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Amino acid derivative

L-Carnitine

L-carnitine is a compound the body makes from the amino acids lysine and methionine and also gets from meat. It carries fatty acids into the mitochondria to be burned for energy.

Also listed as Acetyl-L-Carnitine, ALCAR, Acetylcarnitine, L-Carnitine-L-Tartrate

LongevityImmune SupportCognitionEnergyFitness

What does a meal provide?

NIH lists 42–122 mg of carnitine in 3 ounces (about 85 g) of cooked beef steak, 8 mg in a cup of whole milk, and 2–4 mg in 3 ounces (about 85 g) of cooked chicken breast. Foods of animal origin supply most dietary carnitine, but healthy people, including vegetarians, can synthesize enough. There is no established US recommended dietary intake. 1

Sources

  1. Carnitine: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals NIH Office of Dietary Supplements