Drug & supplement interaction

L-carnitine + Atovaquone, Proguanil

Atovaquone, Proguanil brand name: Malarone.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between L-carnitine and Atovaquone, Proguanil in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Atovaquone, Proguanil states a food rule worth keeping to, and the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

L-carnitine and Atovaquone, Proguanil

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Atovaquone, Proguanil and L-carnitine in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

L-carnitine safety at a glance

L-carnitine overall Use caution Generally well tolerated at typical doses, but high doses can cause stomach upset and a fishy body odor.
Pregnancy Use caution Not enough reliable safety data; use only under medical supervision.
Breastfeeding Possibly Safe When used orally. Supplemental doses of L-carnitine have been given to infants in breast milk and formula with no reported adverse effects. The effects of large... Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Atovaquone, Proguanil and L-carnitine? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Atovaquone, Proguanil

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Atovaquone, Proguanil is filed under 3 classifications — cytochrome p450 2c19 (cyp2c19) substrates, seizure threshold lowering drugs, oral drugs. L-carnitine has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — the most serious being acenocoumarol (sintrom) (moderate), thyroid hormone (moderate) and warfarin (coumadin) (moderate) — and none of Atovaquone, Proguanil’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

L-carnitine Does Interact With Other Medications

L-carnitine has 19 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Atovaquone, Proguanil isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against L-carnitine

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against L-carnitine. Pick one to open its full report.

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests L-carnitine and Atovaquone, Proguanil May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

  • Reduced appetite / Stomach pain / Diarrhea / Vomiting / Nausea Additional detail

    L-carnitine

    “Orally and intravenously, L-carnitine has been associated with nausea, epigastric discomfort, vomiting, abdominal cramps, heartburn, gastritis, anorexia, and diarrhea. Orally, diarrhea or colitis symptoms, nausea and abdominal pain, indigestion, and constipation have been reported in various clinical trials.”

    L-carnitine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anorexia.

    6 sources cited
    1. 3616. Anon. Carnitor (levocarnitine) package insert. Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals Inc, Gaithersburg, MD. December 1999.
    2. 3624. Cherchi A, Lai C, Angelino F, et al. Effects of L-carnitine on exercise tolerance in chronic stable angina: a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther Toxicol 1985;23:569-72.
    3. 59030. Tarighat, Esfanjani A., Mahdavi, R., Ebrahimi, Mameghani M., Talebi, M., Nikniaz, Z., and Safaiyan, A. The effects of magnesium, L-carnitine, and concurrent magnesium-L-carnitine supplementation in migraine prophylaxis. Biol.Trace Elem.Res 2012;150(1-3): PubMed
    4. 95069. An JH, Kim YJ, Kim KJ, et al. L-carnitine supplementation for the management of fatigue in patients with hypothyroidism on levothyroxine treatment: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Endocr J. 2016;63(10):885-95. PubMed
    5. 95070. Chen N, Yang M, Zhou M, Xiao J, Guo J, He L. L-carnitine for cognitive enhancement in people without cognitive impairment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;3:CD009374. PubMed
    6. 101562. Khajeh B, Dashti-Khavidaki S, Nasiri-Toosi M, Mohammadi K, Jafari A. Effects of pre-transplant L-carnitine supplementation on primary graft dysfunction in liver transplant recipients: a pilot, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Res Pharm Sci. PubMed

    Atovaquone, Proguanil

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Atovaquone, Proguanil. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Itching Additional detail

    L-carnitine

    “Orally, L-carnitine has been reported to cause skin rash in a small number of cases.

    Two patients in a hair growth study using topical carnitine reported mild itching and increased dandruff, while a third reported strong itching with reddish bumps and a burning sensation.”

    L-carnitine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in pruritus.

    4 sources cited
    1. 16105. Ciacci C, Peluso G, Iannoni E, et al. L-Carnitine in the treatment of fatigue in adult celiac disease patients: a pilot study. Dig Liver Dis 2007;39:922-8. PubMed
    2. 91724. Jun DW, Kim BI, Cho YK, Kim HJ, Kwon YO, Park SY, Han SY, Baek YH, Jung YJ, Kim HY, Kim W, Heo J, Woo HY, Hwang SG, Rim KS, Choi JY, Bae SH, Lee YS, Lim YS,Cheong JY, Cho SW, Lee BS, Kim SH, Sohn JH, Kim TY, Paik YH, Kim JK, Lee KS. Efficacy and safety of
    3. 58390. Foitzik, K., Hoting, E., Heinrich, U., Tronnier, H., and Paus, R. Indications that topical L-carnitin-L-tartrate promotes human hair growth in vivo. J Dermatol.Sci 2007;48(2):141-144. PubMed
    4. 26493. Angelova-Fischer I, Rippke F, Fischer TW, Neufang G, Zillikens D. A double-blind, randomized, vehicle-controlled efficacy assessment study of a skin care formulation for improvement of mild to moderately severe acne. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2013 Jul PubMed

    Atovaquone, Proguanil

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Atovaquone, Proguanil. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Headache Additional detail

    L-carnitine

    “Orally or intravenously, L-carnitine has been associated with seizures. Orally, use of L-carnitine in clinical trials has resulted in headache, although this event is rare. L-carnitine may also cause agitation.”

    L-carnitine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    4 sources cited
    1. 3616. Anon. Carnitor (levocarnitine) package insert. Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals Inc, Gaithersburg, MD. December 1999.
    2. 58554. Malaguarnera, M., Vacante, M., Avitabile, T., Malaguarnera, M., Cammalleri, L., and Motta, M. L-Carnitine supplementation reduces oxidized LDL cholesterol in patients with diabetes. Am J Clin.Nutr 2009;89(1):71-76. PubMed
    3. 95070. Chen N, Yang M, Zhou M, Xiao J, Guo J, He L. L-carnitine for cognitive enhancement in people without cognitive impairment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;3:CD009374. PubMed
    4. 111891. Moustafa I, Connolly C, Anis M, Mustafa H, Oosthuizen F, Viljoen M. A prospective study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of vitamin E and levocarnitine prophylaxis against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in adult breast cancer patients. J Oncol Phar PubMed

    Atovaquone, Proguanil

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Atovaquone, Proguanil. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for L-carnitine but not commonly for Atovaquone, Proguanil: stomach upset, a heart attack, heart failure and constipation.

Effects for Atovaquone, Proguanil come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for L-carnitine come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

L-carnitine in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Lactation Possibly Safe

When used orally. Supplemental doses of L-carnitine have been given to infants in breast milk and formula with no reported adverse effects. The effects of large doses used while nursing are unknown, but L-carnitine is secreted in the breast milk.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

How to take them

Some Atovaquone, Proguanil Products Have a Food Rule — L-carnitine Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Atovaquone, Proguanil says to take it with food. If you take L-carnitine on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Atovaquone, Proguanil with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Atovaquone, Proguanil products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION The daily dose should be taken at the same time each day with food or a milky drink.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Atovaquone, Proguanil — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

From our Q&A

Questions About L-carnitine or Atovaquone, Proguanil

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers L-carnitine or Atovaquone, Proguanil, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Atovaquone, Proguanil

This page covers L-carnitine only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Atovaquone, Proguanil page lists 54 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Adrafinil (moderate), Artichoke (moderate), Bacopa (moderate) and Baikal Skullcap (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 40 moderate · 13 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Atovaquone, Proguanil page

“Most people taking atovaquone-proguanil (Malarone) are travelers trying to prevent malaria, so this list of 54 interacting supplements deserves real attention, since anything that weakens the drug can leave you exposed to the disease itself. The single major-rated entry is activated charcoal, a common travel remedy for stomach upset, w…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Atovaquone, Proguanil interaction page

One more smart check

Taking L-carnitine as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 3,350 real supplement products containing L-carnitine, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides L-carnitine. Even though L-carnitine itself has no known interaction with Atovaquone, Proguanil, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where L-carnitine and Atovaquone, Proguanil Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement L-carnitine
Top 10%

#80 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Atovaquone, Proguanil
Steady interest

#2,015 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every L-carnitine reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The L-carnitine and Atovaquone, Proguanil records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About L-carnitine

What is L-carnitine?

  • Exercise performance and recovery
  • Heart health
  • Weight management
  • Energy and fatigue
  • Male fertility
  • Carnitine deficiency

L-carnitine is a compound your body makes naturally and also gets from foods like meat. It helps cells turn fat into energy, and supplements are most clearly useful for people with a true carnitine deficiency. For most other uses, like weight loss or boosting athletic performance, the evidence is mixed or limited, so talk with your pharmacist or doctor before trying it.

Capsules, tablets, oral liquid, powder, and injectable (prescription) forms

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether L-carnitine is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our L-carnitine record says about it on its own.

L-carnitine: dosing

There is no single standard dose of L-carnitine that fits everyone, and the right amount depends on the form and the reason for use. Prescription carnitine for true deficiency is dosed by a doctor based on medical needs.For over-the-counter supplements, the best approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed the recommended amount.

From our L-carnitine monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full L-carnitine monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Atovaquone and Proguanil

What Is Atovaquone and Proguanil Used For?

Brand name: Malarone

Atovaquone and proguanil is used for two purposes: preventing P. falciparum malaria before and during travel to areas where malaria is common, and treating an active, uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria infection. This includes regions where other antimalarials — such as chloroquine, mefloquine, halofantrine, and amodiaquine — may no longer be effective due to drug resistance.

Both the adult-strength and pediatric-strength tablet formulations share these same two approved uses. The brand Malarone is approved for both prevention and treatment of P. falciparum malaria in adults and in pediatric patients, with dosing based on body weight for children.

See full Atovaquone and Proguanil drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & L-carnitine

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against L-carnitine — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
19Moderate
0Minor
2,810No known interaction
Moderate

19 interactions

No interaction 2,810 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

L-carnitine References

The 41 references that drive our L-carnitine monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Ellaway CM, Williams K, Leonard H, et al. Rett syndrome: randomized controlled trial of L-carnitine. J Child Neurol 1999;14:162-7. PubMed
  2. Anon. Carnitor (levocarnitine) package insert. Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals Inc, Gaithersburg, MD. December 1999.
  3. Cherchi A, Lai C, Angelino F, et al. Effects of L-carnitine on exercise tolerance in chronic stable angina: a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther Toxicol 1985;23:569-72.
  4. Plioplys AV, Plioplys S. Amantadine and L-carnitine treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Neuropsychobiology 1997;35:16-23. PubMed
  5. Benvenga S, Ruggeri RM, Russo A, et al. Usefulness of L-carnitine, a naturally occurring peripheral antagonist of thyroid hormone action, in iatrogenic hyperthyroidism: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Clin Endocrinol Meta
  6. Martinez E, Domingo P, Roca-Cusachs A. Potentiation of acenocoumarol action by L-carnitine. J Intern Med 1993;233:94.
  7. Bachmann HU, Hoffmann A. Interaction of food supplement L-carnitine with oral anticoagulant acenocoumarol. Swiss Med Wkly 2004;134:385. PubMed
  8. Evans AM, Fornasini G. Pharmacokinetics of L-carnitine. Clin Pharmacokinet 2003;42:941-67. PubMed
  9. 12761 Benvenga S, Amato A, Calvani M, Trimarchi F. Effects of carnitine on thyroid hormone action. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2004;1033:158-67. PubMed
  10. Ciacci C, Peluso G, Iannoni E, et al. L-Carnitine in the treatment of fatigue in adult celiac disease patients: a pilot study. Dig Liver Dis 2007;39:922-8. PubMed
  11. Cruciani RA, Dvorkin E, Homel P, et al. Safety, tolerability and symptom outcomes associated with L-carnitine supplementation in patients with cancer, fatigue, and carnitine deficiency: a phase I/II study. J Pain Symptom Manage 2006;32:551-9. PubMed
  12. Lebrun C, Alchaar H, Candito M, et al. Levocarnitine administration in multiple sclerosis patients with immunosuppressive therapy-induced fatigue. Mult Scler 2006;12:321-4. PubMed
  13. Malaguarnera M, Cammalleri L, Gargante MP, et al. L-Carnitine treatment reduces severity of physical and mental fatigue and increases cognitive functions in centenarians: a randomized and controlled clinical trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2007;86:1738-44. PubMed
  14. Mantovani G, Maccio A, Madeddu C, et al. Randomized phase III clinical trial of five different arms of treatment in 322 patients with cancer cachexia. Oncologist 2010;15:200-11.
  15. Angelova-Fischer I, Rippke F, Fischer TW, Neufang G, Zillikens D. A double-blind, randomized, vehicle-controlled efficacy assessment study of a skin care formulation for improvement of mild to moderately severe acne. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2013 Jul PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking L-carnitine and Atovaquone, Proguanil Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take L-carnitine with Atovaquone, Proguanil?
We do not list a known interaction between L-carnitine and Atovaquone, Proguanil. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do L-carnitine and Atovaquone, Proguanil have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 7 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Should I take L-carnitine and Atovaquone, Proguanil at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Atovaquone, Proguanil says to take it with food. If you take L-carnitine on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Atovaquone, Proguanil with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Atovaquone, Proguanil products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the L-carnitine and Atovaquone, Proguanil combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Atovaquone, Proguanil is filed under 3 classifications, and L-carnitine has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — none of Atovaquone, Proguanil's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does L-carnitine interact with any other medications?
Yes. L-carnitine has 19 documented drug interactions in our database — Atovaquone, Proguanil is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Atovaquone, Proguanil interact with any supplements?
Yes. Atovaquone, Proguanil has documented interactions with 54 supplements in our database — L-carnitine is not one of them. The Atovaquone, Proguanil interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.