L-Carnitine Promotes Hair Growth?

[mulder]

STUDY:Indications that topical l-carnitine-l-tartrate promotes human hair growth in vivo (04 Sep 07)
CONCLUSION: In this prospective, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled observational study, topical treatment of volunteers with moderate-level androgenetic alopecia with a 2% CT solution increased the total number of terminal scalp hairs/cm2 and the anagen/telogen ratio after 6 months of treatment. This small pilot study, evidently, requires repetition with a much larger n of volunteers and a prolonged observational period. However, the currently available data confirm our in vitro data with organ-cultured human scalp hair follicles [4], and further support the concept that CT is able to promote human hair growth at a favourable ratio of benefits to risks/undesired effects.

See link for full study:

http://tinyurl.com/yww3bv

 

[BH 90 NWtwo 10]

sounds amazing? why is no one comenting on this? and how do u get a topical solution of that L cartnatine stuff

 

[liquidfirex]

Carnitine speeds up cell activity by boosting mitochondrial energy, makes sense that it would help hair.
Only it gives no metrics at all, I need numbers!

 

[mulder]

Looks like its a promising supplement for muscle growth/recovery and fat burning as well. Excellent, I'm gonna get me some. I noticed they put some Carnitine HCL in Revita already though.

 

[mulder]

HAIR CARE FORMULATIONS CONTAINING CARNITINE DERIVATIVES ACTIVATE CELLULAR ENERGY METABOLISM AND BOOST THE ATP CONTENT IN HUMAN HAIR FOLLICLES

EHRS - Zurich 2005

Giesen M, Hoting E, Schulze zur Wiesche E, Petersohn D Henkel KGaA, Düsseldorf, Germany

Active energy metabolism is an essential prerequisite for the growth of strong and healthy hair. Not only the differentiation and proliferation of hair follicle keratinocytes, which form the visible hair shafts, depend on energy consuming processes, but also production of growth factors, cytokines etc. by neighbouring cells (e.g. dermal papilla cells) need to be supplied with chemically bound energy.

In biological systems ATP acts as the universal energy currency. Thus, determination of ATP levels in living cells is suitable to assess the cellular metabolic activity and energy. Using cultivated hair follicle cells within screening systems we identified bio-actives that significantly increased cellular ATP contents, albeit to varying extents.

The most potent, carnitine tartrate, was used to enrich hair care formulations, which were then further investigated in a placebo controlled panel study. In a left/right comparison healthy male volunteers applied two hair tonic formulations twice daily for four days. The verum formulation contained 2% carnitine tartrate encapsulated in liposomes, whereas the placebo contained empty liposomes. Throughout the test period ATP content within plucked hair follicles was determined twice daily using a commercially available test kit.

Statistical evaluation of baseline adjusted values demonstrated a significant increase in ATP equivalents in human hair roots treated with carnitine tartrate. These effects were absent in the placebo group, thus underlining the stimulating activity of carnitine tartrate. The outstanding bio-activity of carnitine tartrate was furthermore demonstrated in a second study, assessing the effects after a single application of a shampoo formulation supplemented with carnitine tartrate. Again, ATP levels in plucked human hair follicles were significantly increased.

We conclude that carnitine tartrate is an ideal ingredient for hair care formulations, providing energy for the optimal environment to produce strong and healthy hair.

 

[liquidfirex]

I've always used Acetyl-L-Carnitine orally, and it gives me a good amount of energy, and more drive. Never tried it topically.

 

[mulder]

Damn...health Canada doesn't allow it to be imported.

Anyone think the form of all L-Carnitine would make any difference?

 

[liquidfirex]

Well don't tell health Canada I imported a kilogram of it from bulk nutrition .com

It's a bloody amino acid for crap sakes.

 

[mulder]

Well don't tell health Canada I imported a kilogram of it from bulk nutrition .com

It's a bloody amino acid for crap sakes.

Did you actually receive it? Did Bulk Nutrition not list exactly what it was?

 

[liquidfirex]

I got it and it was listed.
I'm in Ontario though, and customs around our area of the border is very lax.

Why it was ever banned is beyond me, the stuff is extremely good for you. I sing it's praises to people all the time.

 

[Yogi]

L-Carnitine-L-tartrate promotes human hair growth in vitro.
Foitzik K, Hoting E, Förster T, Pertile P, Paus R.

Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany, and Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Schleswig-Hosltein, Campus Lübeck, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.

The trimethylated amino acid l-carnitine plays a key role in the intramitochondrial transport of fatty acids for beta-oxidation and thus serves important functions in energy metabolism. Here, we have tested the hypothesis that l-carnitine, a frequently employed dietary supplement, may also stimulate hair growth by increasing energy supply to the massively proliferating and energy-consuming anagen hair matrix. Hair follicles (HFs) in the anagen VI stage of the hair cycle were cultured in the presence of 0.5-50 mum of l-carnitine-l-tartrate (CT) for 9 days. At day 9, HFs treated with 5 mum or 0.5 mum of CT showed a moderate, but significant stimulation of hair shaft elongation compared with vehicle-treated controls (P < 0.05). Also, CT prolonged the duration of anagen VI, down regulated apoptosis (as measured by TUNEL assay) and up regulated proliferation (as measured by Ki67 immunohistology) of hair matrix keratinocytes (P < 0.5). By immunohistology, intrafollicular immunoreactivity for TGFbeta2, a key catagen-promoting growth factor, in the dermal papilla and TGF-beta II receptor protein in the outer root sheath and dermal papilla was down regulated. As shown by caspase activity assay, caspase 3 and 7, which are known to initiate apoptosis, are down regulated at day 2 and day 4 after treatment of HFs with CT compared with vehicle-treated control indicating that CT has an immediate protective effect on HFs to undergo programmed cell death. Our findings suggest that l-carnitine stimulates human scalp hair growth by up regulation of proliferation and down regulation of apoptosis in follicular keratinocytes in vitro. They further encourage one to explore topical and nutraceutical administration of l-carnitine as a well-tolerated, relatively safe adjuvant treatment in the management of androgenetic alopecia and other forms of hair loss.

 

[hair_tomorrow]

Pretty sure this stuff is included in Immortal Hair's "Top 6" supplements.