Acetyl-l-carnitine (ALC) is perhaps the one true miracle molecule, especially for your brain. ALC is naturally found in the brain and body. Its main dietary source is red meat, although you’d have to eat over 50lbs. a day to get enough for improved mental performance. ALC helps in the protection, preservation and performance of your brain cells. It increases brain blood flow as well as the synthesis and utilization of acetylcholine (ACh), a key neurotransmitter for mental clarity, memory and focus. It improves the energy (ATP) output of your mitochondria, helps stabilize the neural membranes, and helps protect the brain from free radical damage.

Acetyl-l-carnitine is considered a pleotropic ingredient as it demonstrates multiple mechanisms of action to help the brain’s health and fitness. ALC increases levels of glutathione, perhaps the brain’s most important anti-oxidant. ALC has also been shown to increase levels of nerve growth factor thus stimulating the growth of new neurons, synapses and their interconnecting “wires”, called axons and dendrites. In fact, ALC appears to rejuvenate the brain and has been clinically shown to significantly slow brain aging, especially in the mitochondria. Dozens of clinical studies have demonstrated ALC’s powerful effect on improving mental clarity, focus and memory, in elevating mood, and boosting processing speed and cognitive function.

References:

Liu, Jiankang : Killilea, David W : Ames, Bruce N. Age-associated mitochondrial oxidative decay: improvement of carnitine acetyltransferase substrate-binding affinity and activity in brain by feeding old rats acetyl-L- carnitine and/or R-alpha -lipoic acid. Proc-Natl-Acad-Sci-U-S-A. 2002 Feb 19; 99(4): 1876-81

Liu, Jiankang : Head, Elizabeth : Gharib, Afshin M : Yuan, Wenjun : Ingersoll, Russell T : Hagen, Tory M : Cotman, Carl W : Ames, Bruce N. Memory loss in old rats is associated with brain mitochondrial decay and RNA/DNA oxidation: partial reversal by feeding acetyl-L-carnitine and/or R-alpha -lipoic acid. Proc-Natl-Acad-Sci-U-S-A. 2002 Feb 19; 99(4): 2356-61

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Taglialatela G, Navarra D, Cruciani R, Ramacci MT, Alema GS, Angelucci L. Acetyl-L-carnitine treatment increases nerve growth factor levels and choline acetyltransferase activity in the central nervous system of aged rats. Exp Gerontol ( ENGLAND) Jan-Feb 1994, 29 (1) p55-66

Taglialatela G, Angelucci L, Ramacci MT, Werrbach-Perez K, Jackson GR, Perez-Polo JR. Stimulation of nerve growth factor receptors in PC12 by acetyl-L-carnitine. Biochem Pharmacol (ENGLAND) Aug 4 1992, 44 (3) p577-85

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L. Angelucci, M. T. Ramacci, G. Taglialatela, C. Hulsebosch, B. Morgan, K. Werrbach-Perez, J. R. Perez-Polo. Nerve growth factor binding in aged rat central nervous system: effect of acetyl-L-carnitine. J Neurosci Res (UNITED STATES) Aug 1988, 20 (4) p491-6

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