Acetyl-L-Carnitine

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evidence score

amino acid

ALCARacetylcarnitineALC+1 more

Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR) is the acetylated form of L-carnitine that crosses the blood-brain barrier. In the brain it donates its acetyl group for acetylcholine synthesis and supports mitochondrial function. It has strong evidence for reversing age-related cognitive decline, reducing neuropathic pain, supporting mitochondrial biogenesis, and improving fatigue in chronic fatigue syndrome. Combined with alpha-lipoic acid it restores mitochondrial function in aged animals comparably to young controls. Unlike plain L-carnitine, ALCAR has direct nootropic and neuroprotective properties.

Evidence

No score yet

Safety

Unknown safety profile

Clinical Status

No formal phase listed

Research Sync

Not synced yet

Dosing

Typical

1500 mg

500 mgRange3000 mg

Frequency1-2x/day

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Pharmacology

Half-life~4-5 hours

OnsetAcute cognitive/energy effects within 1-2 hours; neuroprotective effects weeks to months

DurationOngoing with daily dosing

Routes

oral

Evidence Score

—

0 studies indexed

Scoring Factors

Volume(40%)—

Quality(30%)—

Sample Size(10%)—

Consistency(10%)—

Replication(5%)—

Recency(5%)—

Evidence Levels

AScore ≥75 with at least 1 meta-analysis and 3+ RCTs

BScore ≥50 with at least 1 RCT or meta-analysis

CScore ≥25 — observational or animal evidence only

DScore <25 — very limited or preclinical data

Plain-English Snapshot

Acetyl-L-Carnitine is currently categorized as a amino acid compound.

Evidence scoring has not been fully computed yet, so interpret this profile as preliminary.

Safety scoring is incomplete. Start conservatively and monitor carefully.

Core mechanism

Acetyl donor for acetylcholine synthesis; mitochondrial membrane repair; NGF signaling; carnitine palmitoyltransferase support for beta-oxidation

Practical Context

Strongest current signals

No indexed study summaries yet.