CFS & Fibromyalgia Integrative Therapies Carnitine for Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome By Adrienne Dellwo Adrienne Dellwo LinkedIn Adrienne Dellwo is an experienced journalist who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and has written extensively on the topic. Learn about our editorial process Updated on March 03, 2022 Medically reviewed by David Ozeri, MD Medically reviewed by David Ozeri, MD LinkedIn David Ozeri, MD, is a board-certified rheumatologist from Tel Aviv, Israel specializing in arthritis, autoimmune diseases, and biologic therapies. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Carnitine, also called L-carnitine, helps your cells produce energy by breaking down fat. It also may help your brain utilize neurotransmitters, serotonin, and glutamate, which can be out of balance in people with fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS). Carnitine is also an antioxidant. David Malan / Getty Images Studies show that carnitine supplementation may help lower pain levels and boost the mental health of people with FMS, and may lessen fatigue in those with ME/CFS. Researchers also found that people with either condition tolerated carnitine well. Dosage Studies have used a therapeutic dose of 500 mg of carnitine twice a day. Carnitine in Your Diet Several foods contain carnitine, including: Meat (especially red meat)Dairy productsFishPoultryTempeh (fermented soybeans)WheatAsparagusAvocadosPeanut butter Side Effects High carnitine levels can lead to side effects. Serious ones include: Rapid heart rateIncrease in blood pressureFever Less serious ones include: VomitingNauseaHeadacheDiarrheaStuffy noseRestlessnessDifficulty sleeping (especially when taken late in the day) Carnitine can impair thyroid hormone action, so you shouldn't take it if your thyroid hormone levels are low or borderline low. It's also not recommended for anyone on dialysis. Carnitine has a higher risk of negative interactions with other supplements, so be sure to talk to your healthcare provider and/or pharmacist before taking it. It may be helpful to have a list of all of the medications and supplements you are taking readily for that conversation. Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology. 2007 Mar-Apr;25(2):182-8. All rights reserved. "Double-blind, multicenter trial comparing acetyl l-carnitine with placebo in the treatment of fibromyalgia patients." Neuropsychobiology. 1997;35(1):16-23. All rights reserved. "Amantadine and L-carnitine treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome." Nippon Rinsho. Japanese journal of clinical medicine. 2007 Jun;65(6):1005-10. "Chronic fatigue syndrome and neurotransmitters" By Adrienne Dellwo Adrienne Dellwo is an experienced journalist who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and has written extensively on the topic. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit