Shutterstock Acetyl-L-Carnitine - Chemical Structure
Much appreciated for its antioxidant activity and for its good tolerability, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, in the form of a supplement, is currently used as an antioxidant in cardiology, neurology and antiaging.
, Down syndrome and senile dementia.L "Acetyl-L-Carnitine has now entered fully into the management of fertility disorders, contributing to the improvement of sperm motility in oligoasthenospermic patients.
With exclusively preventive purposes, Acetyl-L-Carnitine would also be effective in preserving correct heart function. Acetyl-L-Carnitine, especially for its strong antioxidant activities, can be successfully used in anti-aging and nutritional strategies. in the protection from oxidative damage induced by intense physical activity.
nutritional is amply justified by its complex biological role. In addition to its role as a mitochondrial transporter of fatty acids, essential in supporting the normal process of Beta-Oxidation (a function attributed more to its precursor L-Carnitine), Acetyl-L-Carnitine has proved useful in:- Support the synthesis of important neurotransmitters such as Acetylcholine, whose metabolism is seriously compromised in numerous neuro-psychiatric pathologies
- Control the normal cell turnover, and in particular the apoptosis, of the nerve cells, protecting them, moreover, from the damaging action of the reactive oxygen species
- Reduce the formation of advanced glycosylation products, especially known for their aging and atheromatous properties
- Preserve proper mitochondrial function in particularly valuable cells such as myocardiocytes and spermatozoa.
Utility observed, not only in the numerous experimental studies published, but also in some noteworthy clinical trials.
In fact, supplementation with Acetyl-L-Carnitine in Alzheimer's patients would have proved useful in delaying the progression of the disease by controlling some important cognitive functions such as logical intelligence, verbal memory and selective attention. (Brooks JO 3rd et al. Acetyl-L-Carnitine slows decline in younger patients with Alzherimer "s disease: a reanalysis of a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial using trilinear approach. Int. Psychogertar. 1998; 10: 193-203 ).
Interesting works have also shown the anti-aging efficacy of Acetyl-L-Carnitine on cardiovascular function, metabolic capacity and above all reproductive potential.
- addicted to this active ingredient. of Acetyl-L-Carnitine, are: nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Fortunately rarer, and limited exclusively to certain categories of patients at risk, is the incidence of neuro-psychic disorders such as a sense of agitation and alterations in behavior..
, of valproic acid as well as some antibiotics could compromise the normal pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of Acetyl-L-Carnitine., neurological and psychiatric. The same precautions should be taken in case of elderly patients or concomitant pharmacological therapy in progress.