Acetyl-L-carnitine

Acetyl-L-carnitine Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Food Interaction and all others data.

Acetyl-L-carnitine is an investigational drug in the United states, Italy, United Kingdom, China, Israel, and Norway, and it is approved in Italy, Portugal, Argentina, Chile, Philippines, Australia, and India. Acetyl-L-carnitine can be synthesized, but it is also naturally found in adequate amounts in healthy humans. In human plasma and tissues, acetylcarnitine is the most predominant acylated ester of carnitine, which is an amino acid derivative that is made in the kidney, liver, and brain from lysine and methionine. The main role of acetylcarnitine is to help transport fatty acids into the mitochondrial matrix where fatty acid metabolism occurs.

The complete physiological effects of acetycarnitine are still being studied. What has been discovered so far is that acetylcarinitine has positive effects on mental fatigue, neurodegenerative disorders, cognitive functions, peripheral neuropathy, and sperm motility. Specifically, in one study involving patients with HIV, patients on acetylcarnitine supplementation had increased CD4 cells, decreased lymphocyte apoptosis, improved polyneuropathy and cardiovascular damage, and decreased triglyceride and TNF alpha levels in the blood. Another study showed that acetylcarnitine increased glucose disposal in type 2 diabetic patients through possibly increasing the activity of glycogen synthase.

Acetyl-L-carnitine
Uses
Dosage
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Uses during Pregnancy
Uses during Breastfeeding
Accute Overdose
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Trade Name	Acetyl-L-carnitine
Generic	Acetylcarnitine
Acetylcarnitine Other Names	acetyl-L-carnitine, O-Acetylcarnitine
Type
Formula	C₉H₁₇NO₄
Weight	Average: 203.238 Monoisotopic: 203.115758031
Groups	Approved, Investigational
Therapeutic Class
Manufacturer
Available Country
Last Updated:	September 19, 2023 at 7:00 am

Uses

Acetyl-L-carnitine is an acetylated form of the amino acid derivative L-carnitine that assists in mitochondrial fatty acid metabolism. It is under investigation as a treatment for numerous conditions, including neuropathy, depression, and dementia.

Acetyl-L-carnitine is not approved for any indication in the United states and Canada, but it is approved and indicated in Italy for cerebrovascular disorders, mental function disorders, peripheral nerve disorders, diabetic neuropathy, and nutritional supplementation; Portugal for mental function disorders; Argentina for cerebral vasculopathy, nutritional supplementation, and peripheral neuropathy; Chile for dementia; Philippines for cerebrovascular disorders and mental function disorders; Australia for nutritional supplementation; and India for nutritional supplementation to increase sperm count. Acetyl-L-carnitine also has several potential therapeutic indications for which it is still being investigated: in Norway, acetylcarnitine is in a phase IV trial for prophylactic treatment of migraines; in Italy acetylcarnitine is in a phase II trial for use in patients with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, a phase III trial for alleviating fatigue in patients with chronic hepatitis C, and for use in patients with Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy; in the United States acetylcarnitine is in a phase II trial for the neurodegenerative disorder Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, a phase II and III trial for reducing peripheral neuropathy in cancer patients as an adjunct to chemotherapy, a phase I and II trial for treating patients in septic shock, a phase II trial for bipolar depression, a phase II trial to reduce oxidative stress in patients with Sickle Cell disease, a phase I and II trial for chronic fatigue syndrome, and a study for preventing nerve damage in HIV patients; in China acetylcarnitine is in a phase III trial for reducing peripheral neuropathy in cancer patients as an adjunct to chemotherapy; in the United Kingdom acetylcarnitine is being investigated for preventing nerve damage in HIV patients; and in Israel acetylcarnitine is being studied for the treatment of male infertility.

Acetyl-L-carnitine is also used to associated treatment for these conditions: Peripheral nerve lesion

How Acetyl-L-carnitine works

The mechanisms of action of acetylcarnitine have not been fully elucidated, but it seems that the main role of acetylcarnitine is to donate an acetyl group during fatty acid metabolism to help transport fatty acids, such as acetyl CoA, into the mitochondrial matrix where fatty acid metabolism occurs. Additionally several studies have found that separate from its metabolic role, acetylcarnitine has neuromodulatory, neurotrophic, and neuroprotective effects that most likely are involved in its positive effects in neurological diseases. In its role in treating male infertility, acetylcarnitine increases the active movement of sperm cells. One study has also mentioned a role for acetylcarnitine as an antioxidant. The study found that through the receptor, tyrosine kinase A, acetylcarnitine was able to decrease the production of free radicals, peroxidation of lipids, and oxidation of proteins as well as decrease glutathione levels and increase thioredoxin.