{"ok":true,"entry":{"slug":"carnitine","kind":"supplement","name":"carnitine","aliases":["L-carnitine","L-carnitine tartrate"],"brands_sg":["California Gold Nutrition","NOW Foods","EVLution Nutrition","Nutricost","Nutrex Research"],"class":"amino acid derivative","tags":["fitness","energy","cognitive"],"use_for":"mixed results in exercise · the body makes what it needs","use_after":null,"use_duration":null,"take_with":null,"pros":["moves fatty acids into mitochondria for energy","some trials: lower lactate, faster recovery","healthy bodies synthesise enough — no dri set"],"cons":["performance evidence is mixed — more studies needed","cochrane: routine use in dementia not justified","about 3 g a day can cause nausea and fishy odour"],"dose_note":"a typical omnivorous diet provides about 24–145 mg a day for a person weighing 165 pounds, and endogenous synthesis is described as sufficient for healthy people; doses of approximately 3 g a day of supplements can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhoea and a fishy body odour","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 disorder — seizures reported in this group","uraemia — muscle weakness reported in this group","anticonvulsant users — those drugs lower blood carnitine","not listed on hsa's prohibited/restricted annexes — that list is not exhaustive"],"clashes":[{"src":["nih_ods_carnitine_interactions"],"note":"these anticonvulsants reduce blood levels of carnitine","with":"valproic acid, phenobarbital, phenytoin, carbamazepine"},{"src":["nih_ods_carnitine_interactions"],"note":"chronic administration can lead to carnitine depletion","with":"pivalate-conjugated antibiotics"}],"sources":[{"id":"nih_ods_carnitine_role","url":"https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Carnitine-HealthProfessional/","label":"NIH ODS — Carnitine (Health Professional), role in energy production","quote":"Carnitine plays a critical role in energy production. It is an essential cofactor that helps transport long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria so that they can be oxidized to produce energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"nih_ods_carnitine_needs","url":"https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Carnitine-HealthProfessional/","label":"NIH ODS — Carnitine, endogenous synthesis and DRI status","quote":"Endogenous carnitine synthesis … is sufficient to meet the carnitine needs of healthy people … In 1989, the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) … concluded that carnitine is not an essential nutrient … did not establish Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for carnitine","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"nih_ods_carnitine_diet","url":"https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Carnitine-HealthProfessional/","label":"NIH ODS — Carnitine, dietary intake","quote":"A typical omnivorous diet provides about 24 to 145 mg carnitine daily for a person weighing 165 pounds","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"nih_ods_carnitine_exercise","url":"https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Carnitine-HealthProfessional/","label":"NIH ODS — Carnitine, athletic performance section","quote":"L-carnitine supplements reduced lactate levels and heart rate; increased lipid metabolism, VO2max, oxygen consumption … improved performance; and hastened recovery in some of the studies … the evidence on supplemental carnitine's effectiveness for performance enhancement is mixed","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"nih_ods_carnitine_cognition","url":"https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Carnitine-HealthProfessional/","label":"NIH ODS — Carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine and dementia (Cochrane Review)","quote":"results from studies conducted more recently were less positive than those from earlier studies … they concluded that the routine clinical use of acetyl-L-carnitine supplements to treat the signs and symptoms of dementia was not justified","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"nih_ods_carnitine_ul","url":"https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Carnitine-HealthProfessional/","label":"NIH ODS — Carnitine, upper intake level","quote":"Carnitine does not have an established tolerable upper intake level","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"nih_ods_carnitine_effects","url":"https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Carnitine-HealthProfessional/","label":"NIH ODS — Carnitine, side effects","quote":"However, doses of approximately 3 g/day of carnitine supplements can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and a fishy body odor … It can also cause muscle weakness in people with uremia and seizures in those with seizure disorders","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"nih_ods_carnitine_interactions","url":"https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Carnitine-HealthProfessional/","label":"NIH ODS — Carnitine, interactions with medications (anticonvulsants; pivalate-conjugated antibiotics)","quote":"Treatment with the anticonvulsants valproic acid, phenobarbital, phenytoin, and carbamazepine reduces blood levels of carnitine … Chronic administration of these antibiotics can lead to carnitine depletion","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"hsa_hs","url":"https://file.go.gov.sg/hsa-hs-guidelines.pdf","label":"HSA Health Supplements Guidelines (GL-CHPB-3-001 Rev. 020, January 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":"hsa_restricted","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), Annexes A/B","quote":"The objective of this guideline is to highlight the substances of concern when used in HS and TM and is not meant to be an exhaustive list","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"iherb_sg","url":"https://sg.iherb.com/c/l-carnitine","label":"iHerb Singapore — L-Carnitine category page (default sort, 104 results)","quote":"L-Carnitine … 1 - 48 of 104 results","accessed":"2026-08-27"}],"brand_certs":null,"updated_at":"2026-08-29T16:16:14.713299+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."}