{"ok":true,"entry":{"slug":"acetyl-l-carnitine","kind":"supplement","name":"acetyl-L-carnitine","aliases":["ALCAR","acetylcarnitine"],"brands_sg":["California Gold Nutrition","NOW Foods","Nutricost","MRM Nutrition","Thorne"],"class":"amino acid derivative","tags":["cognitive","energy"],"use_for":"mixed results in dementia trials; gains faded by 52 weeks","use_after":null,"use_duration":null,"take_with":null,"pros":["trials used 1.5–3 g a day for 3–12 months","a 2003 meta-analysis of 21 trials scored better","carnitine carries fatty acids into mitochondria"],"cons":["a Cochrane review saw no benefit held at 52 weeks","~3 g/day can bring nausea, cramps, fishy body odour","gut bacteria turn carnitine into TMAO, tied to CVD risk"],"dose_note":"trials in mild cognitive impairment and mild Alzheimer's used 1.5–3 g a day of acetyl-L-carnitine for 3–12 months; supplement labels range from about 3 mg to 5,000 mg, and the bioavailability of acetyl-L-carnitine has not been well studied","dosage":{"ul":null,"unit":"g","fda_dv":null,"rda_ai":null,"ul_status":"none_established","population":"general adult","hsa_max_daily":null},"ul_status":"none_established","sg_class":null,"cautions":["seizure disorders — seizures reported with carnitine","uremia — muscle weakness reported with carnitine","cardiovascular risk — TMAO signal from L-carnitine"],"clashes":[],"sources":[{"id":"ods_carnitine","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/2026/https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Carnitine-HealthProfessional/","label":"NIH ODS — Carnitine, Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (read via archive.org; ods.od.nih.gov returned 403)","quote":"Carnitine does not have an established tolerable upper intake level. However, doses of approximately 3 g/day of carnitine supplements can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and a fishy body odor","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"ods_weightloss","url":"https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/WeightLoss-HealthProfessional/","label":"NIH ODS — Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss (Health Professional)","quote":"Carnitine supplements are well tolerated and generally safe at doses up to about 4 g/day, although they can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and a fishy body odor","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"hsa_pr","url":"https://file.go.gov.sg/hsa-chp-prohibited-restricted-ing-guidelines.pdf","label":"HSA — Guidelines on Prohibited and Restricted Ingredients in Health Supplements and Traditional Medicines (Oct 2025), Annex A","quote":"A list of specific prohibited and restricted ingredients is provided in Annex A … This list is not exhaustive. Dealers are responsible to ensure that their products are safe and appropriate for the target consumers.","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"hsa_hs","url":"https://file.go.gov.sg/hsa-hs-guidelines.pdf","label":"HSA — Health Supplements Guidelines (Jan 2026), Tables 4–5","quote":"HS for use by the general adult population should not contain vitamins and minerals exceeding the stipulated limits stated in Tables 4 and 5.","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"iherb_sg","url":"https://sg.iherb.com/c/acetyl-l-carnitine","label":"iHerb Singapore — Acetyl L-Carnitine category page (Supplements > Amino Acids), default order","quote":"California Gold Nutrition, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, 500 mg, 60 Veggie Capsules … NOW Foods, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, 500 mg, 100 Veg Capsules","accessed":"2026-08-27"}],"brand_certs":[{"brand":"Thorne","example":null,"programme":"NSF Certified for Sport","matching_products":0,"brand_total_certified":66}],"updated_at":"2026-08-30T17:59:38.376296+08:00"},"disclaimer":"kozen-x is not a medical device and does not give medical advice. it lists what published sources have written down. absence of a record is not the same as safe."}