Carnitine Cautions
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Certain people should not take carnitine supplements:
- People with liver or kidney disease
- People with any type of medical condition
- Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding
People with any of the conditions above should consult their doctor before taking any carnitine supplements as the supplement may have an adverse effect on their condition or their medications..
In general, carnitine supplementation does not cause any serious or adverse health effects on healthy adults, but excessive doses are not advised
Toxic Levels of Carnitine
Carnitine is normally not very toxic, but it may produce some toxicity at doses greater than 6000mg per day.
Overdosage and Toxicity Symptoms
Carnitine toxicity can occur at supplementation levels over 6000mg. The symptoms of toxicity are:
- Diarrhoea
- "Fish odour" syndrome
- Irritability and other changes in personality
- Ketosis
In general, carnitine supplementation does not cause any serious or adverse health effects on healthy adults, but excessive doses are not advised in any case. It is better to get adequate carnitine intake from protein foods in the diet.