Supplements Amino Acids What Is Carnosine? It's being researched for Alzheimer's, diabetes, cancer, and more By Cathy Wong Cathy Wong Facebook Twitter Cathy Wong is a nutritionist and wellness expert. Her work is regularly featured in media such as First For Women, Woman's World, and Natural Health. Learn about our editorial process Updated on July 20, 2020 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Meredith Bull, ND Medically reviewed by Meredith Bull, ND Facebook LinkedIn Meredith Bull, ND, is a licensed naturopathic doctor with a private practice in Los Angeles, California. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Verywell / Anastasia Tretiak Table of Contents View All Table of Contents What Is Carnosine Used For? Possible Side Effects Dosage and Preparation What to Look For Carnosine is a substance produced naturally by the body. Classified as a dipeptide, a compound made up of two linked amino acids (in this case alanine and histidine), carnosine is highly concentrated in muscle tissue and in the brain. It's also present in significant concentrations in beef and fish, and in lower concentrations in chicken. A synthetic form of carnosine sold in supplement form is touted as a natural remedy for a host of health conditions, including: Autism Cataracts Complications related to diabetes High blood pressure Kidney problems In addition, carnosine is said to stimulate the immune system, enhance mood, improve memory, fight wrinkles, and preserve eyesight. What Is Carnosine Used For? As a 2018 review on carnosine reports, there's great potential for the application of carnosine in health and disease. For instance, it's been discovered that carnosine has powerful antioxidant properties, allowing it to protect cells against free radical damage. It also appears to reduce inflammation, a driver of many types of chronic disease. Due to these effects, it's thought that carnosine could help protect against a number of aging-related conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular disease. That said, very few clinical trials have tested the potential health benefits of taking carnosine supplements. Until such trials are conducted, it's difficult to tell how the consumption of carnosine might influence human health. Here's a look at some of the more promising research on carnosine. Alzheimer's Disease Animal and laboratory studies show that carnosine reduces the buildup of amyloid beta, the protein that forms the brain plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease. In one study on mice published in 2013, oral supplementation with carnosine prevented cognitive decline due to its inhibition of amyloid beta. In 2016 research on healthy elderly people that supplemented with a formula containing carnosine, scientists reported an improvement in the decrease in blood flow to the brain that occurs in Alzheimer’s disease, as well as better preservation of memory in the participants. Similar results were shown in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease published in 2017. In light of this evidence, carnosine has been postulated to control the progression of Alzheimer’s disease; clinical studies, however, are still needed. Diabetes Carnosine may be especially beneficial to people with diabetes in that it can protect against damage caused by protein glycation. This process, which results from having too much sugar in the body, is a major contributor to diabetes-related complications, such as kidney and nerve damage. Although evidence is still emerging, both animal and human studies have indicated the potential of supplementation with carnosine (which is diminished in both animals and humans with type 2 diabetes) to delay the progression of diabetes and prevent such complications. A pilot clinical trial provided evidence of the ability of carnosine supplementation to protect against diabetes development in non-diabetic obese individuals. When overweight and obese adults were randomly assigned to ingest either carnosine (two grams a day) or a placebo for 12 weeks, an increase in fasting insulin and insulin resistance was reported with placebo, but not carnosine. The group receiving carnosine also had improved responses to an oral glucose test (for example, lower glucose and insulin). Such findings, although promising, require further confirmation. Cancer A number of preliminary (cell culture) studies suggest there is potential for carnosine to help fight cancer. For instance, the presence of carnosine decreased growth on many major types of cancer cells, including liver cells, colon cells, and ovarian cells. There's also evidence from studies that correlates low levels of carnosine or high levels of activity of carnosidase, the enzyme that breaks down carnosine, and poor cancer prognosis. While interesting, it's important to remember that this research is in its infancy. Autism One of the few clinical trials involving carnosine is a small study published in the Journal of Child Neurology in 2002. In it, 31 children with autistic spectrum disorders took either a carnosine supplement or a placebo every day for eight weeks. By the end of the treatment period, members of the carnosine group showed significantly greater improvements in certain measures of functioning, including behavior and communication. The study's authors note that carnosine may benefit children with autism by enhancing nervous-system function. Despite these promising results, no more recent research on carnosine and autism has been conducted. Possible Side Effects While little is known about the safety of taking carnosine supplements, there's some concern that carnosine may disrupt your sleep. Since the health risks of carnosine supplements are unknown, it's important to seek medical advice before using carnosine. Also, be aware that the safety of supplements in pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, and those with medical conditions or who are taking medications has not been established. Dosage and Preparation Because there's no proven medical benefit for carnosine, there's no agreement as to what dosage will produce a therapeutic effect. Among proponents, it ranges from between 50 and 150 milligrams a day to around 1,000 milligrams a day. It's important to note that, other than for vegans and strict vegetarians, there are questions about the necessity of carnosine supplementation since simply eating a meal that includes animal- or fish-based protein will increase your level of carnosine (e.g., a three-ounce portion of beef contains around 300 milligrams of carnosine). The efficacy of oral supplementation with carnosine is also an issue since most carnosine absorbed from the gut is destroyed in the bloodstream by enzymes called carnosinases. The bottom line: It's too soon to recommend carnosine supplements as a standard treatment for any health problem. If you're considering the use of carnosine supplements for treatment of a condition, talk to your healthcare provider before starting your supplement regimen. Self-treating with carnosine supplements and avoiding or delaying standard care may have serious consequences. What to Look For Keep in mind that supplements haven't been tested for safety and are largely unregulated. That means the content of some products may differ from what's specified on the product label. As with any other supplement, always choose one from a reputable manufacturer. If you decide to try carnosine supplements, find a brand tested and approved by a recognized certifying body, such as U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), NSF International, or ConsumerLab. Doing so can ensure the highest quality and safety possible. Carnosine vs. Carnitine It's easy to confuse carnosine with carnitine, which is also derived from an animo acid and concentrated in muscle tissue. Though the body makes a sufficient amount of carnitine to meet the needs of most people, a synthetic form is also available in dietary supplements. It's often taken for weight loss, exercise performance, heart health, and to enhance brain function. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. 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 9 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. Artioli GG, Sale C, Jones RL. Carnosine in health and disease. Eur J Sport Sci. 2019;19(1):30-39. Herculano B, Tamura M, Ohba A, Shimatani M, Kutsuna N, Hisatsune T. β-alanyl-L-histidine rescues cognitive deficits caused by feeding a high fat diet in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. J Alzheimers Dis. 2013;33(4):983-97. doi:10.3233/JAD-2012-121324 Hisatsune T, Kaneko J, Kurashige H, et al. Effect of anserine/carnosine supplementation on verbal episodic memory in elderly people. J Alzheimers Dis. 2016;50(1):149-59. doi:10.3233/JAD-150767 Kaneko J, Enya A, Enomoto K, Ding Q, Hisatsune T. Anserine (beta-alanyl-3-methyl-L-histidine) improves neurovascular-unit dysfunction and spatial memory in aged AβPPswe/PSEN1dE9 Alzheimer's-model mice. Sci Rep. 2017;7(1):12571. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-12785-7 Janssen B, Hohenadel D, Brinkkoetter P, et al. Carnosine as a protective factor in diabetic nephropathy: association with a leucine repeat of the carnosinase gene CNDP1. Diabetes. 2005;54(8):2320-2327. doi:10.2337/diabetes.54.8.2320 De Courten B, Jakubova M, De Courten MP, et al. Effects of carnosine supplementation on glucose metabolism: Pilot clinical trial. Obesity. 2016;24(5):1027-1034. doi:10.1002/oby.21434 Mikuła-Pietrasik J, Książek K. L-Carnosine Prevents the Pro-cancerogenic Activity of Senescent Peritoneal Mesothelium Towards Ovarian Cancer Cells. Anticancer Res. 2016;36(2):665-71. Arner P, Henjes F, Schwenk JM, et al. Circulating carnosine dipeptidase 1 associates with weight loss and poor prognosis in gastrointestinal cancer. PLoS One. 2015;10(4):e0123566. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0123566 Lofthouse N, Hendren R, Hurt E, Arnold LE, Butter E. A review of complementary and alternative treatments for autism spectrum disorders. Autism Res Treat. 2012;2012:870391. doi:10.1155/2012/870391 Additional Reading Guiotto A, Calderan A, Ruzza P, Borin G. Carnosine and Carnosine-Related Antioxidants: a Review. Curr Med Chem. 2005;12(20):2293-315. Hipkiss AR. Carnosine and Its Possible Roles in Nutrition and Health. Adv Food Nutr Res. 2009;57:87-154. Hipkiss AR. Would Carnosine or a Carnivorous Diet Help Suppress Aging and Associated Pathologies? Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2006 May;1067:369-74. Hipkiss AR. Could Carnosine or Related Structures Suppress Alzheimer's Disease? J Alzheimers Dis. 2007 May;11(2):229-40. Mendelson Scott D. Nutritional Supplements and Metabolic Syndrome. "Metabolic Syndrome and Psychiatric Illness." 2008. Quinn PJ, Boldyrev AA, Formazuyk VE. Carnosine: its properties, functions and potential therapeutic applications. Mol Aspects Med. 1992;13(5):379-444.