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Dietary supplement

L-Carnosine 500 mg Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Douglas Laboratories

Capsule Category: Non-nutrient/non-botanical
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

L-Carnosine 500 mg is a dietary supplement by Douglas Laboratories with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for anti-aging and general wellness, exercise performance and muscle support, brain and cognitive health.Based on those ingredients, 86 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are L-Carnosine. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of L-Carnosine 500 mg by Douglas Laboratories

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This product contains one active ingredient: L-carnosine, a compound your body naturally makes from amino acids. It's been studied for its potential role in aging, brain health, and athletic function.

The capsule itself is filled out with microcrystalline cellulose (a plant-based filler), gelatin, and vegetable stearate (a flow agent).

Does it work?

Couldn't assess
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Not assessable

This is a single-ingredient Carnosine product and its label doesn't state a use — see Carnosine's own graded uses on its monograph.

Why this rating?
  • We looked at the product name, claims, and label statements and couldn't find a stated purpose to grade.

The evidence for carnosine is mixed and often limited. For autism spectrum disorder, current evidence suggests it's probably ineffective.

For age-related cognitive decline, Alzheimer disease, athletic performance, cataracts, and cognitive impairment, we don't have enough reliable evidence to say whether it works. If you're considering this for one of those uses, talk it over with your doctor — they can help you weigh what the research actually shows against what you're hoping to achieve.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Carnosine

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Carnosine is generally well tolerated in short-term studies, but we don't have solid long-term safety data yet, so use it with that in mind. The most common side effects reported are decreased appetite, dry mouth, and minor weight changes.

Less commonly, people have reported foot and joint pain. Pregnancy and breastfeeding: there isn't enough safety information to know whether carnosine is safe during pregnancy or while nursing.

If you're pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking this supplement.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Carnosine

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Carnosine.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: diabetes medications.
  • For scale: 86 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

If you take antidiabetes drugs (medications that lower blood sugar), check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting this product. Carnosine may lower blood sugar on its own, and combining it with your medication could raise the risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).

No other medication interactions are documented for the ingredients we could check.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with no assessable stated purpose. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

L-carnosine may be worth considering if you're interested in trying it for age-related changes or brain health, but the evidence for most uses is either limited or points toward ineffectiveness. If you take antidiabetes medication, you'll need to check with your doctor or pharmacist first, since carnosine might lower blood sugar and increase the risk of going too low.

For pregnancy or breastfeeding, the safety data just aren't there — discuss it with your healthcare provider before starting.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 1 active ingredient matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Aug 23, 2020.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about L-Carnosine 500 mg, straight from the product label.

Brand Douglas Laboratories
Barcode (UPC) 310539019467
Net contents 30 Capsule(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Aug 23, 2020
DSLD ID 231964
Product type Non-nutrient/non-botanical
Supplement form Capsule
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years), Gluten Free
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for L-Carnosine 500 mg by Douglas Laboratories, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
1 Capsule(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
1 Capsule(s)
Servings per container
30
UPC/BARCODE
310539019467
IngredientAmount% DV
L-Carnosine500 mg--

Other ingredients: Microcrystalline Cellulose, Gelatin, Vegetable Stearate

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Suggested Usage: As a dietary supplement, adults take 1 capsule daily or as directed by your health professional.

Precautions

Warning: If you are pregnant, nursing, have any health condition or taking any medication, consult your health professional before using this product.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Use only if safety seal is intact.

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place.

Formulation

Gluten-free, Non-GMO

FDA Disclaimer Statement

This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

General Statements

Scan to learn about our manufacturing excellence Contents may not fill package in order to accommodate required labeling. Please rely on stated quantity.

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

See for yourself

L-Carnosine 500 mg by Douglas Laboratories label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in L-Carnosine 500 mg by Douglas Laboratories

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size1 Capsule(s) Dosage formCapsule Servings per container30 Amounts shown are per serving.

L-Carnosine

Interacts with
86 drugs
500 mg per serving

Carnosine is a naturally occurring dipeptide (made of beta-alanine and histidine) that acts as an antioxidant and buffer in muscle and brain. It is so...

L-Carnosine monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Microcrystalline Cellulose, Gelatin, Vegetable Stearate. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

L-Carnosine 500 mg by Douglas Laboratories Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against L-Carnosine 500 mg?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
86Drugs
86 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in L-Carnosine 500 mg with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

L-Carnosine1 drug type · 86 drugs

Antidiabetes Drugs

Theoretically, taking carnosine with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
Some, but not all, preliminary clinical research shows that carnosine might reduce fasting blood glucose levels.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for L-Carnosine 500 mg, from the product label.

Douglas Laboratories

See all Douglas Laboratories products
Name
Douglas Laboratories
Street Address
600 Boyce Road
City
Pittsburgh
State
PA
ZipCode
15205
Phone Number
1.800.245.4440
Web Address
www.douglaslabs.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

L-Carnosine 500 mg by Douglas Laboratories: Common Questions

Does L-Carnosine 500 mg by Douglas Laboratories interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, L-Carnosine 500 mg has a known interaction with 86 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
L-Carnosine 500 mg contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
What is L-carnosine, and what is it supposed to do?
L-carnosine is a compound your body naturally makes from amino acids. It's been studied for potential benefits to aging, brain function, and athletic performance, but the evidence for most of these uses is still limited or insufficient to draw firm conclusions.
Is this safe to take long-term?
Carnosine appears well tolerated in short-term studies, but we don't have enough long-term safety data to say with confidence how it holds up over months or years. If you're thinking of taking it regularly, talk with your doctor or pharmacist about whether it's right for you.
Can I take this if I'm on diabetes medication?
Not without checking first. Carnosine may lower blood sugar on its own, and combining it with antidiabetes medication could increase your risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about your specific medications before you start.
What side effects might I experience?
The most commonly reported side effects are decreased appetite, dry mouth, and small weight changes. Less often, people have reported foot and joint pain. Pneumonia has also been reported, though it's unclear how often or in what context.
Is it safe to take while pregnant or breastfeeding?
There isn't enough safety information to know either way. If you're pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking this product — they can give you personalized advice based on your situation.

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

Not sure if L-Carnosine 500 mg is safe with your meds?

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Ask a pharmacist

Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

L-Carnosine 500 mg label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind L-Carnosine 500 mg’s Ingredients

Every ingredient we hold a full HelloPharmacist monograph for — uses, evidence, safety, and the complete interaction list.

Sources

Sources & How We Checked

L-Carnosine 500 mg's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 5 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Carnosine 5 references
  1. Chengappa KN, Turkin SR, DeSanti S, et al. A preliminary, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of L-carnosine to improve cognition in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2012;142(1-3):145-52. PubMed
  2. Karkabounas S, Papadopoulos N, Anastasiadou C, et al. Effects of a-lipoic Acid, carnosine, and thiamine supplementation in obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized, double-blind study. J Med Food. 2018;21(12):1197-1203.
  3. Peng W, Mao P, Liu L, et al. Effect of carnosine supplementation on lipid profile, fasting blood glucose, HbA1C and insulin resistance: a systematic review and meta-analysis of long-term randomized controlled trials. Complement Ther Med 2020;48:102241. PubMed
  4. Siriwattanasit N, Satirapoj B, Supasyndh O. Effect of oral carnosine supplementation on urinary TGF-ß in diabetic nephropathy: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Nephrol 2021;22(1):236. PubMed
  5. Sureshkumar K, Durairaj M, Srinivasan K, et al. Effect of L-Carnosine in Patients with Age-Related Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Biosci (Landmark Ed) 2023;28(1):18. PubMed

See these in context on the Carnosine monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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