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L-carnitine has been popularized for its role in fat loss, energy production, and mood balance which is why you’ll also find it in other supplement formulas such as fat burners, pre-workouts, post-workouts, and nootropics.
For those following a vegan lifestyle, L-carnitine may be tricky because it exists abundantly in meat and dairy, which suggests that not all L-carnitine supplements may be made cruelty-free.
With that being said, there are definitely vegan L-carnitine supplements, which are made, for example, through yeast fermentation of beet sugar. If you’re looking for a completely vegan formula, here are the best brands we found.
Best Vegan L-Carnitine Supplements
Bulk Supplements L-Carnitine Powder
Specifications:
- Brand: Bulk Supplements
- Type: Powder
- Servings: 100 to 2500
- Dosage: 1000 mg
I picked Bulk Supplements primarily because of its affordability compared to other brands. Additionally, they offer their supplements in large quantities, with bag sizes ranging from 100 to 2,500 servings.
Purchase in bulk and save money, especially if you’re using a lot of carnitine; they’re a great deal if you want to buy a thousand servings at once, and the quality is top-notch: it’s just pure creatine so nothing can go wrong.
The price can go from $12.96 to $656.25 depending on the size you pick— but on a price-per-serving basis, it’s lower than all of the supplements I found.
Unfortunately, a common issue with BulkSupplements is that their bags aren’t resealable. This could affect the long-term freshness of the carnitine. It’s probably a good idea to move the powder to another container. While this extra step might be a bit of a hassle, it’s balanced out by the low cost for a large quantity of product.
Kaged L-Carnitine Capsules
Specifications:
- Brand: Kaged
- Type: Capsules
- Servings: 250
- Dosage: 500 mg
Kaged is a brand known for offering a generous number of servings per product. Unlike many that offer powders, Kaged’s product comes in capsule form.
They utilize a patented form of l-carnitine called Carnipure, developed exclusively by the Swiss company Lonza. This company holds the sole license to produce this uniquely pure variant of l-carnitine.
A single bottle contains 250 servings, with each serving delivering 500mg of L-carnitine, all priced at approximately $29.99.
MRM Nutrition Acetyl L-Carnitine Capsules
Specifications:
- Brand: MRM Nutrition
- Type: Capsules
- Servings: 60
- Dosage: 500 mg
This L-carnitine formula from MRM Nutrition is another viable option, not only due to its affordability but also because it’s slightly different from regular L-carnitine.
Because it has an acetyl group attached, it allows the carnitine to pass through the blood-brain barrier, so it’s better suited for cognitive support, replicating the effects of a nootropic formula. In other words, it may be able to support memory, alertness, and potentially mental focus.
However, do keep in mind that a lot of the research surrounding acetyl L-carnitine (ALCAR) is mixed so it should be taken with a grain of salt.
One bottle of MRM Nutrition’s ALCAR costs $11.87 and comes with 60 servings, which is basically the equivalent of $0.20 per serving.
Doctor’s Best L-Carnitine Fumarate Capsules
Specifications:
- Brand: Doctor’s Best
- Type: Capsules
- Servings: 60
- Dosage: 855 mg
Doctor’s Best is a trustworthy brand offering L-carnitine fumarate, a distinctive variant of L-carnitine.
In theory, the combination of carnitine and fumarate might enhance energy production by leveraging both fats (from carnitine) and carbohydrates (from fumarate).
While fumarate plays a role in the citric acid cycle (or Krebs cycle) – a key cellular energy production pathway – it’s uncertain if this blend is more potent than taking L-carnitine alone.
One bottle with 60 servings costs roughly $17, which is around $0.28 per serving.
California Gold Nutrition Acetyl L-Carnitine Capsules
Specifications:
- Brand: California Gold Nutrition
- Type: Powder
- Servings: 60
- Dosage: 500 mg
California Gold Nutrition, a brand under the umbrella of the renowned supplement retailer iHerb, offers a formula similar to MRM Nutrition, containing 500mg of acetyl L-carnitine.
iHerb stands out for its transparency, ensuring that their supplements are iTested. This means each product is accompanied by a comprehensive certificate of analysis.
Priced at approximately $17 for 60 servings, their offering aligns with the standard price for L-carnitine supplements.
Do Vegans Even Need L-Carnitine?
Carnitine, a non-essential amino acid predominantly found in animal-based foods, isn’t something we necessarily need from our diet.
That’s because our bodies have the ability to synthesize it on their own, especially when we consume adequate protein.
In fact, our body can create l-carnitine using the amino acids lysine and methionine, and there are several foods with these nutrients:
| Food | Lysine (mg per 100g) | Methionine (mg per 100g) |
|---|---|---|
| Tempeh | 754 | 173 |
| Tofu (firm) | 582 | 184 |
| Lentils (cooked) | 624 | 43 |
| Black beans (cooked) | 523 | 110 |
| Quinoa (cooked) | 442 | 148 |
| Pumpkin seeds | 1,384 | 554 |
| Watermelon seeds | 1,078 | 368 |
| Chia seeds | 1,034 | 297 |
| Soybeans (cooked) | 1,269 | 206 |
| Spirulina | 1,297 | 384 |
| Amaranth (cooked) | 515 | 152 |
| Peanuts | 863 | 287 |
Generally, there’s no reason for vegans and vegetarians to be concerned with carnitine, though there have been a few rare cases where vegans did not thrive unless they supplemented with carnitine.
Do You Really Need It For Your Fitness Goals?
Many people say carnitine supplements help with weight loss, but science tells us something else.
Studies show that for most people who eat meat, taking l-carnitine doesn’t help them lose weight.
Right now, we don’t have clear proof that l-carnitine helps with gym workouts or muscle building.
Diet seems to affect how much carnitine we have in our bodies. For example, people who eat less fat and more carbs tend to have less carnitine.
But just because they eat less doesn’t mean they have a health problem. Even if they eat less, they also get rid of less carnitine from their bodies.
If you look closely, people who eat only plants, like vegans and vegetarians, have less carnitine in their blood.
Most experts say this is okay and not bad for health. But we’re not sure if this affects how well they do in sports. We need more research to know for sure.
Some findings suggest that vegetarians might not take in carnitine as well as meat-eaters. But since vegetarians also get rid of less carnitine, their bodies might be balancing things out.
People who eat meat usually get about 100-300 mg of carnitine from their food every day. So, if vegetarians or vegans want to take a supplement, they should think about staying in this range. But they should be careful.
One study found that even when vegans took 120 mg of carnitine every day for two months, they didn’t have much more carnitine in their blood.
Instead, they got rid of more in their pee. This means they might not be using the extra carnitine, but we can’t say for sure.
It’s important to say that taking a little bit of carnitine might be okay, but taking a lot could be bad.
In one study, people who took 2,000 mg of carnitine twice a day felt sick and had stomach problems. So, if you’re thinking about taking a carnitine supplement, be careful with ingesting a lot.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
Generally, L-carnitine is okay to take if you follow the suggested amount. But, some people might have side effects. Always ask a doctor before trying a new supplement— particularly if you have health conditions.
No, L-carnitine and creatine are different. L-carnitine helps turn fat into energy, while creatine gives muscles a quick energy boost. They’re both used for different reasons, for instance, L-carnitine is used to boost fat loss while creatine is typically used to boost muscle mass and increase weight.
No, L-carnitine isn’t a steroid. L-carnitine is a natural substance that helps our body make energy. Steroids are a different type of substance with a different purpose.
Editor’s note: The content on this website is meant to be informative, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The content of our articles is not intended for use in the diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. It’s always best to speak with your doctor or a certified medical professional before making any changes to your lifestyle, diet, exercise routine, or trying a new supplement.
