Levocarnitine, Levocarnitine SF

Introduction

Written by Alex Brewer, PharmD, MBA
Medically reviewed by Elizabeth Scheffel, PharmD
Updated on September 28, 2023

Levocarnitine (lee voe KAR ni teen) is a generic medication prescribed for treating a low carnitine level. Levocarnitine belongs to a group of drugs called amino acids.

This article doesn’t provide coupons for all forms of levocarnitine. To find coupons for levocarnitine oral tablet, see this article.

Uses of levocarnitine

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves prescription drugs such as levocarnitine for certain conditions. Approved uses for levocarnitine are described below. These uses differ based on the form of levocarnitine prescribed.

Use for carnitine deficiencies

Doctors may prescribe levocarnitine for treating primary or secondary carnitine deficiency (low amount). It’s used for this purpose in children of any age and adults. It’s usually prescribed as a long-term treatment.

Doctors may prescribe levocarnitine oral solution or oral tablet to treat primary carnitine deficiency. Primary carnitine deficiency is caused by a gene mutation (change to a specific gene).

Depending on the cause, doctors may prescribe levocarnitine oral solution, oral tablet, or intravenous (IV) injection* to treat secondary carnitine deficiency. Secondary carnitine deficiency is caused by other health conditions.

With carnitine deficiency, there’s a low level of carnitine in your body. This means the cells in your body don’t have enough carnitine to function as usual. Carnitine helps your body use fat for energy. A low carnitine level can cause symptoms such as muscle weakness and fatigue (low energy). Over time, it can also cause heart and liver problems, including heart failure.

In addition to taking levocarnitine, your doctor may recommend other treatments to help manage your condition.

* For secondary carnitine deficiency, doctors may give levocarnitine as a “bolus” injection (injection given into your vein over a shorter period of time) or as an IV infusion (injection given into your vein over a longer period of time).

Common questions about levocarnitine

Below you’ll find answers to a few commonly asked questions about levocarnitine.

Can levocarnitine be used for seizures?

Levocarnitine is not approved to help treat seizures. But in certain cases, a doctor may prescribe it off-label for this purpose. With off-label use, doctors prescribe a drug for a purpose other than what it’s approved for. Some medications that are used to treat seizures, such as valproate, can cause low carnitine levels. Levocarnitine treatment can help maintain carnitine levels.

It’s important to note that seizures have rarely been reported as a serious side effect caused by levocarnitine. This includes worsening seizures in people who already have them. Also, some people have had seizures for the first time after taking levocarnitine.

Talk with your doctor if you’d like to learn more about off-label uses for levocarnitine.

How does levocarnitine work? And how long does it take to start working?

Levocarnitine is prescribed to treat carnitine deficiency (low level of carnitine in the body). Carnitine helps the cells in your body use fat as energy. Taking levocarnitine increases the amount of carnitine available in your body. The drug works the same as carnitine produced naturally by your body.

It may take a while for levocarnitine treatment to have an effect. Your carnitine levels may start to increase as soon as 2 weeks after you start taking or using it.

If you’d like to know more about this, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Side effects of levocarnitine

Levocarnitine may cause mild or serious side effects. More common mild side effects of levocarnitine and its serious side effects are listed below. This article doesn’t include all possible side effects of the drug. Side effects can vary based on your age, overall health, and any other medications you take.

To learn more about levocarnitine’s side effects, ask your doctor or pharmacist. You can also refer to the prescribing information for levocarnitine listed in the “Resources” section.

Mild side effects

More common mild side effects reported with some forms of levocarnitine are listed below. These side effects may differ based on the form of levocarnitine you take or use.

This article doesn’t include all possible mild side effects of the drug. To learn more about levocarnitine’s side effects based on the form, refer to the prescribing information for levocarnitine listed in the “Resources” section.

With many drugs, mild side effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If the side effects bother you, tell your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to suggest ways to manage them.

Mild side effects of levocarnitine oral solution and levocarnitine oral tablet include:

• nausea and vomiting
• abdominal cramps
• diarrhea
• unusual body odor
• mild allergic reaction*

Levocarnitine injection’s mild side effects include:

• flu-like symptoms, such as cough or stuffy nose
• headache
• reactions at the site where levocarnitine is injected, such as pain or swelling
• nausea and vomiting
• mild allergic reaction*

* For details about this side effect, see the “Interactions and warnings for levocarnitine” section.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects of levocarnitine are listed below. These side effects may differ based on the form of levocarnitine you take or use.

This article doesn’t include all possible serious side effects of the drug. To learn more about levocarnitine’s side effects based on the form, refer to the prescribing information for levocarnitine listed in the “Resources” section.

With many drugs, serious side effects are possible but not common. If you have serious side effects from this drug, call your doctor right away. If you’re having severe symptoms or a medical emergency, call 911 or a local emergency number.

In general, levocarnitine’s serious side effects include:

• seizure
• severe allergic reaction*

For levocarnitine injection, the following serious side effects may also occur:

• high blood pressure
• high blood calcium level (hypercalcemia)
• atrial fibrillation (a type of irregular heartbeat)
• low red blood cell level (anemia)

* For details about this side effect, see the “Interactions and warnings for levocarnitine” section.

Interactions and warnings for levocarnitine

Below you’ll find information about levocarnitine’s possible interactions and warnings.

Interactions of levocarnitine

Certain things may affect how a drug works. These include getting vaccines, consuming alcohol or certain foods, or taking the drug with other medications. This effect is called a drug interaction.

Before you use levocarnitine, ask your doctor to check for possible interactions. Be sure to tell them about any of the following you take or use:

• prescription or over-the-counter drugs
• vitamins, herbs, or supplements

To learn about drug-condition interactions, see the “Warnings for levocarnitine” section below.

Warnings for levocarnitine

Some people should not use levocarnitine, and others should use it cautiously.

Levocarnitine could cause harm to people with certain health conditions. This effect is called a drug-condition interaction. Other factors can also affect whether levocarnitine is a safe option for you. These warnings may differ based on the form of levocarnitine you take or use.

Ask your doctor about specific warnings for levocarnitine, and be sure to tell your doctor about your:

• current health, including any allergies to medications
• past health conditions or surgeries

Allergic reaction

Levocarnitine can cause an allergic reaction in some people. Severe allergic reactions are rare but possible.

If you’ve had an allergic reaction to levocarnitine or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe levocarnitine. They can tell you about medications that are safer options for you.

A mild allergic reaction may cause the following symptoms:

• skin rash
• itchiness
• flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color)

A severe allergic reaction may cause the following symptoms:

• swelling under your skin, usually in your hands, feet, eyelids, or lips
• swelling of your mouth, throat, or tongue, which can cause breathing problems

If you have an allergic reaction to levocarnitine, call your doctor right away. If you have severe symptoms, call 911 or a local emergency number.

Overdose of levocarnitine

If you take levocarnitine by mouth, you should not take more levocarnitine than your doctor prescribes. For some drugs, doing so may lead to harmful effects or overdose.

If you think you’ve taken too much levocarnitine, call your doctor or pharmacist right away. Or you could call 800-222-1222 to speak with someone at America’s Poison Centers. You can also use its online resource. If you have concerning symptoms, call 911 or a local emergency number immediately. You can also go to the closest emergency room.

Pregnancy or breastfeeding and levocarnitine

Information about levocarnitine and pregnancy and breastfeeding is described below.

Levocarnitine and pregnancy

There is limited information about whether levocarnitine is safe to use during pregnancy. But there are also risks with having untreated carnitine deficiency while pregnant. (Keep in mind that levocarnitine is used for treating carnitine deficiency.)

If you’re planning a pregnancy or can become pregnant, talk with your doctor about treatment for your carnitine deficiency during pregnancy. Together, you can discuss how you can safely manage your condition during pregnancy.

Levocarnitine and breastfeeding
It’s not known whether it’s safe to breastfeed while using levocarnitine. But there are also risks with having untreated carnitine deficiency during this time. (Keep in mind that levocarnitine is used for treating carnitine deficiency.)

If you’re planning to breastfeed, talk with your doctor about your carnitine deficiency treatment. Together, you can discuss the risks and benefits of your treatment options while breastfeeding. Your doctor may adjust your treatment or suggest other healthy ways to feed your child.

What to ask your doctor

Let your doctor know if you have questions about levocarnitine or would like more details about it.

Here’s a list of some possible questions you may want to ask your doctor:

• How will you determine the form of levocarnitine to prescribe for me?
• Does my health history affect my risk of side effects if I take levocarnitine?
• How does prescription levocarnitine compare with over-the-counter L-carnitine supplements?
• Are there any alternative medications that I can take for my condition?

Resources

• Carnitor SF (levocarnitine) sugar-free oral solution (1 g per 10 mL multidose). (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/dd904490-83f3-4cd3-bb6f-68e28509b4b6/spl-doc
• Food and Drug Administration. (2023). Orange Book: Approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm
• Levocarnitine injection, USP. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/8f255df8-8a1f-4b4f-ae8c-2c80532ce8d4/spl-doc
•  Levocarnitine tablets, USP. (2022). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/0f749812-8f02-4eeb-91d9-5dd6fc9fa159/spl-doc
• Magoulas PL, et al. (2012). Systemic primary carnitine deficiency: An overview of clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and management. https://ojrd.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1750-1172-7-68
• Okumura A, et al. (2021). Effects of l-carnitine supplementation in patients with childhood-onset epilepsy prescribed valproate. https://www.epilepsybehavior.com/article/S1525-5050(21)00481-9/fulltext

Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.