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Author Topic: N-Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine  (Read 28333 times)

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Offline rubbaducki

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  • Posts: 9
N-Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine
« on: March 24, 2009, 01:29:51 pm »
Hello

Anyone know the difference between "N-Acetyl L-Carnitine" and just "L-Carnitine"?  Tried looking online and I cant find anything!!!

Thanks in advance!

Rubbaducki x

Offline aztecan

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  • Posts: 5,530
  • 36 years positive, 64 years a pain in the butt
Re: N-Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine
« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2009, 10:40:39 pm »
Hey Rubbaducki, 

Here is some information I found.

Acetyl-L-carnitine or ALCAR, is an acetylated form of L-carnitine. ALCAR has been claimed to be superior to normal L-carnitine in terms of bioavailability. However, at least one study has suggested that the acetylated form may have a lower oral bioavailability.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylcarnitine
"May your life preach more loudly than your lips."
~ William Ellery Channing (Unitarian Minister)

Offline rubbaducki

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Re: N-Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2009, 04:37:23 am »
Thanks for your reply

Going by that then its probably better to take the L-Carnitine rather than the latter. That way more will be absorbed? Is that right?!!!!  lol

Any idea what the "N" stand for in "N-Acetyl L-Carnitine"  This is the question that no one seems to know and I cant fins any info on the web

Thanks again xx

Offline mecch

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  • Posts: 13,455
  • red pill? or blue pill?
Re: N-Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine
« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2009, 05:41:17 am »
Maybe the CATIE supplement fact sheets can sort you out:

http://www.catie.ca/supple-e.nsf/supplement+sheets

I found all the basic information well done here.

By the way, I never heard of N-Acetyl L-Carnitine

Have you invented this, confusing it for ----  NAC (N-acetyl-cysteine)  ?

Happy reading
“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx

Offline aztecan

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  • Posts: 5,530
  • 36 years positive, 64 years a pain in the butt
Re: N-Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine
« Reply #4 on: March 25, 2009, 09:38:16 am »
Hey Mecch,

Thanks for the site. It had a lot of interesting information.

HUGS,

Mark

"May your life preach more loudly than your lips."
~ William Ellery Channing (Unitarian Minister)

Offline veritas

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  • Posts: 1,410
Re: N-Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine
« Reply #5 on: March 25, 2009, 10:16:03 am »


N-Acetyl L- Carnitine is the ester form (like ester C ) of L-Carnitine. It can cross the blood brain barrier:

http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:dd0JNGWBHgwJ:www.progressivelabs.com/documents/N-Acetyl-L-Carnitine.pdf+n-acetyl+l+carnitine&cd=83&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Offline rubbaducki

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  • Posts: 9
Re: N-Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine
« Reply #6 on: March 25, 2009, 02:52:59 pm »
WOO HOO. thanks everyone. almost there!

So, which would be the best to take, or do you think it makes no difference?

Offline aztecan

  • Member
  • Posts: 5,530
  • 36 years positive, 64 years a pain in the butt
Re: N-Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine
« Reply #7 on: March 25, 2009, 11:25:20 pm »
I have been taking L Carnitine because that is what I have been able to find.

HUGS,

Mark
"May your life preach more loudly than your lips."
~ William Ellery Channing (Unitarian Minister)

Offline madbrain

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    • My personal site
Re: N-Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine
« Reply #8 on: April 02, 2009, 06:57:05 pm »
Mark,

I have been taking L Carnitine because that is what I have been able to find.

HUGS,

Mark


I don't know about N-acetyl, but the acetyl form of l-carnitine is fairly easy to find.
Brands like Doctor's Best, Now foods, Jarrow, Country Life, Source Naturals, GNC, Vitamin Shoppe all sell acetyl l-carnitine.

I have been taking 1 to 2 of them a day, Now food brand capsules, 500mg. This year I decided to go for a single 750mg tablet, also by Now foods.

Offline veritas

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  • Posts: 1,410
Re: N-Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine
« Reply #9 on: October 21, 2009, 09:16:12 am »

Additional reasons to think about L-Carnitine and Acetyl L-carnitine:

http://www.thebody.com/content/art53900.html

v

Offline a2z

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  • Posts: 209
Re: N-Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine
« Reply #10 on: October 21, 2009, 12:07:07 pm »
Mark,

I don't know about N-acetyl, but the acetyl form of l-carnitine is fairly easy to find.
Brands like Doctor's Best, Now foods, Jarrow, Country Life, Source Naturals, GNC, Vitamin Shoppe all sell acetyl l-carnitine.

I have been taking 1 to 2 of them a day, Now food brand capsules, 500mg. This year I decided to go for a single 750mg tablet, also by Now foods.


I take the Acetyl L-Carnitine specifically because it crosses the blood-brain barrier.  I *do* feel better when I take it.  And particularly when I take it and L-Tyrosine at the same time.
Dates are blood draw dates:
3/12/15: CD4 941, 36.4%, VL UD
9/4/14: CD4 948, 37.9%, VL 150
5/23/14: CD4 895 --.-% VL UD - Truvada/Isentress
09/21/09: CD4 898 27.0% VL 120 - back on track, same meds.High level enzymes, but less so
06/15/09: CD4 478 21.8% VL 1150 - high liver enzymes... looks like I may not be resistant
05/22/09: Fixed insurance, resumed medicine
04/17/09: Ran out of medicine, could not resolve insurance problems
04/01/09: CD4 773 28% VL 120 - high liver enzymes
12/01/08: CD4 514 23% VL 630
10/17/08 started Reyataz, Norvir and Truvada. -- possibly minor neuropathy, but otherwise okay.
9/10/08: CD4 345 17%, VL > 78K
8/18/08: CD4 312 18%, VL > 60K (considering meds)
12/19/07: CD4 550 28% VL > 100K (no meds yet)
Diagnosed 10/23/07

Offline GNYC09

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  • Posts: 702
Re: N-Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine
« Reply #11 on: October 21, 2009, 09:59:52 pm »
I take the Acetyl L-Carnitine specifically because it crosses the blood-brain barrier.  I *do* feel better when I take it.  And particularly when I take it and L-Tyrosine at the same time.
I'm glad the Acetyl L-Carnitine is working for you.  I take it but still forgot stuff all the....wait, was I saying something?

Offline nicknatpatywack

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  • Posts: 9
Re: N-Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine
« Reply #12 on: October 21, 2009, 11:45:07 pm »
K good so I'm not the only person that's forgeting?? Is it HIV dementia? Is there anything else that helps the ole noggin? That seems to be the hardest thing to deal with... Kinda forgot the topic... I'm just going to crawl up in a ball and cry and hopefully remember what I was crying about ;-))

Offline MitchMiller

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Re: N-Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine
« Reply #13 on: October 23, 2009, 02:15:58 am »
I take Acetyl L Carnitine twice daily.  Label says take on empty stomach... which is different than about every other supplement (glutamine also on empty stomach).

I haven't noticed any memory improvement with it.  My memory is best when my Sustiva levels are lowest.  I believe that drug "dumbs you down."  At the end of the day, I can literally feel my brain waking up from the fog, just in time to take another tablet and plunge right back in.
« Last Edit: October 23, 2009, 02:17:41 am by MitchMiller »

Offline pos2007

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Re: N-Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine
« Reply #14 on: October 23, 2009, 08:52:20 pm »
 Interesting that I just  found  this  thread. My Doctor just  gave  me a prescription  for  "Carnitine 250 MG Oral  capsule", # 240 capsules  per  month/ 6 refills/  take 4 capsules  every 12  hours  to aid  in  nerve  damage  repair.  The  pharmacy  didn't  have  it and said  they  would  have to  order  it.   I  found several  different  versions,  Acetyl, N Acetyl, L- Carnitine,   etc.  at GNC  ,  Walgreens,  etc.   but  at  that  rate taking  pills  it was  going  to  cost  me $145.00  to $255.00  per  month,  plus  I  am very  confused about  the  different  types .  I   just  plain don't have  that  kind  of $. Hope  the  insurance will  pay  for what  the  pharmacy  gets. 
Diagnosed  CD4 138 VL. 38,000
Partner Diagnosed CD4 <20  VL.  488,000

Offline madbrain

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  • No longer an active member
    • My personal site
Re: N-Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine
« Reply #15 on: October 24, 2009, 12:42:29 am »
Interesting that I just  found  this  thread. My Doctor just  gave  me a prescription  for  "Carnitine 250 MG Oral  capsule", # 240 capsules  per  month/ 6 refills/  take 4 capsules  every 12  hours  to aid  in  nerve  damage  repair.  The  pharmacy  didn't  have  it and said  they  would  have to  order  it.   I  found several  different  versions,  Acetyl, N Acetyl, L- Carnitine,   etc.  at GNC  ,  Walgreens,  etc.   but  at  that  rate taking  pills  it was  going  to  cost  me $145.00  to $255.00  per  month,  plus  I  am very  confused about  the  different  types .  I   just  plain don't have  that  kind  of $. Hope  the  insurance will  pay  for what  the  pharmacy  gets. 

1) to reduce cost, order online, don't buy at GNC or Walgreen's

2) 250mg is too little potency per tablet. Your doc prescribed 4 capsules of 250mg every 12 hours. That's the equivalent of 1g every 12 hours, or 2g a day. Get something higher potency than 250. There are many carnitine supplements available with 500mg or more per capsule/tablet. By reducing the pill count, you also reduce cost. You can still keep approximately the same prescribed dosage, with just fewer pills, and it will cost much less.

The supplement I take is NOW 750mg acetyl l-carnitine.  You can buy it from iherb.com
http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Acetyl-L-Carnitine-750-mg-90-Tablets/6110?at=0
It's $25.18 for 90 tablets of 750mg. For a month of 31 days, you need 31x2 = 62g.
One bottle of 90 tablets is 90x0.750 = 67.5 g

So, the $25.18 buys you enough acetyl l-carnitine for one month.
You could take 3 tablets of 750 a day - 1 tablet every 8 hours. This will give you 2250mg a day, which will be slightly more than the 2g prescribed, but close enough.
Or, if you want to take only 2 doses, every 12 hours as prescribed, you can cut some of the pills in half, and take 1.5 pill in the morning, and 1.5 pills in the evening. Again it yields 2250mg/day.
Check with your doc, but I think going 10% over is OK. The studies on this supplement (see links below) were with much larger doses, 6g/day.

FYI, I only take one 750mg tablet per day, but I don't have any nerve damage or neuropathy to speak of, I just decided to use it in this low dose, with my doc's approval, after the research I read.

3) only your doc can clarify the best form of carnitine for you to take. I think acetyl l-carnitine is a very good form, and that's what I take. But you may want to read the following article :
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_2002_April/ai_84211153/?tag=content;col1

In particular, read pages 8 and 9 :
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_2002_April/ai_84211153/pg_8/?tag=content;col1

These are pretty small studies unfortunately. But better than nothing.

Offline pos2007

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  • Posts: 116
Re: N-Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine
« Reply #16 on: October 24, 2009, 09:07:46 pm »
madbrain,  thanks  for  your  reply. :)  You went  to a  lot  of effort  and  I  appreciate it.  I'll  find  out if  that  thieveing  United  Healthcare/Golden  Rule  insurance  company  will  pay  for  it   Monday.  If not  you  have  given  me a very viable  option. Considering their recent  denials  for  coverage  and their paying 1/3 claiming excessive  charges for expenses  for  my  latest  surgery,  I'd  say your  assistance   here is  exactly  the  kind  of  help  I  needed.  Taking 15 meds  now.  I told  my  wife that one  of  these days she is going to  come  home and find me fizzing  like a shook  up soda. :) I am a walking  laboratory  beaker about  to  blow.
Diagnosed  CD4 138 VL. 38,000
Partner Diagnosed CD4 <20  VL.  488,000

Offline HotGreek_STL

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  • Posts: 18
  • Livin' la Vida Loca in Saint Louis, MO
Re: N-Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine
« Reply #17 on: April 07, 2010, 01:07:36 am »
It seems to give me a lot of energy and has helped improved my ability to lift weights.  I am unsure if this is the placebo effect or if it is working.   Personally, I am just glad because I feel better but this stuff is expensive.

Like many of us, I feel like I am a walking Walgreen's Pharmacy.

olic Acid       1 mg TAB      2 TABS BID
Tricor          160 mg TAB      1 TAB at HS
Actos       30 mg TAB      1 TAB at HS

Monopril     10   mg  TAB      1 TAB DAILY
Indapamide     2.5  mg  TAB      1 TAB DAILY
Aspirin       80     mg TAB      1 TAB at HS

Naproxen      500   mg  TAB      1 TAB  BID

Wellbutrin   XL       150    mg  TAB         3 TABS  DAILY

Truvada        200/300   mg   TAB        1 TAB DAILY
Reyataz        300   mg   CAP      1 CAP DAILY
Norvir               100   mg   CAP      1 CAP DAILY
Valtrex        500   mg   TAB      1 TAB at HS   


Claritin       10 mg TAB          1 TAB DAILY
Neurontin   600 mg               1 TAB 4 times per day

Besides Metabolic problems related to HIV, I have a very bad back (two ruptured discs, arthritis in the spine, sciatica, and I have violent urges when people argue against National Health Care!!!!!

"TO SEE WHAT IS IN FRONT OF ONE'S NOSE NEEDS A CONSTANT STRUGGLE!"  GEORGE ORWELL

 


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