Acetyl-L-Carnitine + Alpha-Lipoic Acid

Can you take Acetyl-L-Carnitine and Alpha-Lipoic Acid together?

SynergyAnimal / lab only

Yes — they are commonly combined, though the evidence is from rats.

What to do. Both are best absorbed on an empty stomach in the morning.

Mechanism

The classic mitochondrial pairing

In old rats, feeding acetyl-L-carnitine with lipoic acid improved mitochondrial function and memory more than either alone. Human trials of the combination are limited.

Evidence: Animal / lab only — Evidence limited to animal or cell studies.

  1. 01Liu J et al. Memory loss in old rats is associated with brain mitochondrial decay and RNA/DNA oxidation: partial reversal by feeding acetyl-L-carnitine and/or R-alpha-lipoic acid. PNAS 2002.
  2. 02NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Carnitine Fact Sheet for Health Professionals

Timing

A day with Acetyl-L-Carnitine and Alpha-Lipoic Acid

  1. 07:00

    On waking

    no food

Taking more than these two?

Add the rest of your stack and your medications for a complete check.

Check my full stack

Buying guide

What to look for on the label

  • Acetyl-L-Carnitine

    • Acetyl-L-carnitine HCl

  • Alpha-Lipoic Acid

    • R-lipoic acid (stabilized) or racemic ALA

Related

Other interactions

Alpha-Lipoic Acid + Biotin

Lipoic acid shares biotin's transporter

Note→

Learn more about Acetyl-L-Carnitine and Alpha-Lipoic Acid.