Acetyl-L-Carnitine
Indications
Acetyl-L-Carnitine is used for:
Age-related memory loss, tiredness, testosterone deficiency.
Alcohol withdrawal, Alzheimer's disease, Depression, Hepatic encephalopathy, Male infertility, Peyronie's disease, Diabetic neuropathy
Adult Dose
Adult:
Oral:
For age-related memory loss: 1500-2000 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine has been used daily for 3 months.
For age-related tiredness: 2 grams of acetyl-L-carnitine has been used twice daily for 180 days.
For age-related testosterone deficiency: 2 grams of acetyl-L-carnitine plus 2 grams of propionyl-L-carnitine has been used daily for 6 months.
For alcohol withdrawal: 1-3 grams of acetyl-L-carnitine has been administered intravenously (by IV) for 10 days. Then for the next 80 days, 3 grams of acetyl-L-carnitine has been taken by mouth daily.
For Alzheimer's disease: 1500-3000 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine has been taken by mouth daily in two or three divided doses for 3-12 months.
For improving memory in people who use alcohol excessively: 2 grams of acetyl-L-carnitine has been used daily for 90 days.
For depression: 1-4 grams of acetyl-L-carnitine has been used daily for up to 60 days. Higher doses seem to have the greatest effect.
For nerve pain in people with diabetes: 1500-3000 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine has been taken by mouth daily in divided doses for up to one year. In some cases, 1000 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine was injected into the muscles for 10-15 days before it was taken by mouth.
For poor brain function in people with liver disease (hepatic encephalopathy): 2 grams of acetyl-L-carnitine has been taken twice daily for 90 days.
For male infertility: 1 gram of acetyl-L-carnitine plus 2 grams of L-carnitine has been taken daily to treat male infertility.
For Peyronie's disease: 1 gram of acetyl-L-carnitine has been taken twice daily for 3 months.
Child Dose
Renal Dose
Administration
Contra Indications
Hypersensitivity.
Precautions
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Not enough is known about the use of acetyl-L-carnitine during pregnancy and breast-feeding.
Bipolar disorder: Acetyl-L-carnitine might worsen symptoms in people with bipolar disorder who are currently in remission.
Nerve pain (neuropathy) caused by chemotherapy: Acetyl-L-carnitine might worsen symptoms in some people with nerve pain caused by a class of chemotherapy drugs known as taxanes.
Under-active thyroid (hypothyroidism): There is some concern that acetyl-L-carnitine might interfere with thyroid hormone. Don't use acetyl-L-carnitine if you have an under-active thyroid.
Seizures: An increase in the number or seriousness of seizures has been reported in people with a history of seizures who have used L-carnitine by mouth or by IV (intravenously). Since L-carnitine is related to acetyl-L-carnitine, there is a concern that this might also occur with acetyl-L-carnitine. If you have ever had a seizure, don't take acetyl-L-carnitine.
Pregnancy-Lactation
Interactions
Acenocoumarol (Sintrom) interacts with ACETYL-L-CARNITINE
Acenocoumarol (Sintrom) is used to slow blood clotting. Acetyl-L-carnitine might increase the effectiveness of acenocoumarol (Sintrom). Increasing the effectiveness of acenocoumarol (Sintrom) might slow blood clotting too much. The dose of your acenocoumarol (Sintrom) might need to be changed.
Warfarin (Coumadin) interacts with ACETYL-L-CARNITINE
Warfarin (Coumadin) is used to slow blood clotting. Acetyl-L-carnitine might increase the effects of warfarin (Coumadin) and increase the chances of bruising and bleeding. Be sure to have your blood checked regularly. The dose of your warfarin (Coumadin) might need to be changed.
Adverse Effects
Side effects of Acetyl-L-Carnitine :
It can cause some side effects including stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, headache, and restlessness.
It can also cause a "fishy" odor of the urine, breath, and sweat.
Mechanism of Action
In the body, acetyl-L-carnitine is made from L-carnitine. It can also be converted to L-carnitine. L-carnitine is an amino acid (a building block for proteins) that is naturally produced in the body. It helps produce energy.