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Condition

Hypocarnitinemia

Hypocarnitinemia is a shortage of carnitine, the molecule that carries long-chain fatty acids into mitochondria to be burned for energy, so muscles tire, blood sugar can dip, and the heart may weaken. Little research on supplements for it has been reviewed here so far, apart from a review of B vitamins in energy metabolism. Causes range from inherited defects to dialysis or certain medications, so results may not carry across people.

Sources: PMID 27548886

Supplements studied
1
Graded outcomes
0
Trials
1
People studied
38

Evidence by supplement

  • Strong
  • Moderate
  • Limited
  • Very limited

1 supplement

L-Carnitine

L-Carnitine: outcomes studied for Hypocarnitinemia
GradeOutcomeEffectSizeStudiesPeopleStudies list
CognitionImproves (the measure goes up)2 studies38 people

Studies that measured cognition

The Hypocarnitinemia (Carnitine Deficiency) Treatment protocol

2 primary supplements · 6 supporting supplements

  • L-CarnitinePrimary deficiency: 100–300 mg/kg/day in divided doses; Secondary: 1–3 g daily
  • Acetyl-L-Carnitine1–3 g daily in divided doses

See the full protocol

Studies cited

2 studies from PubMed

  1. Clinical outcomes and low-dose levocarnitine supplementation in psychiatric inpatients with documented hypocarnitinemia: a retrospective chart reviewJ Psychiatr Pract · PMID 20098226
  2. Acetyl L-carnitine (ALC) treatment in elderly patients with fatigueArch Gerontol Geriatr · PMID 17658628

Supplement stack for Hypocarnitinemia