Supplementing older adults with Acetyl-L-Carnitine improves both mental and physical energy, cognitive and physical function

The elderly frequently complain about fatigue. There are few effective treatments and even fewer that are safe. In this new study 96 men and women aged 71 to 88 with fatigue were placed on either inactive placebo or Acetyl-L-Carnitine at a dosage of 2 grams twice a day for 180 days.

There was a major benefit to Acetyl-L-Carnitine with reductions in physical fatigue, mental fatigue, the severity of the fatigue and an improvement in both cognitive functions and ability to physically function. The ability to do daily activities improved, prolonged fatigue after exercise decreased, muscle pain decreased, sleep improved and sleep disorders decreased. The study was performed at the University of Catania in Italy and is published in the July 19th, 2007 issue of Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics.