# Carnitine or Carnosine? What's the Difference?

**By Paula Gallagher** · 2022-01-11

![Man shrugging his shoulders - carnitine or carnosine?](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0319/0960/9603/files/carnitine-carnosine_300.png?v=1641917033)

Recently, a question came through an Ask The Expert query, inquiring about the differences between carnosine and carnitine. It's not the first time someone has asked, and with good reason. Although their names sound similar, the one you choose will be based on your specific health goals.

Both carnosine and carnitine are referred to as amino acids because their chemical structure is similar to amino acids, and they are made of other amino acids. However, by scientific standards, they are not pure aminos. Carnitine is produced in the body from lysine and methionine, but for this to happen, you have to have enough B1 (thiamine) and B6 (pyridoxine) present. Carnosine is made from the amino acids alanine and histidine. The best dietary sources for carnitine and carnosine are meat, dairy, poultry and fish.

Carnitine is very popular in sports nutrition, but its benefits are far more reaching. It is often recommended as a [weight loss supplement](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27335245/) because it aids the transportation of fatty acids into the mitochondria of the cell, helping the body to more efficiently break down fats into energy. The other unique benefit to carnitine is that on its way out of the cell it helps remove toxins. The most significant percentage of carnitine is found in skeletal muscle, so it is often used to help remove the lactic acid produced during exercise. The brain and the heart also contain a large amount of carnitine, since they also require a large amount of energy for proper function and both require toxins to be removed from the cells.

The people most at risk for carnitine deficiency are those on a low-protein diet, as well as vegans and vegetarians. Also, during the aging process, the carnitine in your cells begins to decline, causing damage to the cells, resulting in age-related illnesses and decline.

There are two forms of carnitine:

-   [L- carnitine](https://myvillagegreen.com/products/l-carnitine-250-mg) – most often used by [sports enthusiasts](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0899900704000942 "https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0899900704000942") because of muscle repair and recovery.
-   [Acetyl-L-carnitine](https://myvillagegreen.com/products/acetyl-l-carnitine) – generally used to improve brain function and cognition, and may help reduce both mental and physical fatigue.

**Tags:** acetyl-l-carnitine, alzheimer's, athletes, carnitine, carnosine, Category_Health Concerns, Category_Nutritional Supplements

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> Source: [Village Green Apothecary](https://myvillagegreen.com/blogs/post/carnitine-or-carnosine-what-is-the-difference)