STORY AT-A-GLANCE
Your body needs carnitine for energy production; it helps transport long-chain fatty acids into your mitochondria where they’re oxidized and turned into energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
Acetyl-L-carnitine has many beneficial effects on brain metabolism, protects against neurotoxic insults and has been shown to benefit certain forms of depression
Carnitine has been widely studied for autism as a treatment that targets mitochondria; one meta-analysis found low carnitine in 80% of children with autism
Carnitine may help moderate oxidative stress and decrease inflammation, benefiting heart health; it may also help prevent potentially fatal arrhythmias
Carnitine supplementation significantly improved ovulation and pregnancy rates, while reducing BMI and insulin resistance, in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
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