CFS & Fibromyalgia Integrative Therapies Carnitine for Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome By 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 Adrienne Dellwo Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Grant Hughes, MD on April 26, 2020 linkedin Grant Hughes, MD, is a board-certified rheumatologist. He is an associate professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine and the head of rheumatology at Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center. Learn about our Medical Review Board Grant Hughes, MD Updated on May 01, 2020 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 doctor 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. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Learn about treatment and lifestyle changes to cope with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article 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"