As your physician, I am often asked which intervent
ions truly make a difference when it comes to healthy aging, metabolic balance, and long-term brain health. While new therapies and technologies receive much attention, some of the most effective tools are naturally occurring molecules already built into human physiology. One of the most compelling—and still underappreciated—of these is L-carnosine.
L-carnosine is a small dipeptide made from two amino acids, beta alanine and L histidine. It is found in high concentrations in skeletal muscle, the brain, and the heart—tissues with high energy demand and vulnerability to oxidative stress. Importantly, carnosine levels decline with age, paralleling many of the functional changes we associate with aging and chronic disease.
This newsletter will explore what carnosine does, why it matters, and how it can be used strategically for different health goals.
Why L-Carnosine Is So Unique
Unlike single pathway supplements, carnosine works at several fundamental levels of cellular health:
- It protects proteins from damage
- Buffers oxidative and metabolic stress
- Supports mitochondrial function
- Modulates inflammation
- Preserves tissue elasticity and function
Because of this, carnosine is best thought of as a cellular defense and resilience molecule rather than a stimulant or symptom masking agent.
1. Anti Glycation: Protecting Proteins From Sugar Damage
One of carnosine’s most important roles is its ability t
o counter glycation.
Glycation occurs when sugar molecules bind to proteins or fats, forming advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs damage enzymes, stiffen tissues, impair blood vessels, and accelerate aging. They are strongly linked to:
- Insulin resistance and diabetes
- Cardiovascular disease
- Neurodegeneration
- Kidney disease
- Skin aging
Carnosine helps by binding reactive sugar derived compounds before they can damage proteins, and by assisting in the removal of already damaged proteins. This makes it particularly valuable in individuals with high sugar exposure, metabolic syndrome, or age related tissue stiffness.
2. Antioxidant and Aldehyde Scavenging
Carnosine is not a conventional antioxidant like vitamin C, but it has a unique and complementary role. It neutralizes:
- Reactive oxygen species (ROS)
- Toxic byproducts of lipid peroxidation
- Reactive aldehydes that damage membranes and mitochondria
Importantly, carnosine does not suppress beneficial redox signaling at physiological doses. Instead, it selectively targets damaging excess oxidative stress—making it well suited for long term use.
3. Mitochondrial Support and Energy Resilience
Mitochondria are both the engines of the cell and a major source of oxidative stress. Carnosine helps protect mitochondria by:
- Stabilizing mitochondrial membranes
- Reducing oxidative damage
- Supporting efficient ATP production
- Buffering intracellular acidity during metabolic stress
This translates clinically into better energy stability, improved stress tolerance, and reduced fatigue—especially during illness, aging, or periods of metabolic challenge.
4. Brain Health and Cognitive Aging
L carnosine crosses the blood–brain barrier and exerts multiple neuroprotective effects:
- Reduces excitotoxicity from excess glutamate
- Chelates excess copper and zinc involved in neurodegeneration
- Protects neurons from beta amyloid related toxicity
- Reduces neuroinflammation
Human studies—particularly those conducted in Japan—have shown that carnosine (often combined with its close relative anserine) can improve memory, attention, and executive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. These benefits appear most pronounced when carnosine is used early, before advanced neurodegeneration has occurred.
Rather than acting as a cognitive stimulant, carnosine supports the metabolic and vascular foundations of brain function.
5. Muscle Function, Exercise, and Recovery
Carnosine is well known in muscle physiology for its ability to buffer acidity, delaying fatigue during intense activity. While athletes often use beta alanine to raise muscle carnosine levels, direct L carnosine supplementation provides both muscular and systemic benefits.
Clinically, this can support:
- Improved exercise tolerance
- Reduced post exercise soreness
- Better recovery
- Preservation of muscle quality with aging
6. Cardiovascular and Vascular Protection
Carnosine supports cardiovascular health through several mechanisms:
- Preventing glycation of LDL cholesterol
- Reducing oxidative stress in the vascular lining
- Supporting nitric oxide signaling
- Protecting heart tissue during ischemic stress
These effects help preserve arterial flexibility, microvascular function, and endothelial health, which are critical for both heart and brain aging.
7. Skin, Connective Tissue, and Wound Healing
Because collagen and elastin are long lived protein
s, they are especially vulnerable to glycation. Carnosine helps:
- Protect collagen structure
- Preserve skin elasticity
- Support wound healing
- Reduce visible signs of skin aging
This explains why carnosine appears in both oral longevity protocols and topical anti aging formulations.
How to Use L Carnosine Practically
Typical Dosing
- 500–1,500 mg per day, divided into 1–2 doses
- Can be taken with or without food
- Often best used consistently over months rather than sporadically
Absorption Considerations
Humans produce an enzyme called carnosinase, which breaks down carnosine. For this reason:
- Some individuals respond better to higher or divided doses
- Combining carnosine with zinc may modestly reduce breakdown
- The bound form – zinc carnosine, stays primarily in the gut where it is tremendous for healing the gut lining
Safety
- Generally very well tolerated
- Rare mild gastrointestinal upset at higher doses
- No known serious drug interactions
- Does not increase histamine reactions
Strategic Uses and Stacking
Carnosine integrates well into broader health strategies:
- Metabolic health: Pair with benfotiamine (a fat soluble form of B1), alpha lipoic acid, for glycemic control.
- Cognitive aging: Combine with magnesium, omega 3 fatty acids, and zinc.
- Mitochondrial support: Stack with CoQ10, PQQ, and NAD⁺ supporting nutrients.
- Fasting and autophagy: Can be used during fasting without blunting benefits.
- Exercise recovery: Combine with taurine, electrolytes, and magnesium.
Unlike many antioxidants, carnosine appears to support adaptation rather than suppress it.
The Bottom Line
L carnosine is a foundational molecule for cellular pro
tection and resilience. Its ability to reduce glycation, protect mitochondria, support brain health, and preserve tissue function makes it uniquely valuable for:
- Healthy aging.
- Metabolic dysfunction.
- Cognitive decline prevention.
- Physical performance and recovery.
- Long term vascular and skin health.
Rather than acting as a quick fix, carnosine works quietly at the cellular level—supporting the body’s ability to repair, adapt, and maintain function over time.
For many patients, it represents a simple, well tolerated, and biologically intelligent addition to a comprehensive longevity and metabolic health plan.
Take care,
David
Ellen
Ellen went in for a biopsy of her thyroid a week ago. Her doctor could feel nodules in it at her last exam. When she was a child she used to have chronic sore throats. At one point her doctor thought it would be a good idea to treat her throat wit
h a series of radiation treatments – much like they do for cancer. This was back in the early 50’s when radiation was still cool. It didn’t solve her chronic sore throat, but now doctors are worried about possible cancer side effects from such treatments. Fortunately we got her results back yesterday, and everything is fine.
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Tanning beds increase melanoma almost three fold Advances in DNA testing of individual skin cells is de ___________________________ “Read the room. Being right, doing right, and having the right intentions is not enough. You must also always function with full situational awareness of what is going on around you and adapt/respond to that as well.“~David DeLapp _____________________________________ Sleep or exercise? ____________________________ “Judgments push us into the dependency state of victim. We make judgments of things and people around us to try to make them be a way that puts us first and gets our needs met instead of taking responsibility to meeting our own needs..“ ~David DeLapp ________________________________________ Carbs and Alzheimer’s A study of 200,000 adults tracked for 13 years has sh ________________________ “Peace is unavailable on this planet or in our lives until we take responsibility for everything in our lives. Failure to do so leaves us blaming others which destroys peace.“ ~David DeLapp |
