Is (-)-L-Carnitine Safe in Breastfeeding
Question
I am a breastfeeding mother and i want to know if it is safe to use (-)-L-Carnitine? Is (-)-L-Carnitine safe for nursing mother and child? Does (-)-L-Carnitine extracts into breast milk? Does (-)-L-Carnitine has any long term or short term side effects on infants? Can (-)-L-Carnitine influence milk supply or can (-)-L-Carnitine decrease milk supply in lactating mothers?
(-)-L-Carnitine lactation summary
- DrLact safety Score for (-)-L-Carnitine is 1 out of 8 which is considered Safe as per our analyses.
- A safety Score of 1 indicates that usage of (-)-L-Carnitine is mostly safe during lactation for breastfed baby.
- Our study of different scientific research also indicates that (-)-L-Carnitine does not cause any serious side effects in breastfeeding mothers.
- Most of scientific studies and research papers declaring usage of (-)-L-Carnitine safe in breastfeeding are based on normal dosage and may not hold true for higher dosage.
- Score calculated using the DrLact safety Version 1.2 model, this score ranges from 0 to 8 and measures overall safety of drug in lactation. Scores are primarily calculated using publicly available case studies, research papers, other scientific journals and publically available data.
Answer by Dr. Ru: About (-)-L-Carnitine usage in lactation
Amino acid that is present in many foods, among them the milk. Indication is the treatment of Primary Deficiency of Carnitine, or, Secondary Deficiency due to Hemolysis, Myocardiopathy and other diseases. Only Levocarnitine is effective as a supplement, with the consumption of D-carnitine regarded as a risk for deficiency. Normal levels in the milk are not modified by the consumption of supplements of Carnitine. Mean concentration level within the first month is about 10 to 12 mg/L, with lower levels in the next following months. The supplementation with Carnitine of the milk for premature infants does not improve their weight increment, with no proof of a beneficial effect.