10 replies to this topic

[Renegade]

I've been experimenting with this substance for a while.
500mg makes me feel wired and foggy.
I took 250mg today and experienced a common experience of mine with this dosage. Within the hour, I began to feel more alert, increased fluidity of thought and motivation. Slightly over stimulated but manageable. I also noticed something which I have noticed with this dosage in the past, that I begin to have more 'deep,' outside of the box, creative thinking. It's like my mind is able to perceive more and interpret things in new and more complex ways. I catch myself and think 'huh, amazing, I don't usually think like that!' I also noticed easier problem solving. Very nice! However, as I have have experienced previosuly, I seem to 'crash' 4-5 hours or so after dosing. I become tired, irritable and foggy :-( Does anyone share these ractions and have any ideas what causes it / solutions?

I may experiment with approx. 100mg but noticed little from this dosage in the past. Has anyone had any success with this dosage?

Thanks

[Dorian Grey]

Interesting Renegade! ALCAR is one of my morning "empty stomach" supplements (500mg/day).

I've always had remarkable energy and alertness in the morning, but often encounter fatigue around lunchtime, even before I actually have lunch. I've always chalked this up to getting older, but my daily highs and lows seem to match yours well.

After my lunchtime crump I frequently get a second wind in the evening and am alert and active again well into the night.

I'll try skipping my morning dose a few times and see what happens. Will report back.

[Elusive]

I have stopped taking ALC as over the period of time it halts the conversion of T4 to T3 and i start gaining weight no matter how much i exercise or restrict calories. When i stop it i start loosing weight faster and faster. I have experienced the same thing with Lipoic Acid. I dont understand why these good supplements have such stupid effects.

[babcock]

I used to take ALCAR and always felt that it gave me a little boost, but not enough to rule out placebo effect. I stopped taking it when this study recently came out:

http://www.nature.co...ll/nm.3145.html

Granted ALCAR is acetylated but ALCAR didn't do enough for me to warrant the risk, also I'm not a vegetarian so I do get carnitine in my diet naturally.

[Dorian Grey]

I haven't read any data on the difference between assimilation of ALCAR and carnitine in red meat; but I "assume" carnitine in red meat feeds bacteria that generate TMA throughout its passage through the GI tract, and hope ALCAR is absorbed long before it reaches the flora of the distal ilium/colon where it would generate TMA.

If anyone has any info or thoughts on this, I should think this would be the key to whether or not ALCAR presents the same danger as has been shown for red meat carnitine.

[Renegade]

Interesting Renegade! ALCAR is one of my morning "empty stomach" supplements (500mg/day).

I've always had remarkable energy and alertness in the morning, but often encounter fatigue around lunchtime, even before I actually have lunch. I've always chalked this up to getting older, but my daily highs and lows seem to match yours well.

After my lunchtime crump I frequently get a second wind in the evening and am alert and active again well into the night.

I'll try skipping my morning dose a few times and see what happens. Will report back.

Look forward to hearing your experiences on your days off!

[cuprous]

re: carnitine and heart disease -- search around. There are a number of solid rebuttals out there. Here is one.

[Dorian Grey]

OK, 4 days off ALCAR and one back on...

After being on morning ALCAR for several years, quitting gave some interesting results. Energy levels were lower in the morning, but so was "restlessness". I found myself easing into my day a little more slowly, but also in a more peaceful state of mind.

My afternoon energy crump continues to arrive right on schedule without much change in intensity and this was rather disappointing.

Tried going back on ALCAR this morning and felt rather anxious and restless again for several hours. Think I preferred the kinder/gentler mornings off the ALCAR. It's now out of my daily supp/stack box and into my "back burner" cupboard for a while. Perhaps I'll have second thoughts about it and re-try it down the road a bit.

Thanks for sharing your experiences Renegade.

[cuprous]

synthesia - remember, the dosage is the medicine. Have you tried cutting your dosage in half to see if that helps at all?

[Dorian Grey]

Hi cuprous; I always thought I was already taking a low dose... I always look for the lowest dose of most every supp I take and even then, usually only take one a day even if more is recommended on the label.

Perhaps I'll try dumping half the cap and see how that goes.

[Renegade]

500mg can be way too much for some people. 250mg may be right for you; or possibly even 150mg. I guess the benefits you would receive from as low as 150mg is debatable, though.

See this thread for peoples' experiences with lower dosages http://www.longecity..._30#entry600014

Edited by Renegade, 18 July 2013 - 07:42 PM.