Supplement
Carnosine is a small protein building block made of two amino acids, found in muscle and brain tissue, where it helps buffer acid and protect cells from damage. People with type 2 diabetes have been the focus of most research, and trials found blood glucose improved and beta-cell function, the insulin-making capacity of the pancreas, went up, with moderate evidence for both. Those results come from small studies of about 377 people in total, so they are early findings rather than settled ones.
Sources: PMID 40999397
- Updated
- How we grade
- 2 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade B
- Conditions studied
- 2
- Outcomes
- 20
- Graded outcomes
- 0300
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood glucose Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 1 study | 377 people | ||
| Beta-cell function Small Increase | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 377 people | |||
| Body Fat | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 43 people | |||
| Bone Mineral Density | Improves (the measure goes up) | 43 people | ||||
| High-density lipoprotein (HDL) | Improves (the measure goes up) | 377 people | ||||
| Insulin | Changes; see studies | 377 people | ||||
| Insulin Resistance | Improves (the measure goes down) | 377 people | ||||
| Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) | Improves (the measure goes down) | 377 people | ||||
| Muscle Strength | Improves (the measure goes up) | 43 people | ||||
| Total cholesterol | Improves (the measure goes down) | 377 people | ||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta-cell function Small Increase | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 377 people | |||
| Blood glucose | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 377 people | |||
| Body Fat | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 43 people | |||
| Bone Mineral Density | Improves (the measure goes up) | 43 people | ||||
| High-density lipoprotein (HDL) | Improves (the measure goes up) | 377 people | ||||
| Insulin | Changes; see studies | 377 people | ||||
| Insulin Resistance | Improves (the measure goes down) | 377 people | ||||
| Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) | Improves (the measure goes down) | 377 people | ||||
| Muscle Strength | Improves (the measure goes up) | 43 people | ||||
| Total cholesterol | Improves (the measure goes down) | 377 people | ||||
Key findings
- Blood glucoseImproves (the measure goes down)
- Beta-cell functionImproves (the measure goes up)
Shop the evidence-backed picks
Third-party tested Carnosine products, in the forms the graded studies used where we can match them.
- Grade B
Links to Fullscript, iHerb or Thorne carry our referral, so we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Grades come from the research and never change based on what we earn. Fullscript asks for a free account before it shows its catalog and prices. Full disclosure
Studies cited
2 studies from PubMed
- The Effect of Carnosine Supplementation on Musculoskeletal Health in Adults with Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.
- Effect of carnosine or beta-alanine supplementation therapy for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.