Ingredient profile
Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR) in SciatiEase: 250 mg Next to the Nerve Pain Trials
Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) is a form of carnitine, a nutrient your liver and kidneys already make. SciatiEase lists 250 mg per 4 capsules, or 125 mg per 2. Nerve pain trials used 1,500 to 3,000 mg a day, a Cochrane review rated the evidence very low certainty, and 1,500 mg or less did no better than placebo.
Written by the SciatiEase label deskUpdated
The basics01
What is acetyl-L-carnitine?
Acetyl-L-carnitine is carnitine with an acetyl group attached. Carnitine helps cells move fats into their energy centers.
Your liver and kidneys make enough carnitine, so healthy people do not need it from food or pills (NIH ODS, Carnitine). The acetyl form is sold for brain and nerve support.
On the SciatiEase panel it appears as Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR). It has its own line, outside the AlphaPalm blend, with the amount printed.
Where ALCAR sits on the label
ALCAR comes right after the AlphaPalm blend, at 250 mg per 4 capsules. Next to it sits benfotiamine at 200 mg. The panel marks both with ‡: no Daily Value has been set.
Dose02
How much acetyl-L-carnitine is in SciatiEase?
SciatiEase holds 250 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine per 4-capsule serving. Two capsules, the sales-page morning dose (SciatiEase sales page), give 125 mg.
Nerve pain trials gave 1,500 to 3,000 mg a day (Rolim et al., Cochrane 2019). At the full serving, SciatiEase gives one sixth of the lowest trial dose. To reach 1,500 mg you would need 24 capsules, which no one should take.
| Name on the label | Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) |
|---|---|
| What it is | Acetylated form of carnitine |
| Group on the label | Nerve nutrients |
| Amount per 4 capsules | 250 mg per 4 capsules |
| Amount per 2 capsules | half of that |
| Amount used in research | Up to 3,000 mg a day in trials; 1,500 mg or less was no better than placebo |
| Strength of evidence | Low-certainty; small pain effect |
| Marketed or traditional use | Nerve and energy nutrient |
| Main caution | Can cause stomach upset and a fishy body odor. |
| Capsules a day | ALCAR per day | Share of 1,500 mg | Share of 3,000 mg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 (sales-page start) | 125 mg | About 8% | About 4% |
| 4 (label serving) | 250 mg | About 17% | About 8% |
Research03
Does acetyl-L-carnitine help nerve pain?
The answer is unclear. A 2019 Cochrane review of 4 trials with 907 people found a small drop in pain, about 9 points on a 100-point scale, at 1,500 to 3,000 mg a day (Rolim et al., Cochrane 2019).
The reviewers rated that evidence very low certainty. They were very unsure whether ALCAR lowers pain at all, and two studies were paid for by an ALCAR maker (Rolim et al., Cochrane 2019).
The dose finding matters most for SciatiEase. At 1,500 mg a day or less, ALCAR did about the same as placebo (Rolim et al., Cochrane 2019). The capsules hold far less than that.
| Source | Dose studied | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| Cochrane review, 4 trials (Rolim et al., Cochrane 2019) | 1,500-3,000 mg a day | About 9 points less pain out of 100; very low certainty |
| Same review, low-dose trials (Rolim et al., Cochrane 2019) | 1,500 mg a day or less | No real difference from placebo |
| NIH fact sheet (NIH ODS, Carnitine) | 1,500-3,000 mg a day | Studied mainly for dementia, with mixed results |
Forms04
Is acetyl-L-carnitine the same as L-carnitine?
No, they are related but not the same. L-carnitine is the basic nutrient; acetyl-L-carnitine adds an acetyl group to it.
Both forms are sold as supplements. The nerve pain trials in the Cochrane review used the acetyl form (Rolim et al., Cochrane 2019), which is the one on the SciatiEase label.
Two other carnitine facts help with the label. No upper limit is set, and gut bacteria can turn carnitine into a compound called TMAO, which may raise heart risk (NIH ODS, Carnitine).
- On the label: Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR), 250 mg
- Not on the label: plain L-carnitine or any other carnitine form
- Daily Value: none set, marked ‡ on the panel
SciatiEase: from $49.99 a bottle120 capsules · 1, 3 or 6 bottles · 180-day money-back guarantee
See packsSafety05
What are the cautions with acetyl-L-carnitine?
The main cautions are stomach upset and a fishy body odor, mostly near 3 g a day (NIH ODS, Carnitine). SciatiEase holds a small fraction of that.
Seizure medicine is the bigger flag. Valproic acid and some other anticonvulsants lower carnitine levels (NIH ODS, Carnitine). If you take one, your doctor should hear about any carnitine product.
Seizure medicine
Valproic acid and related drugs change carnitine levels. Ask before adding ALCAR.
Stomach or odor
Nausea, cramps, diarrhea or a fishy smell. These were reported at high doses.
Other medicines
Blood thinners and sedatives, because SciatiEase also holds feverfew (NCCIH, Feverfew) and passionflower (NCCIH, Passionflower).
Never stop or change seizure, pain or other prescribed medicine because you start a supplement. Sudden weakness in both legs, numbness around the genitals or bottom, or new bladder or bowel trouble needs emergency care (AANS, Cauda Equina Syndrome). More on side effects.
Fit06
Why is acetyl-L-carnitine in a sciatic nerve formula?
ALCAR is a common nerve-support ingredient, but in SciatiEase it plays a supporting part. At 250 mg it sits well below the doses that showed any effect.
No trial in our sources tested ALCAR for sciatica. Sciatica comes from pressure on a nerve root in the low back (MedlinePlus, Sciatica), and the first steps are staying active and simple care (NHS, Sciatica).
Count ALCAR as a minor extra in this formula. If carnitine is the reason you are buying, compare the dose with your doctor. The full panel is on the supplement facts page.
Which SciatiEase ingredient should you read next?
Read benfotiamine next, the vitamin B1 form that shares the nerve nutrient group with ALCAR.
Each profile follows the same order: label amount, studied dose, cautions. All 12 lines are on the ingredients overview.
FAQ07
Acetyl-L-carnitine questions, answered from the label
What does acetyl-L-carnitine do for nerves?
It is studied for nerve pain, but results are weak. A Cochrane review found about 9 points less pain on a 100-point scale at 1,500 to 3,000 mg a day, with very low-certainty evidence (Rolim et al., Cochrane 2019). Its role in nerve health is not settled.
Is 250 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine an effective dose?
Probably not for pain on its own. Trials used 1,500 to 3,000 mg a day, and 1,500 mg or less did about the same as placebo (Rolim et al., Cochrane 2019). SciatiEase holds 250 mg per 4 capsules.
Do you need to take carnitine at all?
Most healthy people do not. The liver and kidneys make enough carnitine, so food or supplements are not needed for normal needs (NIH ODS, Carnitine). Ask your doctor if a condition or medicine affects your levels.
Can acetyl-L-carnitine cause a fishy body odor?
Yes, at high doses. Doses near 3 g a day can cause a fishy body odor, nausea, cramps and diarrhea (NIH ODS, Carnitine). The 250 mg in SciatiEase is far below that level.
Does acetyl-L-carnitine interact with seizure medicine?
Valproic acid and some other anticonvulsants lower carnitine levels (NIH ODS, Carnitine). If you take one, tell your doctor before you add any carnitine product, and keep taking your seizure medicine as prescribed.
What does ALCAR mean on the SciatiEase label?
ALCAR is short for acetyl-L-carnitine. The panel prints it as Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR), 250 mg per 4-capsule serving, with a ‡ mark because no Daily Value has been set.
Who wrote this08
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the Supplement Facts panel, the brand pages and linked NIH, FDA, FTC, NHS and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . See our editorial standards and the way we check reviews. This website is run by Isciatiease, a U.S. desk for SciatiEase, not by the manufacturer or by SciatiEase Labs. Purchases made through our order links earn us a commission.
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