Yes, i agree that might be the case. That's why i'm not flat out recommending it but I'm going to offer a little insight of my experience with l-carnitine and acetyl-l-carnitine:

About a month ago i started out with a 500mg dose of l-carnitine after lunch. L-carnitine is used as a body building supplements but there might be some benefits for those of us who don't lift. It cleared an almost persistent mental fog brought in part by the PCS and also by the Topomax i was prescribed. It has given me my libido back which was completely destroyed when i started taking Topomax.

However, l-carnitine may be a double edge sword. If you are prone to anxiety, you may find that it actually increases it. From what i've read elsewhere, some people might also be more prone to headaches while getting used to it, although it wasn't the case with me.


After a couple of weeks, i decided to add 500mg of acetyl-l-carnitine to my diet. Unlike l-carnitine i didn't feel anything different for the first week i took it. Acetyl-l-carnitine is different, it won't rev you up and you won't feel an instant energy boost. I believe the effects are more subtle and gradual. I'm fully aware that this might be the placebo effect at work here but i think i feel mentally sharper than i was when i started taking it.

As a side note, I've also noted that I've been getting more quality sleep time in less hours. After my concussion, i became a very sleepy person; about 9 hours every night and when i woke up i still felt very groggy and usually woke up to a headache. That has changed, now I'm sleeping from 7.5 to 8 hours and waking up refreshed and well rested. I've also been dreaming again which i think is an indicative of REM sleep phases.