L-Carnosine Effects, Uses and Safety Warnings

L-carnosine (or simply “carnosine”) is a combination of L-histidine and beta alanine. L-histidine and beta alanine are both nonessential amino acids. Carnosine is important for healthy development and functioning of the brain, muscles, liver, heart, kidneys and more.

It serves several important roles inside the body. L-carnosine has been shown to act as a proton buffer, an antioxidant, a protein glycosylation inhibitor, a metal chelator, an antiaging agent and a protein-to-protein crosslinking inhibitor.

It can also protect against oxidative stress and trap lipid-derived aldehydes. Carnosine may also help to regulate contractility and calcium utilization inside cardiac tissue cells.

Carnosine supplements are commonly used by bodybuilders and other athletes to boost endurance and prevent muscle fatigue. This supplement may improve stamina by acting as an acid buffer in muscle tissue.

Carnosine

Bodybuilding Supplement

Endurance

Body- building

Anti- Aging

How It Works:

• Supports athletic peformance & muscle vitality
• Anti-oxidant with anti-glycation effects
• May boost immune system & anti-inflammatory

Dosage:

500 mg per day

Safety:

Generally Well Tolerated

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L-Carnosine Uses

Medically, L-carnosine is used to treat diabetic neuropathy, cataracts and complications of kidney dysfunction. Researchers are also interested in using L-carnosine to affect certain chemicals which are associated with the effects of aging.

Carnosine is also being explored for its potentials to help prevent and/or treat autism, and to improve certain markers of athletic performance.

Carnosine is a small dipeptide found throughout the human body. Its physiological roles have not been well defined via clinical research.

The therapeutic effects of L-carnosine include wound healing, antineoplastic (antitumor) effects, immunomodulation and antihypertensive (blood pressure lowering) effects.

Many of the proposed uses for carnosine need to be subjected to rigorous clinical assessment. Large, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind human trials are warranted.

L-Carnosine for Muscle Building:

L-carnosine is an acid buffer inside muscle tissue. It acts to absorb hydrogen protons (H+), helping to maintain optimal pH balance. Little research has been completed in this area.

In one human trial, subjects took a specific dietary supplement containing L-carnosine for 3 ½ days. No improvements were noted acid-base balance after intense exercise. Repetitive Wingate tests also yielded no improvements.

However, taking beta-alanine (a precursor for carnosine) can improve exercise performance, according to research studies.

When we exercise at a high level of intensity, lactic acid is produced in the muscles as a natural by-product of anaerobic metabolism. Carnosine buffers against the effects of acid build-up in the muscles and may prevent the “burning” effect that some experience when their muscles are overworked.

By delaying the onset of muscle fatigue, this supplement may improve exercise stamina and generally increase endurance performance. This could potentially promote increased muscle mass gains if it allows athletes to train harder.

L-Carnosine Anti Aging Effects:

L-carnosine is widely recognized for its anti-aging potentials. It is believed that animals with higher carnosine levels live longer.

Routine oral administration in cultured human fibroblasts has been shown to delay senescence (aging). It has also extended the Hayflick limit of cellular division by as much as 20%. Hayflick limits reflect the maximum number of times cells can divide.

Multiple clinical studies have shown that L-carnosine may suppress various biochemical changes that occur with aging, type 2 diabetes mellitus, diabetes complications and certain neurodegenerative conditions. These effects may be due to carnosine’s antioxidant effects and oxygen free radical scavenging powers.

The accumulation of carbonyl groups on proteins causes much biochemical aging. These carbonyl groups result from actions of ROS (reactive oxygen species) and other agents which glycate proteins. It is possible that L-carnosine helps to deactivate and dispose of aged, glycated proteins.

L-Carnosine Anti-Diabetic Effects:

Protein glycation plays a significant role in the development and onset of diabetes mellitus, as well as secondary complications it causes. Research shows that carnosine is an inhibitor of advanced glycation end products (AGEs).

Oral administration of L-carnosine may impede AGE-related diabetic complications, like diabetic neuropathy, for instance. Carnosine has also shown effects against diabetic complications in murine (mice) models.

L-Carnosine Antioxidant Effects:

Research shows that L-carnosine induces several antioxidant effects as follows:

• Reduces oxidative stress effects in cells;
• Inhibits the formation of ROS and RNS (reactive oxygen/nitrogen species);
• Chelates metal ions;
• Reduces damage to DNA:
• Suppresses inflammatory cytokine secretion;
• Scavenges reactive aldehydes;

L-carnosine has also demonstrated several other therapeutic mechanisms; including anti-ischemic, exercise-enhancing, metal-binding, neurologic, nitric oxide and ophthalmologic effects.

There is not currently enough data to determine if L-carnosine is effective for treating specific medical conditions.

L-Carnosine Side Effects

There is limited data concerning L-carnosine side effects. Multiple studies have established carnosine to have very low toxicity levels.

A review of multiple clinical trials showed that no adverse effects were reported among 691 subjects. Other research suggests that L-carnosine is safe for proper ophthalmologic use for up to 2 years.

There are possibilities for certain neurological and CNS (central nervous system) carnosine side effects. In one double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 31 children with autism spectrum disorders were studied for 8 weeks. With daily 800 mg doses of L-carnosine, sporadic hyperactivity was noted. This side effect was alleviated by decreasing the dosage level.

Ocular/otic side effects of L-carnosine administration have been studied. In on human trial involving 49 subjects, L-carnosine administration proved to be an acceptable nonsurgical treatment for senile cataracts.

Overall tolerability levels were excellent. No ocular or systemic side effects were noted after receiving 2 drops of prepared solution in each eye, twice daily for 2 years.

L-Carnosine Safety Warnings

There is not enough information about carnosine to determine its complete scope of interaction potentials. L-carnosine does possess hypoglycemic potentials. It has caused transient hypotension in the past.

Use with antihypertensive medications or herbal supplements that affect blood glucose levels is not recommended without a doctor’s approval.

Conclusions

Carnosine demonstrates multiple therapeutic potentials in clinical trials. There has not been enough reliable evidence presented from human trials to determine specific medical uses for this small dipeptide.

While endogenous carnosine may improve muscle endurance and promote athletic performance, there is limited research into the benefits of supplementing with L-carnosine powder or capsules.

Instead, most athletes and bodybuilders take beta-alanine which is a precursor to carnosine in the body. Research has shown that beta-alanine can counteract the accumulation of acidity in muscle tissue and delay the onset of muscle fatigue.

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