{
  "dataset": "l-carnitine-cost-by-brand",
  "title": "L-Carnitine Supplements Compared — by form (LCLT / ALCAR / PLC / plain) and cost per gram",
  "sourcePage": "https://verifiedsupplementdata.com/l-carnitine/best-overall/",
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licenseUrl": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "attribution": "Verified Supplement Data (2026), L-Carnitine Cost & Form Comparison",
  "dateModified": "2026-07-16",
  "methodology": "L-carnitine is sold in four forms with DIFFERENT evidence bases, though they are marketed interchangeably: L-carnitine L-tartrate (LCLT) for exercise recovery / muscle damage (Stefan 2021, PMID 34684429); acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR), which crosses the blood-brain barrier, for cognition (Montgomery 2003, PMID 12598816) and neuropathic pain (Li 2015, PMID 25751285); propionyl-L-carnitine (PLC) for intermittent claudication / circulation (Kamoen 2021 Cochrane, PMID 34954832); and plain L-carnitine / fumarate / liquid as the generic base. \"verdict\" is the product form. costPerGramCarnitine = costPerServing / (labeled carnitine mg / 1000). Typical doses: LCLT ~2 g/day, ALCAR 1.5-3 g/day, PLC 1-2 g/day. Note on cardiovascular safety: a mouse/red-meat mechanism links dietary carnitine to gut-derived TMAO and atherosclerosis (Koeth 2013, PMID 23563705), but this has NOT been borne out as harm in supplement trials, where carnitine shows benefit or neutrality in cardiac patients (post-MI mortality -27%, DiNicolantonio 2013, PMID 23597877) - present it as an open question, not a demonstrated harm.",
  "headline": {
    "productsCompared": 14,
    "alcar": 6,
    "lclt": 3,
    "plc": 1,
    "plain": 3,
    "cheapestOverallBrand": "BulkSupplements",
    "cheapestOverallForm": "lclt",
    "cheapestOverallCostPerGram": 0.11,
    "cheapestAlcar": "nutricost-alcar-500",
    "cheapestLclt": "bulksupplements-lclt-powder",
    "note": "Match the FORM to the goal first (LCLT = exercise recovery, ALCAR = brain/nerve, PLC = circulation), then compare cost per gram within that form. The generic \"energy/fat\" marketing is the same across all four."
  },
  "columns": [
    "brand",
    "product",
    "slug",
    "form",
    "verdict",
    "mgPerServing",
    "servings",
    "price",
    "costPerServing",
    "costPerGramCarnitine",
    "thirdParty"
  ],
  "units": {
    "mgPerServing": "mg carnitine (labeled)",
    "price": "USD",
    "costPerServing": "USD/serving",
    "costPerGramCarnitine": "USD per gram of carnitine"
  },
  "citations": [
    {
      "claim": "LCLT improved exercise recovery and reduced muscle-damage markers (CK).",
      "source": "Stefan M, et al. 2021, Nutrients",
      "pmid": "34684429"
    },
    {
      "claim": "Acetyl-L-carnitine gave a small benefit vs placebo in mild cognitive impairment / mild AD.",
      "source": "Montgomery SA, et al. 2003, Int Clin Psychopharmacol",
      "pmid": "12598816"
    },
    {
      "claim": "Acetyl-L-carnitine reduced neuropathic pain (larger effect in diabetics).",
      "source": "Li S, et al. 2015, PLoS One",
      "pmid": "25751285"
    },
    {
      "claim": "Propionyl-L-carnitine increased walking distance in intermittent claudication (+26%).",
      "source": "Kamoen V, et al. 2021, Cochrane Database Syst Rev",
      "pmid": "34954832"
    },
    {
      "claim": "L-carnitine post-MI reduced all-cause mortality by 27% (counterpoint to the TMAO hypothesis).",
      "source": "DiNicolantonio JJ, et al. 2013, Mayo Clin Proc",
      "pmid": "23597877"
    }
  ],
  "products": [
    {
      "brand": "Nutricost",
      "product": "Acetyl L-Carnitine (ALCAR) 500 mg (180 Capsules)",
      "slug": "nutricost-alcar-500",
      "form": "Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR)",
      "verdict": "alcar",
      "mgPerServing": 500,
      "servings": 180,
      "price": 18.95,
      "costPerServing": 0.11,
      "costPerGramCarnitine": 0.22,
      "thirdParty": "None (NSF-registered facility)"
    },
    {
      "brand": "BulkSupplements",
      "product": "Acetyl L-Carnitine Powder, 1.5 g per serving (100 g)",
      "slug": "bulksupplements-alcar-powder",
      "form": "Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR)",
      "verdict": "alcar",
      "mgPerServing": 1500,
      "servings": 66,
      "price": 21.97,
      "costPerServing": 0.33,
      "costPerGramCarnitine": 0.22,
      "thirdParty": "None (third-party tested)"
    },
    {
      "brand": "NOW Foods",
      "product": "NOW Acetyl-L Carnitine 500 mg (200 Veg Capsules)",
      "slug": "now-alcar-500",
      "form": "Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR)",
      "verdict": "alcar",
      "mgPerServing": 500,
      "servings": 200,
      "price": 27.73,
      "costPerServing": 0.14,
      "costPerGramCarnitine": 0.28,
      "thirdParty": "None (cGMP)"
    },
    {
      "brand": "Doctor's Best",
      "product": "Acetyl-L-Carnitine 1000 mg per serving (120 Veg Caps)",
      "slug": "doctors-best-alcar-1000",
      "form": "Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR)",
      "verdict": "alcar",
      "mgPerServing": 1000,
      "servings": 60,
      "price": 22.99,
      "costPerServing": 0.38,
      "costPerGramCarnitine": 0.38,
      "thirdParty": "None"
    },
    {
      "brand": "Jarrow Formulas",
      "product": "Acetyl L-Carnitine 500 mg (120 Veggie Capsules)",
      "slug": "jarrow-alcar-500",
      "form": "Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR)",
      "verdict": "alcar",
      "mgPerServing": 500,
      "servings": 120,
      "price": 26.99,
      "costPerServing": 0.22,
      "costPerGramCarnitine": 0.44,
      "thirdParty": "None"
    },
    {
      "brand": "Thorne",
      "product": "Acetyl-L-Carnitine 500 mg (60 Capsules)",
      "slug": "thorne-alcar-500",
      "form": "Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR)",
      "verdict": "alcar",
      "mgPerServing": 500,
      "servings": 60,
      "price": 32,
      "costPerServing": 0.53,
      "costPerGramCarnitine": 1.06,
      "thirdParty": "Third-party certified (Thorne / NSF)"
    },
    {
      "brand": "BulkSupplements",
      "product": "L-Carnitine L-Tartrate Powder, 1000 mg per serving (250 g)",
      "slug": "bulksupplements-lclt-powder",
      "form": "L-carnitine L-tartrate (LCLT)",
      "verdict": "lclt",
      "mgPerServing": 1000,
      "servings": 250,
      "price": 26.97,
      "costPerServing": 0.11,
      "costPerGramCarnitine": 0.11,
      "thirdParty": "None (third-party tested)"
    },
    {
      "brand": "Nutricost",
      "product": "L-Carnitine Tartrate 1000 mg per serving (240 Capsules)",
      "slug": "nutricost-lclt-1000",
      "form": "L-carnitine L-tartrate (LCLT)",
      "verdict": "lclt",
      "mgPerServing": 1000,
      "servings": 120,
      "price": 19.95,
      "costPerServing": 0.17,
      "costPerGramCarnitine": 0.17,
      "thirdParty": "None (NSF-registered facility)"
    },
    {
      "brand": "Horbaach",
      "product": "L-Carnitine 500 mg, as L-Carnitine L-Tartrate (60 Capsules)",
      "slug": "horbaach-lclt-500",
      "form": "L-carnitine L-tartrate (LCLT)",
      "verdict": "lclt",
      "mgPerServing": 500,
      "servings": 60,
      "price": 8.99,
      "costPerServing": 0.15,
      "costPerGramCarnitine": 0.3,
      "thirdParty": "None"
    },
    {
      "brand": "Biolor",
      "product": "Propionyl-L-Carnitine (PLC) HCl (120 Capsules)",
      "slug": "biolor-plc",
      "form": "Propionyl-L-carnitine (PLC)",
      "verdict": "plc",
      "mgPerServing": 1000,
      "servings": 60,
      "price": 37.99,
      "costPerServing": 0.63,
      "costPerGramCarnitine": 0.63,
      "thirdParty": "None"
    },
    {
      "brand": "NOW Foods",
      "product": "NOW L-Carnitine 500 mg, Free-Form (180 Veg Capsules)",
      "slug": "now-lcarnitine-500",
      "form": "Plain L-carnitine (free-form)",
      "verdict": "plain-l-carnitine",
      "mgPerServing": 500,
      "servings": 180,
      "price": 31.9,
      "costPerServing": 0.18,
      "costPerGramCarnitine": 0.36,
      "thirdParty": "None (cGMP)"
    },
    {
      "brand": "NOW Foods",
      "product": "NOW L-Carnitine Liquid 1000 mg, Citrus (16 oz)",
      "slug": "now-lcarnitine-liquid",
      "form": "Plain L-carnitine (liquid)",
      "verdict": "plain-l-carnitine",
      "mgPerServing": 1000,
      "servings": 31,
      "price": 15.92,
      "costPerServing": 0.51,
      "costPerGramCarnitine": 0.51,
      "thirdParty": "None (cGMP)"
    },
    {
      "brand": "Nature's Bounty",
      "product": "L-Carnitine 500 mg (30 Tablets)",
      "slug": "natures-bounty-lcarnitine-500",
      "form": "Plain L-carnitine",
      "verdict": "plain-l-carnitine",
      "mgPerServing": 500,
      "servings": 30,
      "price": 23.91,
      "costPerServing": 0.8,
      "costPerGramCarnitine": 1.6,
      "thirdParty": "None"
    },
    {
      "brand": "Life Extension",
      "product": "Optimized Carnitine, three forms incl. 300 mg PLC (60 Capsules)",
      "slug": "life-extension-optimized-carnitine",
      "form": "Blend (ALCAR + ALCAR-arginate + PLC)",
      "verdict": "blend",
      "mgPerServing": 1400,
      "servings": 30,
      "price": 23.25,
      "costPerServing": 0.78,
      "costPerGramCarnitine": 0.56,
      "thirdParty": "None (NSF-registered facility)"
    }
  ]
}