Carnitine Side Effects: Is There Any?

On October 7, 2011, in Acetyl carnitine, Acetyl L-carnitine, Carnitine, by admin

As with anything else, the issue of taking carnitine also involves the logical inquiry regarding carnitine side effects. We’ve seen how other substances or supplements fared well in the past, enjoying their 15 minutes of fame, only to end up crashing down in the public reckoning after the discovery of a negative or deleterious effect on human health. For instance, there are supplements out there in the market that apparently cause heart problems, and this fact only coming in late after people (usually elderly women) have died.

So what, then, is the deal with carnitine side effects? So far, we have not seen anything significant, except the “thinning” effect the supplementation might have on one’s pockets. Like other supplements, it should be used only for the right purposes. And when you’re talking about carnitine (especially its better form of acetyl l-carnitine), you’re talking about a substance that has a wide margin of safety. Nevertheless, however, there have been few reported carnitine side effects, and it is the mission of this website to always make sure to post a full disclosure.

So far, among the most common carnitine side effects include the usual stuff: headache, vomiting, nausea, restlessness, diarrhea. Serious side effects would involve a fast heartbeat or even fever. Those who undergo the dialysis process are not advised to take carnitine.

Apart from these abovementioned carnitine side effects, however, there is none that can be considered life threatening. In fact, such side effects only occur very rarely and almost always have something to do with the specific physical make-up of the person involved. For instance, if you’re already undergoing dialysis, what business do you have taking carnitine supplements?

As you probably know, carnitine is no “novel substance”—it has been with us since the dawn of our species. Carnitine is readily available in most of the foods we eat, although admittedly much of the carnitine in normal food gets destroyed in the body’s normal process and does not reach the intended target. Having said that, however, it is still advisable to compliment carnitine supplementation with the right kind of diet and a healthy lifestyle. Be careful and rigorously observe the precautions and you’ll never have to worry about carnitine side effects.