NOW Foods
Empowering People to Lead Healthier Lives

L-Carnitine
by NOW Foods
30 Capsules

Helps Maintain Overall Good Health*

Our Price: $8.50
Retail Price: $13.99
You Save: $5.49 each, a 39% Savings!

L-Carnitine is a non-essential amino acid that helps to maintain overall good health by facilitating the transfer of fatty acid groups into the mitochondrial membrane for cellular energy production.* It naturally occurs in red meat and other animal source foods, but we recommend supplementation to obtain optimal levels of this excellent amino acid.*

Pure L-Carnitine is an amino acid that normally attracts water which can cause it to deteriorate rapidly. NOW Foods uses a tartrate form to help ensure that this product maintains stability and full potency.*

Supplement Facts


One (1) Capsule Contains:	Amount Per Serving
L-Carnitine (L-Carnipure® from L-Carnitine Tartrate) (USP Pharmaceutical Grade)	500 mg

Other Ingredients

Silica, Magnesium Stearate (vegetable source), Gelatin Capsule, Cellulose, Contains no sugar, salt, starch, yeast, wheat, gluten, corn, soy, milk, egg, shellfish or preservatives.

Suggested Use

As a dietary supplement, one (1) capsule, one to three times (1-3x) daily with or without meals, or as directed by a healthcare practitioner.

Applicable Functions

Depleted, Loss of libido, Low Energy

Related Structure Groups

Adrenal, Cell, Mitochondria

Related Emotions

Lethargic, Unhappy, Unimpressed

Carnitine FAQ's

What is Carnitine and where does it come from?

Carnitine is classified as an amino acid, although it is not an amino acid in the classic sense. Amino acids are generally used by the body for protein synthesis and/or as a neurotransmitter. Carnitine, which is closely related to B vitamins, is primarily used to facilitate the transport of long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria of cells for energy production. This process provides muscular energy by burning fat, and also prevents fatty build-up around vital organs. Muscle cells that use the most energy, particularly the heart, can benefit by having adequate carnitine levels.*

Natural Carnitine is found primarily in red meat, so vegetarians may need to supplement to ensure healthy levels in their bodies. Our Carnitine is natural form product, synthesized in a laboratory by bacterial cultures, and is vegetarian due to the absence of any animal sources or by-products. NOW carnitine products are in the same form found in nature, L-Carnitine, with no detectable levels of synthetic D-Carnitine.*

L-Carnitine Testing and Purity

L-Carnitine is a vitamin-like amino acid derivative. It plays an important role for maintaining energy production by transporting long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondrial matrix to be burned for energy. This function supports physical performance and weight management. Therefore, L-Carnitine and its esters, such as Acetyl-L-Carnitine and Propionyl-L-Carnitine, have received growing attentions for their uses in cardiovascular and neurological health.

L-Carnitine, along with its natural ester acylcarnitine, forms a critical part of the endogenous (natural to the body) carnitine pool in various tissues of mammals. The total L-Carnitine in human body is about 20 g, in which 98% is present in the skeletal and cardiac tissues, 1.4% in the liver and kidneys and 0.6% in extracellular fluids and other tissues. Of all these carnitine pools in the human body, about 25% are produced from the amino acids lysine and methionine and about 75% is derived directly from dietary sources such as meat, poultry, fish, and milk; with small amounts in wheat and avocados. So people with a limited diet of meat and dairy products tend to have lower L-Carnitine intakes.

L-Carnitine is a “conditionally essential” nutrient and a rare genetic disorder of L-carnitine metabolism causes carnitine deficiency, which is known to have major deleterious effects on the central nervous system. The limited intake of L-Carnitine can cause toxic accumulations of free fatty acids and the loss of energy. L-Carnitine is used worldwide as an effective treatment for carnitine deficiency and also has various nutritional and pharmaceutical applications. Several oral formulations, such as liquids, tablets and capsules, are available in the current market. NOW FOODS carries several L-Carnitine formulas and also carries Acetyl-L-Carnitine.

Since L-Carnitine powder is hygroscopic (water absorbing) and rapidly liquefies when it is exposed to air, NOW FOODS uses L-Carnitine-L-Tartrate, a stabilized form of L-Carnitine, in our formulas to offer our customers the full potency in stable products. Watch also for special moisture absorbing packets in some carnitine packages; keep these in the bottles until the product is all used.

L-Carnitine is has a sister form, D-Carnitine, which may be formed as an impurity when producing the natural “L form”. The “D form” may have considerable side effects or even toxic influences on biochemical processes because it may inhibit an enzyme called carnitine acetyl transferase, leading to a depletion of the body’s L-Carnitine reserves.

Separation and determination of any undesirable D-Carnitine is important to maintain the quality of our nutritional formulations and assure their proper function and safety. To maintain the quality of our products, NOW FOODS is developing an HPLC testing method for simultaneous separation of L-Carnitine, Acetyl-L-Carnitine and various impurities, which include D-forms and crotonoylbetain. The content of D-Carnitine allowed in the European Pharmacopoeia and United States Pharmacopoeia is limited to about 4%. Our HPLC method has high sensitivity and selectivity and allows the detection of an impurity in the D-form at less than 0.5%. By using this new method to test the potency and verify the purity of our L-Carnitine products, NOW FOODS ensures the best quality of L-Carnitine products for our customers, while avoiding potentially harmful impurities.

Reference:

¹ B.A.B Bowman, Nutr. Rev., 50 (1992) 142

² T. Bohmer, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 343 (1974), p. 551

³ R. Ferrari, C. Ceconi, S. Curello, E. Pain and O. Visioli, Mol. Cell. Biochem., 88 (1989) 161

⁴ M. De Grandis, C. Mezzina, A. Fiaschi, P. Pinelli, G. Bazzato, M. Morachiello, J. Neurol. Sci., 46 (1980) 365

⁵ D.B. Shennan, A. Grant, R.R. Ramsay, C. Burns, V.A. Zammit, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1393 (1998) 49

Amino Acids

As the building blocks of protein, amino acids are vital to health. Next to water, amino acids in the form of proteins make up the greatest portion of our body weight. They comprise tendons, muscles and ligaments; organs and glands; hair and nails; important bodily fluids, and are a necessary part of every cell in the body.

There are over 20 amino acids, separated into two categories – essential and non-essential. Essential amino acids are those that cannot be manufactured by your body, hence, it is essential that you obtain them from your diet. Non-essential amino acids can be manufactured by your body, however, your body must have the right combination of essential amino acids and supporting nutrients to optimize healthy protein maintenance, so supplementation may be desirable.

NOW Quality

Raw Materials

Superior supplements begin with superior raw materials. As the foundation that supports our line of quality products, NOW tests raw materials for contaminants, heavy metals, pesticides and fillers. Our philosophy remains unfaltering; we always start with the purest, freshest raw materials to ensure that the finished product is the best it can be. By partnering with some of the most trusted names in the industry including Lonza, PL Thomas, Cyanotech, Inter-Health, Hoffman LaRoche, Sabinsa and others, NOW is proud to provide unadulterated natural products that are safe, potent and true to their claim.

Natural Ingredients
Mad Cow Free
Growth Hormone Free
Exacting Heavy Metal and Pesticide Specifications
Pure, Fresh Raw Materials, Always

Good Manufacturing Practices

NOW's commitment to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) is evident in everything we do. As one of the first companies to receive GMP certification from the NNFA, in addition to being one of the very few to maintain a consistent 'A' rating, we've remained steadfast in our commitment to good manufacturing practices. Our clean, controlled and technologically advanced production facility is regularly inspected by the Food and Drug Administration, and has been certified organic by Quality Assurance International.