The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Fatigue, Low Energy
Posted by Jane (Texas, U.S.A) on 09/21/2008
★★★★★
I just wanted to let you know that I after suffering from serious adrenal burnout and chronic fatigue and now found more energy by taking L-carnitine. I couldn't even get off the couch before and now I have 80% percent more energy. I also eventually added in q10 and that together with magnesium put me back to being the energizer bunny. I have read several times that people with CFS also have depleted L-carnitine. Hope this can help someone suffering from this horrible fatigue.
General Feedback
Posted by Luis (Cali, Colombia) on 07/11/2009
Dear Len:
Briefly, L-Carnitine is for heart, Acethyl-L-Carnitine is for brain.
To your best days.
Luis
Fatigue, Low Energy
Posted by Shawn (Los Angeles, CA) on 10/12/2008
To Tina: Be careful you are not depleting your iron. Light colored stools are an indication of low iron.. A good way to bring that up is, a table spoon of molassas, or Colostrum.
Fatigue, Low Energy
Posted by Tina (Dartmouth, NH) on 10/08/2008
★★★★★
Dear Jane, wow! Thank you so much for suggesting L Carnitine. I immediately ordered some liquid, pharmaceutical grade after reading your post. (Is liquid better than powder?) You are absolutely right, it is the energizer bunny remedy, holy moly! I usually get super fatigued in the afternoon, but a tablespoon of L-C on an empty stomach 3x a day has stopped my desperate desire to take a long nap. Are there any side effects to taking this for long term? I have noticed (sorry to sound gross) that it turns my stools orange though! I don't eat red meat, so this amino might be fixing that...
General Feedback
Posted by Lindseynarrates (Atlanta, Georgia, Usa) on 03/04/2014
★★★★★
It is because of two reasons: Firstly, as with basically ALL free-form amino-acids, you are taking it for a specific reason, and need it more than the other amino-acids, and if you eat something that contains a large amount of OTHER amino-acids, it will absolutely compete for absorption. Secondly, as with basically all vitamin, mineral, herb, and amino-acid supplements, absorption is significantly enhanced when taken WITHOUT food, with several exceptions of course, but we are talking about acetyl l-carnitine.
HOWEVER...and this is VERY important: It is very advisable to eat SOMETHING that contains a decent amount of carbohydrates, especially glucose, because acetyl l-carnitine, especially when coupled with ALA--alpha lipoic acid--drastically and rapidly lower blood-sugar, and I actually had a very severe hypoglycemic-attack about six days ago because I took a "rather" large dose of ALA and acetyl l-carnitine on a fully empty stomach, and had not eaten for about 10 hours, or so.
Lindsey
Mental Clarity
Posted by Goldtopsam (Arlington, Texas) on 10/13/2011
Acetyl L-Carnitine(ALCAR) is an acetylated form of L-Carnitine. It terms of of bioavailability it is superior to L-Carnitine, however a portion of L-carnitine is converted to ALCAR after ingestion. Glucose metabolism increases with administration of L-Carnitine or ALCAR. ALCAR has the ability to cross the blood brain barrier and act as a powerful antioxidant and has neuroprotective properties and has shown some effects on mental clarity, peripheral nerve injury, heart benefits and energy levels. L-Carnitine is showing very good results with fatty liver disease and NASH(non alcoholic steatohepatitis). In a 24 week study 97% percent 74 patients with NASH responded with lowered liver enzymes, reduced c reactive protein, increased glucose and fat metabolism and lowered LDL and raised HDL when administered 1g 2/day with a 1600 calorie diet and full stretching regimen 3 times per week. The L-carnitine was well tolerated in all subjects, with no side effects. L-carnatine is safe, has virtually no side effects if taken within safe limits. It has also been known to reduce cravings for non complex carbohydrates like alcohol, sugar, breads, and the like.
Dreaming
Posted by Matt (Millbrook, Ny) on 07/28/2012
★★★★★
Both L-Carnitine and Acetyl-L-Carnitine definitely improve my ability to have vivid dreams, as well as to recall them. It works even if I take say 500 mg up to 15 hours before falling sleep. Not only that, but now when I wake up, I can go back to sleep and choose to continue the same dream I had woken up from, with the option of more consciously deciding what I'll do in the dream while I'm awake! I find it pretty incredible. I remember reading somewhere years ago that when you wake up and then fall back asleep, you're 48 times more likely to have a lucid dream........ Anyway, a definite YEA for Carnitine and Dreaming.
Fibromyalgia
Posted by Wendy (Plover, WI U.S.A) on 10/29/2007
★★★★☆
Celiac causes many health issues. Diabetes, fibromyalgia,blemishes, yeast, MS,attention deficient, lupus, cancer, eczema, psoriasis,low thyroid,arthritis,acid reflux and many more. Good Book- Dangerous Grains by Braly Diet- eating no dairy or grains, Vit B12 methycobalamin shot, Vit D3, HCl and enzymes with meals, dairy free acidophlus when stomach acid is low helps. I also did LDN. I don't like drugs but LDN helps since there is so much hidden dairy and gluten it is hard to avoid it. I take 41 vitamins since my intestines are not absorbing as much as they should right now.People do not see my MS. I take things to counteract it like coenzyme Q10, rhodiola,biotin, carnitine, acetyl carnitine which helps the mitochondria work better which also helps fibromyalagia people too. I take the good oils:fish oil, evening primrose oil, Krill oil,lecithin, phoshpadityl serine/DMAE.
Dreaming
Posted by Test (Toronto, Canada) on 06/04/2012
THC will interrupt your dream recall.
Mental Clarity
Posted by Robin (Minneapolis, MN) on 06/06/2009
I tried 5htp a few times too, and I didn't feel too hot on it. Same for KavaKava and St.Johnswort. So for those having this same problem, you may want to try acetyl-l-carnitine instead. But it's not really for energy. But L-carnitine is great for the heart. It helps take the pressure off my chest. Won't entire keep things at bay (not a cureall) but helps tremendously. I can do a little more with my muscles too. The heart is a muscle. This is not a 'one thing' fixit. If you need l-carnitine, odds are you need a slew of other things too to get balanced. Deficiences this large don't happen all by their lonesome. Carnitine is also present in beef.
I have adrenal burnout, chronic fatigue, heart attack and obesity. Swelling due to tired organs doesn't help any either. Currently I am (thanks to this site!) planning to take some iodine products (along with necessary co-nutrients to avoid heart palpitations). Maybe then the swelling/circulation can be helped more. But really folks, l-carnitine has enabled me to go to work when maybe I should've been in the hospital. And I firmly believe there were days it just helped me to be alive the next morning. I take two 500mg capsules every night now. Also take vit. C (like at least 1gram/day). That is why dogs don't have arteriosclerosis -- their bodies make vit. C and ours does not. A good one is the powder in the packets that fizz in water(and not from the drugstore). Better than the sports drinks for you as it has other goodies too. Now. L-carnitine works. There is some made from N-Carnitine (not a good idea) and some that is L-carnitine from the start. Get the good one. And I have no idea how to tell them apart. That is the reason for difference in price. You ALWAYS pay for quality when it comes to supplements; but also for low quality too for brand names. So do some thinking instead of blindly trusting, ok? Take it always on empty stomach; it won't interfere with anything that I know of (I am not a dr.) because it is a protein that is in meat, but where they make it from I don't know. Acetyl-l-carnitine and l-carnitine are both good for your heart. I kept my ex-husb from dying taking a-l-c alone, so that aught to tell you how good they work. He took them when he was having a heart spell and he always said it made him feel better. Now that I am having the same problem, yep, it helps me too. BUT I found out also about l-carnitine, which is more specifically a heart helper (because the heart is a muscle).
General Feedback
Posted by Becky (La Porte, Texas) on 06/05/2013
I do not understand why L-Carnitine is recommended by some you, to take on an empty stomach. I have tried that, and it makes me very nauseated. So I am definitely eating something first. What are the benefits of taking on empty stomach?
Dreaming
Posted by Tess (Palm Beach, FL) on 11/10/2008
★★★★★
Dreaming Remedy:
I started taking L-Carnitine (among other supplements) recently and around the same time started to recollect my dreams, about 3-4 a night instead of 1 every once in a while. I didn't make the connection until I stopped the L-Carn last week and almost immediately stopped being able to recall any dreams. I started up again last night and was able to remember 3 dreams this morning. I take 1 TBL on an empty stomach 3x a day.
Dreaming
Posted by Rick (Chicago, Il) on 02/25/2010
I can't understand why everybody WANTS to recall their dreams! I know dreaming is necessary for health, but I generally find my dreams dumb, annoying, or disturbing. I'd LIKE to forget them, and wonder if anyone has any ideas on how to *discourage* dream recall and overly-vivid dreaming. Thanks.
Dreaming
Posted by Cora (Wa) on 02/21/2017
First time user here and I have noticed I have been getting bad dreams, also. I am not feeling as fatigued which is another benefit it has for someone who rarely eats red meat. Anyway, I would rather choose to not recall my dreams myself and had found that HOPS lessens vivid-dreaming. Correct me if I am wrong, but drinking a little beer at night worked. It wasn't long after that it felt like a task. There are some sleep/mood support supplements that will have hops. Avoid Valerian esp. if you don't want to remember your dreams.
Mental Clarity
Posted by Robin (Minneapolis, Minnesota) on 02/23/2011
L-carnitine is for muscles, period. In my opinion, acetyl-L-carnitine helps with the heart somehow a little, but is mainly for the brain. "Car... " always pertains to stuff connected to heart from what I can tell. Anything that helps the heart, helps your whole self cause you feel better when your heart is doing ok. But if you don't have heart problems, just go with L-carnitine; and if you do have heart problems, try the other sometime and see. Remember, empty stomach.
Dreaming
Posted by Shawn (Chicopee, Ma) on 07/11/2011
funny reply rick! I too think my dreams are dumb annoying or disturbing.
Mental Clarity
Posted by Molly (Madison, USA) on 04/11/2008
★★★★★
"One time I purchased a bottle of 5-htp, and after taking one capsule morning & evening, just twice, I threw the bottle away. My reaction to 5-htp was horrific; upon further research I learned that high levels of serotonin are associated with SEVERE ANXIETY. I also read that the spice ginger is a serotonin antagonist, so I have a bottle on hand, just in case I ever feel so anxious ever again.
Then I read somewhere online that there is a set of people whose depression responds to Acetyl L-Carnitine, they said the depression lifted in these people when using 3-4 grams a day, and to take two grams of acetylcarnitine on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning.
This amino acid is the most amazing substance; I've never been able to take more than 2 grams per day - there is such great mental clarity, there is utter inability to be depressed, but there simultaneously is no euphoria - just calm lucid clarity. I've read that it assists the brain in making many different neurotransmitters - so it is not anything, not anything at all like 5-htp which floods the brain with serotonin - which, if you don't need it, might create severe anxiety.
Mental Clarity
Posted by Jill (Avenel, New Jersey) on 02/13/2011
So which one is better to help with fatigue? L-Carnitine or Acethyl-L-Carnitine? I'm confused! Thanks!
Mental Clarity
Posted by Al (Alvena, Sk., Canada) on 10/10/2012
I use acetyl-l-carnitine because of a recommendation to supplement alpha lipoic acid with it to make the alpha lipoic acid work better. On researching the acetyl-l-carnitine I found that it improves the absorption of alpha lipoic acid and other nutrients by stimulating and healing the mitochondria(hairs) in the digestive tract. I have also noticed that it contributes to pain reduction although alpha lipoic acid is the major pain reducer for peripheral neuropathy. I also found that grape seed extract helps with pain reduction among other things. The acetyl-l-carnitine must be taken on an empty stomach while alpha lipoic acid should be taken with food.
General Feedback
Posted by Len ( Las Vegas, NV) on 07/10/2009
Can someone tell me the difference between L-carnitine and acetyl-l-carnitine? I see there's a big difference in price. When clicking on L-carnitine under the supplements section here (on EC) I see people are talking about both as if they are one in the same and I know there not. Thanks-Len
General Feedback
Posted by Jerry (Miramar Florida) on 09/16/2023 25 posts
Hi, my question is, seeing acetyl l-carnitine, works for the brain and L-carnitine for the heart. If I need help in both areas. Should I take both AL-Carn & L-Carn.? Thank you in advance.
Mental Clarity
Posted by Jack (New Haven, Ct) on 10/24/2012
In response to the comment above, when I saw the name carnitine I saw carn not car. Carn of course refers to meat (carnivorous) and red meat is the most common food source of carnitine. I think it has to be cardi to mean heart. Careful of those translations when it comes to your health.
Mental Clarity
Posted by Olddude (Tn) on 04/26/2018 21 posts
L- carnitine reviews here are way old. Any new reviews on this supplement would be helpful.
