| Used for
| Amount | Why |
|---|
Angina | 1 gram two or three times per day |  [3 stars] Supplementing with L-carnitine may improve heart function and ease angina symptoms. |
|
Congestive Heart Failure | 500 mg two to three times per day with a doctor's supervision
| [3 stars] Supplementing with L-carnitine can improve heart function and exercise capacity and reduce heart muscle damage due to insufficient oxygen. |
|
Heart Attack | 2 grams daily | [3 stars] Taking L-carnitine may help reduce damage and complications following a heart attack. |
|
Intermittent Claudication | 2 grams daily | [3 stars] In double-blind trials, supplementing with either L-carnitine or propionyl-L-carnitine (a form of L-carnitine) has increased walking distance in people with intermittent claudication. |
|
Obesity | 250 to 2,000 mg per day | [3 stars] The amino acid L-carnitine is thought to be potentially helpful for weight loss because of its role in fat metabolism. |
|
Attention Deficit–Hyperactivity Disorder | 100 mg per 2.2 lbs (1 kg) of body weight daily, up to a maximum of 4 grams per day
|  [2 stars] In a double-blind study, supplementing with L-carnitine resulted in improvement in 54% of a group of boys with ADHD, compared with a 13% response rate in the placebo group. |
|
Autism | 50 mg per kilogram of body weight per day (half in the morning, half in the evening)
| [2 stars] In a double-blind trial, supplementing with L-carnitine resulted in a modest improvement in disease severity in children with autism spectrum disorders.
|
|
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome | 1 gram three times daily | [2 stars] L-carnitine is an important nutrient for energy production. Supplementation can make up for a possible deficiency. |
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease | 2 grams taken twice per day | [2 stars] Studies have shown that when L-carnitine is given to people with chronic lung disease, breathing during exercise improves. |
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Erectile Dysfunction | 2 grams of each daily | [2 stars] In one study, supplementing with the combination of propionyl-L-carnitine (a form of L-carnitine) and acetyl-L-carnitine significantly improved erectile function in elderly men. |
|
High Cholesterol | 2 to 3 grams per day | [2 stars] L-carnitine has been found in some, but not all, clinical trials to reduce high cholesterol levels. |
|
High Triglycerides | 1 to 3 grams daily | [2 stars] Supplementing with L-carnitine may help normalize triglyceride levels. |
|
Intermittent Claudication | 2 grams a day of proprionyl-L-carnitine | [2 stars] In double-blind trials, supplementation with either L-carnitine or propionyl-L-carnitine (a form of L-carnitine) has increased walking distance in people with intermittent claudication. |
|
Male Infertility | 3 grams daily | [2 stars] L-carnitine appears to be necessary for normal functioning of sperm cells. Supplementing with it may improve sperm motility. |
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Metabolic Syndrome | 2 to 3 grams daily | [2 stars] L-carnitine supplementation may reduce cardiovascular risk by improving metabolic parameters such as body weight, blood glucose control, insulin sensitivity, and lipid levels. |
|
Multiple Sclerosis and Drug-Induced Fatigue | 3 to 6 grams daily | [2 stars] Some drugs that are used to treat MS appear to deplete carnitine. In one trial, supplementing with L-carnitine significantly improved fatigue in 63% of drug-treated MS patients. |
|
Sickle Cell Anemia | 50 mg per 2.2 lbs (1 kg) of body weight daily | [2 stars] In a study of children with sickle cell anemia, supplementing with L-carnitine reduced the number of painful crises and improved abnormal heart function and pulmonary hypertension. |
|
Sprains and Strains and Exercise-Related Muscle Injury | 3 grams per day | [2 stars] One trial showed that people who take L-carnitine for three weeks before engaging in an exercise regimen are less likely to experience muscle soreness. |
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Thalassemia | 50 to 100 mg per 2.2 lbs (1 kg) of body weight daily | [2 stars] Studies have shown that propionyl-L-carnitine (a form of L-carnitine) protects red blood cells of people with thalassemia against free radical damage. Supplementing with it may reduce the need for blood transfusions. |
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Type 1 Diabetes | 1,500 to 2,000 mg daily | [2 stars] Supplementing with acetyl l-carnitine may reduce symptoms of diabetic neuropathy in people with type 1 diabetes. |
|
Type 2 Diabetes | 2 to 4 grams daily | [2 stars] Supplementing with L-carnitine may reduce glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, and support medical therapies for type 2 diabetes. |
|
Asthma | Refer to label instructions
|  [1 star] In a double-blind trial, supplementing with L-carnitine improved lung function and overall asthma control, compared with a placebo, in children with asthma.
|
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Athletic Performance | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] L-carnitine has been popular as a potential aid in improving athletic performance because of its role in converting fat to energy. Some studies have found that it improves certain measures of muscle physiology. |
|
Cardiomyopathy | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Inherited forms of cardiomyopathy seen in children may be responsive to L-carnitine. |
|
Liver Cirrhosis | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] L-carnitine injections have been used to improve circulation to the liver in people with cirrhosis. |
|
Mitral Valve Prolapse | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] In one report, deficient levels of L-carnitine were found in five people with MVP. One person was given L-carnitine and experienced a complete resolution of MVP symptoms. |
|
Raynaud’s Disease | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] In one study, people with Raynaud’s disease who were given L-carnitine showed less blood-vessel spasm in their fingers in response to cold exposure. |
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