L-Carnitine

    Written by:
    Antonis Damianou, Thomas Solomon

    Fact-checked

    by:

    Nick Milazzo
    Last Updated: February 10, 2026

    L-carnitine can relieve leg pain in people with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and treat some aspects of metabolic syndrome. Although it’s often also used for fat loss, its effectiveness for that is questionable.

    Recent updates

    Examine Database update

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    Overview

    Dosage Information

    The standard dose for L-carnitine is between 500–2000 milligrams per day (mg/day).

    Supplementation with up to 2000 mg/day of L-carnitine is considered safe for humans.[1] There are various other forms of carnitine supplementation available: The equivalent dosage is up to about 2700 mg/day for acetyl-L-carnitine and up to about 2900 mg/day for propionyl L-carnitine.[1]

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Update History

    Examine Database update

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    One new meta analysis added

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    Reviewed by

    Nick Milazzo

    Research Breakdown