Acetyl-l-carnitine To Lower Blood Pressure

Acetyl-L-carnitine is a nutrient that has medicinal qualities to help you improve your health, including lowering your blood pressure. High blood pressure is a common condition that does not always present noticeable symptoms. Left untreated, high blood pressure is life-threatening. Consult your doctor about the benefits of taking acetyl-l-carnitine for the treatment of high blood pressure.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine

Acetyl-L-Carnitine, also called L-carnitine or carnitine, is a nutrient that facilitates the conversion of fat into energy. Your liver and kidneys produce carnitine from the amino acids lysine and methionine, and your muscles, heart, brain and sperm store the nutrient for future use. Even though your body produces carnitine, you can still be deficient or you may be unable to transport sufficient amounts to certain cells, tissues or organs. Carnitine is helpful in various types of cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure and angina. You should only take carnitine supplements as a treatment for these serious conditions under the supervision of a physician.

High Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is a measurement of the amount of blood your heart pumps and the resistance to blood flow in your arteries. You have high blood pressure when the force of blood against your artery walls becomes elevated to a point where it may eventually cause health problems, such as heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. Your blood pressure is associated with both the amount of blood your heart pumps and the width of your arteries. The more narrow your arteries, the higher your blood pressure.

Animal Studies

Studies in animals demonstrate increasing dietary intake of acetyl-L-carnitine lowers blood pressure. Scientists at Annamalai University in Annamalai Nagar, India, found carnitine supplementation lowered blood pressure in rats with high blood pressure, according to research published in "Clinical and Experimental Hypertension” in November 2007. The rats were fed initially with fructose, a sugar that increases both blood pressure and angiotensin-converting enzyme, or ACE, activity. This enzyme also normally increases blood pressure. The results show carnitine given to fructose-fed rats inhibited ACE and lowered blood pressure to normal levels.

Human Studies

Acetyl-L-carnitine in combination with alpha-lipoic acid lowers blood pressure in humans. Alpha-lipoic acid, also called thioctic acid, is a naturally occurring compound that humans synthesize to assist in cellular reactions in the mitochondria that lead to energy production. Scientists at Boston University School of Medicine in Massachusetts found that combining alpha-lipoic acid with acetyl-L-carnitine was effective in reducing systolic blood pressure and increasing the diameter of the brachial artery, which enabled increased blood flow in patients with coronary artery disease, according to research published in the "Journal of Clinical Hypertension" in April 2007.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine to Lower Blood Pressure