnitine safe?

    Can be stimulating; take earlier in day.

    What is the best Acetyl-L-Carnitine supplement?

    We track 0 produkter containing Acetyl-L-Carnitine. The top-ranked product scores 0 out of 10 on our composite scale, which evaluates dose, evidence, price, third-party testing, and transparency. See the comparison table above. Scores are editorial judgments, not a scientific standard.

    What is the evidence grade for Acetyl-L-Carnitine?

    Acetyl-L-Carnitine has evidence grade C, meaning it is backed by mixed or small human trials. Grade A means replicated human RCTs with hard endpoints. Grade B means human RCTs with biomarker outcomes. Grade C means mixed or small human trials. See our evidence grading methodology.

    Independently checked

    Data verification

    Bevisning grade
    C
    Mixed / small human trials
    Research dose
    1500 mg
    Verified n/a
    Produkter tracked
    0
    Uppdaterad continuously
    Säkerhet signal
    Can be stimulating; take earlier in day.
    Verified n/a

    Bevisning grades are reviewed when new human RCTs are published. Product counts update automatically as new produkter are added. Dose ranges reflect published trial data, not brand recommendations. Read how we verify.