NOW Foods L-Carnitine Triple Strength Liquid 16 fl oz

What it is

NOW Sports Triple Strength L-Carnitine Liquid is a citrus-flavored liquid dietary supplement that provides 3,000 mg of L-carnitine in a one-tablespoon (15 mL) serving. It is sold in a 16 fl. oz. (473 mL) amber bottle with a screw cap, and the Supplement Facts panel declares about 32 servings in the bottle. The front label carries the NOW Sports wordmark, the Carnipure® ingredient mark and an Informed Sport seal.

The pack explains its own name. NOW prints on the back panel that this liquid has three times the L-carnitine of its regular-strength liquid — 3,000 mg per tablespoon against 1,000 mg per tablespoon — which is where "Triple Strength" comes from. This item is filed under Sports Nutrition and Amino Acids & BCAAs.

What's inside

Four items are declared with amounts on the Supplement Facts panel, and seven more are listed underneath as other ingredients. Here is what each one is.

• L-Carnitine (Carnipure®), Free-Form Base — 3 g (3,000 mg). This is the headline ingredient, and the panel qualifies it two ways: by trademark and by form. Carnipure® is a Lonza trademark, a fact NOW prints on the back panel itself. The back panel also notes that carnitine occurs naturally in red meat and other animal-source foods; the carnitine used here is described on the pack as non-animal sourced, which is consistent with the Vegan mark printed on the bottle.
• Vitamin B-12 (as Cyanocobalamin) — 50 mcg, 2083% Daily Value. The second declared nutrient, and the only one on the panel carrying a percentage. Cyanocobalamin is the form named on the label. General background on this vitamin is published in the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements Vitamin B12 fact sheet, which describes the nutrient in general and does not refer to this product.
• Stevia Extract (Leaf) — 15 mg. This is the only sweetener declared anywhere on the label. The packaging also states that the formula contains no aspartame, sucralose or acesulfame potassium.
• Calories 20 and Total Carbohydrate 5 g (2% DV). Both are declared per tablespoon. The panel footnotes that percentages are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

The other ingredients line reads, in full: De-ionized Water, Vegetable Glycerin, L-Malic Acid, Citric Acid, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate (as preservative) and Lemon (Citrus limon) Oil. Two of those are worth pointing out. The citrus flavor named on the front of the bottle is carried by the Natural Flavors and by genuine lemon oil, which the panel identifies down to the botanical name, Citrus limon. And potassium sorbate is the only preservative declared — the label names it as such rather than leaving it unmarked in the list.

Supplement Facts

** Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. † Daily Value not established. Transcribed from the Supplement Facts panel on the bottle.

How to use it

The label directs: shake well before using, then take 1 tablespoon daily, preferably on an empty stomach. That is the complete Suggested Usage text, and the same instruction is repeated word for word elsewhere on the packaging.

There is no dropper and no measuring cup supplied with the bottle; the serving is a tablespoon, which is why the serving size recorded for this item reads "1 Tablespoon (15 mL)". For storage, the label gives one instruction and one only: store in a cool, dry, dark place after opening. The bottle itself is amber rather than clear.

Who it's for

This is a NOW Sports product for adults 18 and over. The liquid format suits anyone who would rather measure a tablespoon than count capsules, and at about 32 servings the 16 fl. oz. size is a standing supply rather than a sample.

Two marks printed on the bottle are relevant to anyone subject to competition testing: an Informed Sport seal and a Steroid Tested diamond. If testing applies to you, those are the marks to check, and current certification status should be confirmed with the certifying body rather than taken from a product page. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements publishes a general fact sheet on dietary supplements for exercise and athletic performance, written about the category and not about this product. See also Health & Wellness.

Good to know

The allergen statement on the panel reads: not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish or sesame ingredients, and produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens. That second half is part of the printed statement and is worth reading if you are sensitive to any of those.

The printed caution reads: for adults only; consult a physician if pregnant or nursing, taking medication (especially thyroid hormones or anticoagulant medications), or if you have a medical condition, including thyroid disease; keep out of reach of children. The label separately notes that natural color variation may occur in this product, so the exact shade of the liquid can differ between bottles.

On provenance and marks: the panel states that the product is manufactured by NOW Foods, 395 S. Glen Ellyn Rd., Bloomingdale, IL 60108, USA, and that it is made and quality tested in the USA with globally sourced ingredients — that qualified wording is what the pack actually says. The bottle carries a GMP Quality Assured roundel, a Vegan mark, a Non-GMO mark and a kosher symbol printed without a named certifying agency beside it. Label records for marketed supplements can be looked up in the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database, and general safety guidance is published by NCCIH on dietary and herbal supplements. Neither source refers to this product.

Several statements on the front and side of this pack carry an asterisk. The FDA explains what that asterisk signals in its guidance on structure/function claims. Those asterisked statements have not been reproduced here.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much L-carnitine is in one serving?

One serving provides 3 g, which the panel also writes as 3,000 mg. A serving is 1 tablespoon (15 mL), and the 16 fl. oz. (473 mL) bottle holds about 32 of them.

Is this sweetened with sugar or an artificial sweetener?

Stevia Extract (Leaf) at 15 mg is the only sweetener declared on the label. The packaging additionally states that the formula contains no aspartame, sucralose or acesulfame potassium, and the panel declares 5 g of total carbohydrate and 20 calories per tablespoon.

Is the L-carnitine in this bottle animal-derived?

No — the pack describes the carnitine it uses as non-animal sourced, and the bottle carries a Vegan mark. The label separately notes that carnitine occurs naturally in red meat and other animal-source foods, which is a statement about the nutrient in general rather than about this bottle.

How should the bottle be stored once it is opened?

Store it in a cool, dry, dark place after opening — that is the only storage instruction printed on the label. If you want more than the label gives you on storage, contact the manufacturer rather than assuming; the bottle is amber rather than clear.

How is this order packaged for delivery?

Your order ships in plain outer packaging with no product imagery on the outside. It will not show the Gear Isle name.

Product information compiled and reviewed by the Gear Isle product team. We transcribe supplement facts directly from manufacturer packaging. Found an error? Tell us.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Dietary supplement for adults 18 and over. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before use, especially if you have a medical condition, heart concerns, or take prescription medication (including nitrates). Keep out of reach of children.