Acetyl L-Carnitine HCl
Acetyl L-Carnitine HCl is the hydrochloride salt of the acetyl ester of L-carnitine, commonly abbreviated ALCAR or ALC. The acetylated nitrogen and ester linkage allow the molecule to cross the blood-brain barrier far more efficiently than free L-carnitine, which is the basis of its positioning as a cognitive and neurological supplement.
The free base of acetyl-L-carnitine carries CAS 14992-62-2 and the HCl salt carries CAS 5080-50-2. The salt is a white, slightly hygroscopic crystalline powder with high water solubility.
We source bulk Acetyl L-Carnitine HCl from top China manufacturers for our partners, working with several of them. The manufacturers are in Liaoning and Hubei. For this ingredient the minimum order is 500 kg, and a smaller requirement can ship in a combined container with other ingredients.
Please send the grade you need, the volume and your destination port, and we will come back with a solution and a price.
or call +86-21-6858 0751
- Minimum order
- 500 kg
- Packaging
- 25 kg kraft paper bag with PE inner liner
- ISO 9001
- HACCP
- Halal
- Kosher
Specifications
Grades / Types Available: Pharmaceutical Grade, Food Grade
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White crystalline powder |
| Assay | ≥ 99.0% |
| Specific Rotation [α]D²⁰ | -24° to -28° |
| Loss on Drying | ≤ 1.0% |
| Residue on Ignition | ≤ 0.5% |
| Heavy Metals (as Pb) | ≤ 10 mg/kg |
| pH (5% solution) | 2.0-3.5 |
| Purity (Pharmaceutical Grade) | 99% min |
| Moisture/Loss on Drying | < 0.5% |
| Lead | < 1 ppm |
| Arsenic | < 0.5 ppm |
| Total Plate Count | < 1000 cfu/g |
| Yeast & Mold | < 100 cfu/g |
Common Markets Grades
The market splits Acetyl L-Carnitine HCl into supplement and pharmaceutical qualities.
Supplement grade typically assays at 98.0 to 102.0 percent on the dried basis, with controls on D-isomer content, free L-carnitine, residual solvents, and heavy metals. Particle size is generally a fine to medium powder suitable for capsule fill or tablet compression after blending.
Pharmaceutical grade is produced under cGMP and is used in the manufacture of registered acetyl-L-carnitine products in the European Union and several Asian markets, where the molecule is positioned for peripheral neuropathy and age-related cognitive complaints.
Stability of the acetyl ester is moderate. Aqueous solutions hydrolyse slowly to free L-carnitine and acetic acid at neutral pH, and faster at high pH, so the salt is preferred over the free base for solid-dosage shelf life.
Applications
- Cognitive-support supplements for memory and mental energy positioning
- Healthy-aging and brain-health stacks alongside alpha-GPC and citicoline
- Mood-support and stress formulations
- Nootropic capsules and powders sold direct to consumer
- Sports-recovery products for delayed onset muscle soreness research positioning
- Peripheral neuropathy support formulations including diabetic-neuropathy lines
- Vision-support supplements paired with lutein and zeaxanthin
- Male fertility and sperm-motility formulations
- Veterinary cognitive-aging products for senior dogs
- Pharmaceutical oral solid dosage forms in registered ALCAR products
- Functional shots and energy beverages
- Senior-nutrition powders alongside collagen and omega-3
Brands Using Acetyl L-Carnitine HCl
Widely-distributed consumer products that list Acetyl L-Carnitine HCl on the ingredient label.
- NOW FoodsAcetyl-L-Carnitine 500 mg Veg Capsules ↗Acetyl-L-carnitine HCl (ALC) at 500 mg per veg capsule.Label verified 2026-05-24
- Doctor's BestAcetyl-L-Carnitine 500 mg Veggie Caps ↗Acetyl-L-carnitine HCl (ALCAR) at 500 mg per veggie capsule.Label verified 2026-05-24
- Jarrow FormulasAcetyl L-Carnitine 500 mg Veggie Capsules ↗Acetyl-L-Carnitine HCl 500 mg per capsule, an antioxidant amino acid supporting cellular energy production via fatty-acid metabolism.Label verified 2026-05-24
- Life ExtensionAcetyl-L-Carnitine 500 mg ↗Acetyl-L-Carnitine HCl 500 mg capsule for cellular energy, cognitive support, and mitochondrial health.Label verified 2026-05-24
- SolarayAcetyl L-Carnitine 500 mg ↗Acetyl-L-carnitine HCl at 500 mg per capsule.Label verified 2026-05-24
- Country LifeAcetyl L-Carnitine 500 mg ↗Acetyl-L-carnitine HCl at 500 mg per vegan capsule.Label verified 2026-05-24
Brand names, product names and logos are the property of their owners. They appear here as published evidence that the ingredient is used, taken from the brand's own label or website. Their appearance is not an endorsement, and it does not mean the brand buys from us or from any manufacturer listed on this site.
China Manufacturers of Acetyl L-Carnitine HCl
Top Acetyl L-Carnitine HCl manufacturers in China.
Hubei Grand Life Science & Technology Co., Ltd.6 ingredients in the directory
Kaiyuan Hengtai Nutrition Co., Ltd.9 ingredients in the directory
Liaoning Koncepnutra Co., Ltd.11 ingredients in the directory
Company names and logos are the property of the manufacturers themselves. They are listed here because our own directory records them as producing this ingredient. A listing is not an endorsement by them, and we do not represent them or speak on their behalf.
How We Help Source Acetyl L-Carnitine HCl
Direct Factory Sourcing
We run the whole process: selecting the manufacturer from the top Chinese food ingredient producers, negotiating the price, verifying quality, and coordinating the logistics. You deal with us instead of with several factories at once.
Original Packaging and Documents from the Manufacturer
The manufacturer sends your Acetyl L-Carnitine HCl out of its own factory in the original packing, through to your destination port. The COA, COO, MSDS, TDS and any certifications reach you from the manufacturer as well.
Free Samples and Lead Time
We send 100 to 500 g free for your own laboratory to test and you cover only the courier, usually within 2 to 3 working days. ETD is usually within 7 to 15 days once the order is confirmed, and we check that date against the factory's own manufacturing schedule before we give it to you.
Combined Shipment
We can load Acetyl L-Carnitine HCl together with other ingredients such as Glycine, L-Arginine and L-Leucine into one 20' FCL. If your quantity is small, we can also ship LCL.
Regulatory Status
Acetyl L-Carnitine HCl is marketed as a dietary supplement ingredient in the United States and is permitted as a food supplement in most of the European Union under national-level rules on amino-acid derivatives.
It is not separately listed as GRAS for general food use. In Italy and several other European markets it is also registered as a prescription medicinal product for peripheral neuropathy and for cognitive complaints in the elderly under the brand Nicetile and equivalents.
Pharmacopoeial coverage exists in national monographs in several markets, with USP and Ph. Eur. methodology widely used for identity and assay. Manufacturers commonly supply Halal and Kosher certificates and full cGMP documentation for finished-dose registration support.
Manufacturing Process
Acetyl L-Carnitine HCl is manufactured by acetylation of L-carnitine using acetic anhydride or acetyl chloride in a controlled solvent system, followed by salt formation with hydrochloric acid.
The most common route starts from L-carnitine inner salt or L-carnitine HCl produced by either the Lonza asymmetric synthesis or the biocatalytic route. Acetylation is run with stoichiometric control to limit di-acetylation and minimise residual acetic acid.
Workup involves crystallisation from a water-alcohol mixture, washing with cold acetone or isopropanol, and vacuum drying at moderate temperature to preserve the ester linkage. Final material is milled and sieved to spec.
Chiral purity is verified by polarimetry and chiral HPLC, and the ester content is confirmed by NMR or HPLC against an external standard.
