Acetyl-L-Carnitine and its role for the Brain and Nervous System

Acetyl-L-Carnitine is an Acetyl ester of L-Carnitine. It occurs naturally in a variety of animal products and is available as a nutritional supplement. Supplementation with Acetyl-L-Carnitine may have a protective effect on the brain and peripheral nervous system. It also expresses anti-oxidant activity. In addition, it may help anti-aging properties.

Annals of New York Academy of Science in 1992 have published a review of Acetyl-L-Carnitine action in a neuro degeneration disease such as in Alzheimer’s disease. In particular, it was pointed that Acetyl-L-Carnitine can be exchanged across membranes and can provide Acetyl group for regeneration of the Acetyl-Co-A. Acetyl-L-Carnitine was able to reverse loss of neurons which are brain cells in certain areas of the brain. It was found to improve learning and memory performance. In addition, Acetyl-L-Carnitine helped to slow down the aging process in the cells and increased concentration of the co-enzyme Q-10 and Glutathione in the cells. Acetyl-L-Carnitine sustained physiological electron transport, reversed age related impairment of the DNA/RNA and restored age induced changes in cognitive function. The authors of this review have concluded that Acetyl-L-Carnitine should be considered a neuro protective compound especially in cases of dementia.

A randomized double blind controlled clinical trial of Acetyl-L-Carnitine for certain depression conditions was run in the School of Medicine in Milan, Italy. This double blind study involved 204 individuals who were given either Acetyl-L-Carnitine or Amisulpride which is a prescription medication for the treatment of depression. Acetyl-L-Carnitine was given in the dosage of 500 mg twice a day. When the twelve week trial had been completed, the result indicated that participants in both groups achieved similar outcomes.

The great clinical significance of this study was that Acetyl-L-Carnitine may be a safe and effective alternative to standard drug therapy in the treatment of certain depression conditions.

The effect of Acetyl-L-Carnitine on Alzheimer’s disease patients was published in 1995 in the Journal of Neuro Biology of Aging. It was a double blind placebo controlled trial. Acetyl-L-Carnitine at the dosage of 3000 mg a day was given to seven participants with Alzheimer’s disease. The group of five placebo treated Alzheimer patients as well as 21 patients of the control group were observed for a period of one year. When compared to the placebo group, patients who received Acetyl-L-Carnitine demonstrated significantly less deterioration in their mental abilities. High energy phosphate levels were found to be elevated in the Acetyl-L-Carnitine treated group, but not in the group who was receiving the placebo. The significance of this study was that Acetyl-L-Carnitine was clearly demonstrated to be beneficial for patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. It should be emphasized, however, that a total 3000 mg a day was given.

Another similar study revealed that even 1500 mg of Acetyl-L-Carnitine may be enough to slow down deterioration in the Alzheimer’s disease patients. This was published in 2003 in the Journal of International Clinical Psychopharmacology.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine treatment for elderly patients with fatigue was studied at the University of Catania in Italy. In this double blind randomized clinical trial which involved 96 elderly people over 70 years old, supplementation with Acetyl-L-Carnitine was found to greatly reduce physical and mental fatigue and to improve physical and mental function. The participants of this study were randomly divided into two groups. The first group was given Acetyl-L-Carnitine in the amount of 2000 mg a day. The second group was given a placebo. The duration of the study was six months. After getting supplementation with Acetyl-L-Carnitine, participants of the treatment group experienced significant decrease in physical fatigue, mental fatigue and improvement in functional status and cognitive function. They also noted decrease in muscle discomfort, shortened recovery after exercise, as well as decreased frequency and severity of sleep disorders.

The result of this study pointed to the conclusion that supplementation with Acetyl-L-Carnitine may help to reduce fatigue in aging people. Keeping in mind that fatigue is one of the most common complaints among the elderly, the result appeared to be very significant.

Dementia Journal in 1991 published a study of Acetyl-L-Carnitine in the elderly subjects with major depression. This study researched the anti-depressive effect of Acetyl-L-Carnitine versus a placebo in 24 participants suffering from depression. There was significantly higher clinical and biological efficacy for Acetyl-L-Carnitine compared to the placebo group.

An interesting study was published in 2003. The effect of Acetyl-L-Carnitine in patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and already treated with dementia medications revealed that starting the patient on Acetyl-L-Carnitine on top of Acetyl-Choline esterase inhibitors (prescription medications for Alzheimer’s disease), significantly increased the response to the treatment. The conclusion may be that adding Acetyl-L-Carnitine to the treatment with conventional anti-dementia medication may alleviate the positive response.