[Electron]

Has anyone had any improvement in pain symptoms from using acetyl-l-carnitine? If so, what brand and dose were you using? Were you talking it in conjuction with alpha-lipoic acid?
Thanks
Ron

[Dr. Smith]

Originally Posted by Electron

Has anyone had any improvement in pain symptoms from using acetyl-l-carnitine? If so, what brand and dose were you using? Were you talking it in conjuction with alpha-lipoic acid?
Thanks
Ron

I tried it for several months with no improvement, so I stopped—the stuff was just too expensive.* I don't recall the brand/dosage; it was a brand known to us, and whatever dosage I found recommended here.

I've had better luck with pantothenic acid (B5) in conjuction with RLA (which doesn't work for everyone either).
http://www.diabeteslibrary.org/View....ntothenic_acid

RLA itself doesn't work for everyone; it depends on the cause/type of PN—some supplements work for some types but not others. That's why we have to try them one at a time to find what works for each of us.

*Same with Triple-Flex (glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM) for arthritis/joints. A lot of people swear by it, and that's great that it works for them, but it doesn't work for everyone. We took it for a few years, then stopped because we realized it wasn't doing us any good, and it was just too expensive too.
http://www.quackwatch.org/01Quackery...ucosamine.html

Doc

[mrsD]

Brands with GMP ratings... "good manufacturing practices" are
good choices.

NOW brand and Doctor's Best have quality products affordably in general.

LEF is good, but tends to be more expensive.

Acetyl carnitine tends to be a more pricey supplement.

Over the years I've used Puritan's and NOW brand. Mostly when I was working out alot. It helped with muscle fatigue etc.

[Stacy2012]

Funny you mention this just now, I have been thinking about trying this supplement. I have had it on my list for a year but never tried it, and I read just recently, again, that it works best when taken with RLipoic acid, something about taking the two together.

[Electron]

Yes there is a good podcast at beatingneuropathy.com about taking alpha-lipoic acid (or R-lipoic acid) with ALCAR. He says they work synergistically. He says it may take 18 months to have an effect. I took Jarrow's ALCAR 1000 mg/day for 6 months and was planning to stop. At the end, maybe I had a little improvement, but hard to say. I bought it again and am planning to continue. In his podcasts, he makes a big point of not taking supplements without a doctor's guidance, but that's tough when general doctors seem to know little about supplements.
Ron

Originally Posted by Stacy2012

Funny you mention this just now, I have been thinking about trying this supplement. I have had it on my list for a year but never tried it, and I read just recently, again, that it works best when taken with RLipoic acid, something about taking the two together.

[Sallysblooms]

Along with CoQ10, etc, it is good for long term for the mitochondria.