Health Hotline Magazine | March 2020

EDITOR’S NOTE: Last month, we focused on the health benefits of the nutrient L-carnitine. This month, learn what its derivative acetyl-L-carnitine can do for your mental and cognitive health!

In the fight against chronic stress, depression, and age-related cognitive decline, acetyl-L-carnitine supports brain function and mental wellbeing. By Suzanne Boothby Boost Your Brain Power with Acetyl-L-Carnitine! *

Whether it’s preventing anxiety and depression, enhancing memory, improving attention and focus, or just maintaining overall brain function as we age, brain health is top of mind (pun intended) for many of us. For anyone looking to reduce the effects of stress on the brain, combat depression, and enhance overall brain performance, including mood and memory, the supplement acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) should be at the top of your list. A derivative of L-carnitine, ALCAR easily crosses the blood- brain barrier where it increases brain carnitine levels and helps increase acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter vital to learning, memory, and general cognition (severe depletion of acetylcholine is associated with Alzheimer’s disease). Acetylcholine also supports neuronal plasticity, your brain’s ability to change and grow throughout your lifetime. 1 Maintaining levels of this neurotransmitter is critical for a healthy brain. As we age and/or experience chronic stress, carnitine levels decline in the brain and body. 2 Because carnitine is so critical

for healthy energy production in the mitochondria, this age- related or stress-related drop causes mitochondrial activity to slow down and contributes to a host of neurological issues, including memory loss, depression, and more. Further, ailing, poor-functioning mitochondria put a large amount of oxidative stress on the body, which can accelerate the aging process and lead to chronic inflammation. 3 ALCAR increases the efficiency of mitochondrial energy production in the brain and supports overall mitochondrial health, reducing both oxidative damage and inflammation. 4 Research has shown that ALCAR can improve cognitive function, particularly in people who are starting to experience age-related decline. 5 In one study, scientists found that carnitine levels in older animals are about 20 percent lower than younger ones, and that supplementation with ALCAR helped restore them. 6 And in a study of older men and women between the ages of 70 and 88, those who took a daily supplement of ALCAR had a significant increase in both their physical and mental energy levels, along with an improvement in their overall cognitive function. 7

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*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.