L-Carnosine: Food sources, Onset of action and Benefits

What is L-Carnosine?

L-Carnosine (β-alanyl-l-histidine) was a dipeptide isolated from natural material in 1900. The natural compound has been found to be widely distributed in several animal tissues especially in excitable tissues, such as muscle and nervous tissue.

L-Carnosine has a wide range of pharmacological effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and neuroprotective effects. L-Carnosine is often used as a dietary supplement in daily life and has multiple beneficial effects in maintaining human health. L-Carnosine is used in the management of autism and learning disorders. L-Carnosine is also used for the prevention/treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), aging, eye disorders, diabetic complications (e.g., nerve damage), cancer, Alzheimer's disease, as well as liver and kidney problems. kidney problems.

Food sources

L-Carnosine can be obtained through the daily diet and the main food rich in carnosine is meat, including: turkey, chicken, beef or pork. Other animal products, such as eggs, milk and cheese, contain carnosine, but in smaller amounts. However, the body's needs cannot be met through the daily diet alone, so additional L-Carnosine supplements or supplementation with beta-alanine (a precursor of carnosine) are needed to effectively increase carnosine levels.

Onset of action

The time it takes for L-Carnosine to work is related to a number of factors, including an individual's age, health, and dosage. However, it can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to see significant benefits in general. Clinical studies have shown that 800mg of L-Carnosine daily for 8 weeks significantly improved some manifestations of autism in children, while 2g of L-Carnosine daily for 4 weeks also slightly improved cognitive performance, with the effects becoming more pronounced over time.

Benefits

The benefits of L-Carnosine are related to its pharmacological effects in the following ways:

Cognitive benefits

The antioxidant dipeptide L-carnosine has potential neuroprotective and beneficial metabolic effects, and studies have indicated cognitive benefits.

Enhancement of muscle function

L-Carnosine acts as a pH buffer in the muscles and helps to improve exercise capacity. It also protects against reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced during exercise.

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory

L-Carnosine is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It scavenges free radicals and reduces oxidative stress and inflammation, which in turn prevents a variety of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases associated with diabetes, atherosclerosis and obesity. A growing body of data suggests that carnosine may act as a scavenger of reactive and cytotoxic carbonyls.

Treatment of eye diseases

In a study to investigate the preventive effect of L-Carnosine on sodium selenite-induced cataracts in rats, the results showed that 50 g/L L-Carnosine inhibited the development of cataracts in early stages of rat cataracts. L-Carnosine carnosine had a modulating effect on rat lens proteins, but had no effect on lens cataract scores.

References:

[1] SU D, SONG Y. CHAPTER 5:Chiral Carnosine[C]. 2015. DOI:10.1039/9781782622611-00084.

[2] YU-FU LIU Shu L P; Hong Wei Liu. [Effects of L-carnosine in preventing and treating rat cataract induced by sodium selenite].[J]. 中华眼科杂志, 2009.

[3] SAKAE K, YANAGISAWA H. Therapeutic effects of polaprezinc (zinc L-carnosine complex) on pressure ulcer—A comparison with L-carnosine alone—[J]. Biomedical research on trace elements, 1900. DOI:10.11299/BRTE.25.106.

[4] WILCOX C. Adjunctive L-Carnosine for Depression?[J]. NEJM Journal Watch, 2020. DOI:10.1056/NEJM-JW.NA50942.

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