Ingredient
L-Carnitine in Flow Nerves: Not the Same as Acetyl-L-Carnitine
L-carnitine is an amino-acid-like compound the body makes. The nerve trials used a different form, acetyl-L-carnitine, with very uncertain results, so plain L-carnitine in Flow Nerves is not backed by them, and its amount is not printed.
Written by the Flow Nerves label deskUpdated
The ingredient01
What is L-carnitine?
L-carnitine is a compound the body makes and also takes from food, mainly red meat and dairy, that helps cells use fat for energy.
The two main supplement forms are L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine. NIH adds that the body absorbs carnitine from food much better than from supplements 1. In the brief, Flow Nerves names L-carnitine, the plain form.
Dose02
How much L-carnitine is in one Flow Nerves capsule?
No amount is printed. The research doses of the related form are much larger than a capsule in a six-name blend could be expected to hold.
Some nerve trials used acetyl-L-carnitine at up to 3,000 mg a day. We cannot say how many milligrams of L-carnitine Flow Nerves holds, so no comparison is possible.
| Name on the label | L-Carnitine |
|---|---|
| What it is | An amino-acid-like compound the body makes and takes from food |
| Amount per capsule | Named in the brief; milligrams not printed |
| Amount used in research | The nerve trials tested acetyl-L-carnitine, a different form, at up to 3,000 mg a day in some studies |
| Strength of evidence | Cochrane 2019: very uncertain whether acetyl-L-carnitine reduces pain; plain L-carnitine was not the form tested |
| Marketed or traditional use | Sold for cellular energy |
| Main caution | Three grams or more a day can cause stomach upset and a fishy odor; may raise bleeding risk with blood thinners; kidney disease. |
Evidence03
Does L-carnitine help nerves? What does the research show?
The nerve research is on acetyl-L-carnitine, which is a different compound, and the results are very uncertain.
A Cochrane review of acetyl-L-carnitine in diabetic neuropathy found it very uncertain whether it reduces pain at 6 to 12 months, because the evidence is sparse and of low certainty, and safety evidence was too uncertain. Two of the studies were funded by a manufacturer 3. That is not evidence about plain L-carnitine.
| Form | Where it appears | Nerve evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Acetyl-L-carnitine | Diabetic neuropathy trials | Very uncertain for pain |
| L-carnitine | Flow Nerves, per the brief | Not tested for nerves in the sources we found |
MSK also notes that acetyl-L-carnitine can increase nerve pain caused by chemotherapy, and current guidelines do not recommend it for preventing chemotherapy neuropathy 2. That is a reminder that two similar names can behave differently.
Safety04
Is L-carnitine safe? What should you watch for?
Three grams or more a day can cause nausea, vomiting, cramps, diarrhea and a fishy body odor.
NIH adds that high amounts can cause muscle weakness in people with chronic kidney disease 1. MSK lists nausea, heartburn, headache, diarrhea and high blood pressure among side effects, and says carnitine can raise bleeding risk with blood thinners such as warfarin 2. If you take warfarin, call your prescriber before you start, and keep taking it as directed.
Flow Nerves is a dietary supplement, not a drug and not a neuropathy medicine. Ask your doctor or pharmacist first if you take diabetes medicine or insulin, a blood thinner, blood pressure medicine, an antibiotic or any other prescription, if you have kidney or liver disease, or if you are pregnant, nursing or under 18. Keep taking prescribed medicine, and keep your checkups. See side effects and interactions.
Marketing05
Why is L-carnitine sold in nerve and wellness products?
L-carnitine is sold for cellular energy, athletic recovery and heart and nerve health.
The energy story is that nerves use a lot of energy and carnitine helps cells make it. Our sources do not show that a supplement changes how nerves behave, and the nerve trials that exist used a different form. The word carnitine in a product therefore tells you the idea, not the evidence.
Flow Nerves: 30 capsules a bottle1 capsule a day with a meal · from $49 a bottle · 60-day guarantee (confirm)
See packsIn the capsule06
What does L-carnitine add to Flow Nerves, and what does it not?
It adds an energy-themed compound whose nerve research belongs to its cousin.
If you were hoping the capsule covered the acetyl-L-carnitine research, it does not. If you are on a blood thinner or have kidney disease, the compound is one of the names that needs a pharmacist's look.
Compared07
Where does L-carnitine sit among the other five names?
The six names are listed in one proprietary blend, so the order they are printed in is not a measure of how much of each is inside.
Without milligrams, no one can say how L-carnitine compares in weight with the rest. The list below shows the six names in the order the brief gives them, grouped by kind. Read the other ingredient pages for each name, and the ingredients overview for the whole table.
- 1Magnesium GlycinateNamed in the brief; milligrams not printed
- 2Alpha Lipoic AcidNamed in the brief; milligrams not printed
- 3Butcher's Broom root extractNamed in the brief; milligrams not printed
- 4L-CarnitineNamed in the brief; milligrams not printed
- 5Turmeric ExtractNamed in the brief; milligrams not printed; sales page: 95% curcuminoids
- 6Coenzyme Q10 / UbiquinoneNamed in the brief; milligrams not printed
The six names in the order the brief gives them. They sit in one proprietary blend, and no amount is printed in the material we have, so the order is not proof of weight. Capsule shell and any fillers are not listed in the material we have.
Ask first08
What should you ask before taking L-carnitine?
- Do you take warfarin or another blood thinner?
- Do you have chronic kidney disease?
- Do you take other carnitine products or a pre-workout supplement?
- Do you get nausea or a fishy smell on supplements?
- Can the seller say which form and how many milligrams are in a capsule?
Food09
Where does carnitine come from in food?
Mostly from red meat and dairy, and the body absorbs food carnitine better than supplement carnitine.
NIH says the body absorbs carnitine from food much better than from supplements 1. The body also makes its own from amino acids. That is one reason healthy adults are rarely short, and why a supplement for people who eat normally is a stretch. People who eat no animal products, and some people with kidney disease or on dialysis, are different, and a clinician can decide whether a specific form and dose is sensible for them.
FAQ10
Flow Nerves questions people ask
Is L-carnitine the same as acetyl-L-carnitine?
No. They are different forms. The nerve trials we found used acetyl-L-carnitine.
Does L-carnitine help nerve pain?
Cochrane found it very uncertain for acetyl-L-carnitine, and plain L-carnitine was not the form tested.
Can L-carnitine cause side effects?
At three grams or more a day it can cause stomach upset and a fishy odor. We cannot say how much a capsule holds.
Can I take L-carnitine with warfarin?
MSK says carnitine can raise bleeding risk with blood thinners, so ask your prescriber first.
Do I need L-carnitine if I eat meat?
Healthy adults make their own and get more from food, so a supplement is usually a clinician's call, not a default.
Who wrote this11
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the brand files and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is the information site for a USA Authorized Flow Nerves Retailer. It is not the manufacturer. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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