FDA-approvedAmino acid derivativeMetabolism
L-carnitine
L-carnitine (levocarnitine) transports fatty acids into mitochondria; levocarnitine is FDA-approved (Carnitor) for carnitine deficiency.
What is L-carnitine?
L-carnitine (levocarnitine) transports fatty acids into mitochondria; levocarnitine is FDA-approved (Carnitor) for carnitine deficiency. L-carnitine is an FDA-approved prescription medicine (LEVOCARNITINE); "research use only" vials sold online are not the approved product.
(R)-carnitine is the (R)-enantiomer of carnitine. It has a role as a water-soluble vitamin (role), an antilipemic drug, a nutraceutical, a nootropic agent and a Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolite. It is a conjugate base of a (R)-carnitinium. It is an enantiomer of a (S)-carnitine.
Key takeaways
- L-carnitine is an FDA-approved prescription medicine (LEVOCARNITINE); "research use only" vials sold online are not the approved product.
- PubMed indexes 300 papers on L-carnitine (36 tagged as clinical trials) as of October 19, 2026.
- ClinicalTrials.gov lists 313 registered studies using L-carnitine.
- 12 vendors in our directory listed L-carnitine in their public catalog on October 19, 2026.
Structure
Regulatory & access status
L-carnitine is an FDA-approved prescription medicine (LEVOCARNITINE); "research use only" vials sold online are not the approved product.
- LEVOCARNITINE — DEVA HOLDING AS, application ANDA217430 (prescription). Drugs@FDA
- LEVOCARNITINE — HIKMA, application ANDA075567 (prescription). Drugs@FDA
- LEVOCARNITINE — SCIEGEN PHARMS, application ANDA212533 (prescription). Drugs@FDA
Sellers that market unapproved peptides for human use can receive FDA warning letters; our vendor directory links any letter we found on fda.gov.
How much research exists on L-carnitine?
PubMed indexes 300 papers mentioning L-carnitine in the title or abstract, 131 of them from the last five years and 36 tagged as clinical trials (search run October 19, 2026; repeat the search).
Most relevant recent papers
- Levocarnitine. — , 2006 · review
- Primary Carnitine Deficiency. — , 1993 · review
- Levocarnitine for valproic-acid-induced hyperammonemic encephalopathy. — Am J Health Syst Pharm, 2012 · review
- Very-Late Onset Multiple Acyl-Coenzyme A Dehydrogenase Deficiency Associated With Sertraline Use: A Case Report. — J Clin Neuromuscul Dis, 2025
- Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase Deficiency. — , 1993 · review
- Levocarnitine and muscle metabolism in patients with end-stage renal disease. — J Ren Nutr, 1998 · review
Registered clinical studies
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 313 studies with L-carnitine as an intervention (see all). Most recent:
- Evaluation of the Impact of L- Carnitine in Intradialytic Hypotension in Pediatric Patients on Regular Hemodialysis — NCT05905692 · Phase 3 · unknown · started 2023-05-30
- Levocarnitine in Treating Patients With Vismodegib-Associated Muscle Spasms — NCT01893892 · N/A · completed · started 2014-03
- Adding Antioxidants Into Human Sequential Culture Media System — NCT02999958 · N/A · completed · started 2016-12
- Effects of L-Carnitine in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients With CHCHD10 Mutations — NCT06849115 · Phase 4 · completed · started 2024-07-18
- Acetylcarnitine and Insulin Sensitivity — NCT00393770 · Phase 2 · completed · started 2004-02
What the evidence does not show
- Paper counts measure research attention, not whether L-carnitine works or is safe.
Research suppliers that list L-carnitine
12 vendors in our directory listed a product matching L-carnitine in their public catalog on October 19, 2026. Listed alphabetically; a listing is not an endorsement. Research use only.
- Atomik Labz
- Dynamic Peptide
- Evolve BioPep
- Ion Peptide
- Modern Aminos
- OmegAmino
- Peptide Crafters
- Plum Labs Research
- Pure Lab Peptides
- San Diego Peptides
- Swiss Chems
- Xcel Peptides
Prices per mg, where we could verify them, are on our price comparison.
L-carnitine reconstitution math
Lab arithmetic only, not dosing guidance: vial-by-vial concentration tables are on L-carnitine 200 mg vial math.
L-carnitine FAQ
Is L-carnitine FDA-approved?
L-carnitine is an FDA-approved prescription medicine (LEVOCARNITINE); "research use only" vials sold online are not the approved product.
Is L-carnitine safe?
Safety data come from the published studies listed on this page; read them in full. Products sold as "research use only" have no FDA review of their purity, sterility or dose.
How much research is there on L-carnitine?
PubMed indexes 300 papers on L-carnitine (36 tagged as clinical trials) as of October 19, 2026.
Who sells L-carnitine?
Atomik Labz, Dynamic Peptide, Evolve BioPep, Ion Peptide, Modern Aminos, OmegAmino and 6 more listed it on their public catalogs when we checked; a listing is not an endorsement.
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