Carnosine

Last Editorial Review: 6/11/2021
Other Name(s):

B-Alanyl-L-Histidine, B-Alanyl Histidine, Beta-alanyl-L-histidine, Bêta-Alanyl-L-Histidine, Carnosina, L-Carnosine, N-Acetyl-Carnosine, N-Acétyl-Carnosine, N-Acetyl-L-Carnosine, N-Acétyl-L-Carnosine.

Overview

Carnosine is a protein building block that is naturally produced in the body. It is concentrated in muscles when they are working, and it is also found in the heart, brain, and many other parts of the body.

Carnosine is used to prevent aging and for preventing or treating complications of diabetes such as nerve damage, eye disorders (cataracts), and kidney problems.

How does it work?

Carnosine is important for many normal body functions including the proper function and development of the muscles, heart, liver, kidneys, brain, and many other organs. There is some interest in using carnosine to prevent aging because it seems to interfere with certain chemicals that might play a role in the aging process.

SLIDESHOW

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Uses & Effectiveness

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

  • Autism. Early research suggests that taking L-carnosine by mouth for 8 weeks may improve symptoms in children with autistic spectrum disorders.
  • Exercise performance. Early research suggests that taking a single dose of a specific chicken breast extract (CBEX) containing carnosine and anserine by mouth does not improve cycling power in healthy active men.
  • Complications of diabetes.
  • Aging.
  • Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of carnosine for these uses.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).

Side Effects

There is not enough information available to know if carnosine is safe to take for medical conditions.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There is not enough reliable information about the safety of taking carnosine if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Low blood pressure: Carnosine might lower blood pressure. In theory, taking carnosine might make blood pressure become too low in people with low blood pressure.

QUESTION

Next to red peppers, you can get the most vitamin C from ________________. See Answer

Interactions


Medications for high blood pressure (Antihypertensive drugs)Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.

Carnosine might decrease blood pressure in some people. Taking carnosine along with medications used for lowering high blood pressure might cause your blood pressure to go too low. Do not take too much carnosine if you are taking medications for high blood pressure.

Some medications for high blood pressure include nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan), diltiazem (Cardizem), isradipine (DynaCirc), felodipine (Plendil), amlodipine (Norvasc), and others.

Dosing

The appropriate dose of carnosine depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for carnosine. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.

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References

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