I’ve tried many supplements, herbs and whole foods to help with my focus and mood. ALCAR is one of my favourites. It is highly effective, but I have to split a 100mg capsule up and take throughout the day, or it makes my IBS worse.

There’s also some concern about TMAO and oxidative damage, at least from long term, high-dosage use.

An amino acid found in meat, ALCAR can increase physical and mental ‘energy’ and focus by helping shuttle fatty acids into the mitochondria – a tiny organ (organelle) that products energy in the form of ATP.

ALCAR increases the amount of choline in the forebrain, in rats at least – which has a positive effect on cognition, in most people. Study here.

ALCAR with Alpha Lipoic Acid

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) is know for its blood sugar lowering impact, and it’s antioxidant effect. It is also a cognitive enhancing supplement (a “nootropic”) as it increases the products of acetylcholine, by activating/up-regulating the enzyme choline acetyltransferase. This in turn can increase the effect of ALCAR.

Some people also state that ALA can also enter into cells and help with specific oxidation, that may result from ALCAR supplementation – although I cannot find any scientific references to support this theory.

ALCAR and ALA, when taken together, have been shown in some studies, to reduce the number of damaged mitochondria and increase the number of ‘intact’ hippocampal mitochondria. This in turn can improve brain function.

You can read more about the impact on brain health (or theorised impact), in a study done on rats here.