A carnosine intervention study in overweight human volunteers: bioavailability and reactive carbonyl species sequestering effect.

Regazzoni L, de Courten B, Garzon D, Altomare A, Marinello C, Jakubova M, Vallova S, Krumpolec P, Carini M, Ukropec J, Ukropcova B, Aldini G

Scientific reports6 Jun 2016Cited by 65 (Europe PMC)

PMID27265207PMCIDPMC4893669DOI10.1038/srep27224PepBankPUB-27265207

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Summary

Carnosine is a natural dipeptide able to react with reactive carbonyl species, which have been recently associated with the onset and progression of several human diseases. Herein, we report an intervention study in overweight individuals. Carnosine (2 g/day) was orally administered for twelve weeks in order to evaluate its bioavailability and metabolic fate. Two carnosine adducts were detected in the urine samples of all subjects. Such adducts are generated from a reaction with acrolein, which is one of the most toxic and reactive compounds among reactive carbonyl species. However, neither carnosine nor adducts have been detected in plasma. Urinary excretion of adducts and carnosine showed a positive correlation although a high variability of individual response to carnosine supplementation was observed. Interestingly, treated subjects showed a significant decrease in the percentage of excreted adducts in reduced form, accompanied by a significant increase of the urinary excretion of both carnosine and carnosine-acrolein adducts. Altogether, data suggest that acrolein is entrapped in vivo by carnosine although the response to its supplementation is possibly influenced by individual diversities in terms of carnosine dietary intake, metabolism and basal production of reactive carbonyl species.

CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study7

6 results from studies that gave the peptide. 6 results from people.

01HumanNon-randomized trialPharmacokinetics
In overweight individuals, two carnosine adducts were detected in urine from all subjects.
In plain wordsIn overweight individuals, two carnosine reaction products appeared in urine from all subjects.
Peptide
L-carnosine
Outcome
Not applicableUrinary carnosine adduct detection
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Pharmacokinetics · Pharmacology
Studied dose
2 g/day · oral · twelve weeksAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Two carnosine adducts were detected in the urine samples of all subjects.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Herein, we report an intervention study in overweight individuals.
Summary · context
Carnosine (2 g/day) was orally administered for twelve weeks in order to evaluate its bioavailability and metabolic fate.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2726520701
02HumanNon-randomized trialPharmacokinetics
In overweight individuals receiving carnosine, carnosine was not detected in plasma.
In plain wordsIn overweight individuals receiving carnosine, tests did not detect carnosine in plasma.
Peptide
L-carnosine
Outcome
Not applicablePlasma carnosine detection
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Pharmacokinetics · Pharmacology
Studied dose
2 g/day · oral · twelve weeksAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
However, neither carnosine nor adducts have been detected in plasma.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Herein, we report an intervention study in overweight individuals.
Summary · context
Carnosine (2 g/day) was orally administered for twelve weeks in order to evaluate its bioavailability and metabolic fate.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2726520702
03HumanNon-randomized trialPharmacokinetics
In overweight individuals receiving carnosine, carnosine adducts were not detected in plasma.
In plain wordsIn overweight individuals receiving carnosine, tests did not detect carnosine reaction products in plasma.
Peptide
L-carnosine
Outcome
Not applicablePlasma adduct detection
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Pharmacokinetics · Pharmacology
Studied dose
2 g/day · oral · twelve weeksAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
However, neither carnosine nor adducts have been detected in plasma.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Herein, we report an intervention study in overweight individuals.
Summary · context
Carnosine (2 g/day) was orally administered for twelve weeks in order to evaluate its bioavailability and metabolic fate.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2726520703
04HumanNon-randomized trialPharmacokinetics
In overweight individuals receiving carnosine, the percentage of urinary adducts in reduced form significantly decreased.
In plain wordsIn overweight individuals receiving carnosine, the proportion of urinary reaction products in reduced form decreased significantly.
Peptide
L-carnosine
Outcome
DecreaseReduced adduct percentage
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Pharmacokinetics · Pharmacology
Studied dose
2 g/day · oral · twelve weeksAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Interestingly, treated subjects showed a significant decrease in the percentage of excreted adducts in reduced form, accompanied by a significant increase of the urinary excretion of both carnosine and carnosine-acrolein adducts.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Herein, we report an intervention study in overweight individuals.
Summary · context
Carnosine (2 g/day) was orally administered for twelve weeks in order to evaluate its bioavailability and metabolic fate.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2726520705
05HumanNon-randomized trialPharmacokinetics
In overweight individuals receiving carnosine, urinary carnosine excretion significantly increased.
In plain wordsIn overweight individuals receiving carnosine, urinary carnosine excretion increased significantly.
Peptide
L-carnosine
Outcome
IncreaseUrinary carnosine excretion
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Pharmacokinetics · Pharmacology
Studied dose
2 g/day · oral · twelve weeksAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Interestingly, treated subjects showed a significant decrease in the percentage of excreted adducts in reduced form, accompanied by a significant increase of the urinary excretion of both carnosine and carnosine-acrolein adducts.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Herein, we report an intervention study in overweight individuals.
Summary · context
Carnosine (2 g/day) was orally administered for twelve weeks in order to evaluate its bioavailability and metabolic fate.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2726520706
06HumanNon-randomized trialPharmacokinetics
In overweight individuals receiving carnosine, urinary carnosine-acrolein adduct excretion significantly increased.
In plain wordsIn overweight individuals receiving carnosine, urinary carnosine-acrolein reaction products increased significantly.
Peptide
L-carnosine
Outcome
IncreaseUrinary carnosine-acrolein adduct excretion
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Pharmacokinetics · Pharmacology
Studied dose
2 g/day · oral · twelve weeksAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Interestingly, treated subjects showed a significant decrease in the percentage of excreted adducts in reduced form, accompanied by a significant increase of the urinary excretion of both carnosine and carnosine-acrolein adducts.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Herein, we report an intervention study in overweight individuals.
Summary · context
Carnosine (2 g/day) was orally administered for twelve weeks in order to evaluate its bioavailability and metabolic fate.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2726520707

Studies that did not test the peptide alone1

In this study, L-carnosine was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. These results are not evidence about taking L-carnosine.

07HumanNot a test of L-carnosine aloneObservational studyPharmacokinetics
In overweight individuals, urinary adduct excretion correlated positively with carnosine excretion, with high individual response variability.
In plain wordsIn overweight individuals, higher urinary carnosine was linked to more urinary reaction products, with large differences between individuals.
Peptide
L-carnosine
Outcome
Not applicableUrinary adduct and carnosine correlation
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Pharmacokinetics · Pharmacology
Source sentences
Summary
Urinary excretion of adducts and carnosine showed a positive correlation although a high variability of individual response to carnosine supplementation was observed.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Herein, we report an intervention study in overweight individuals.
Summary · context
Carnosine (2 g/day) was orally administered for twelve weeks in order to evaluate its bioavailability and metabolic fate.
In this study, L-carnosine was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking L-carnosine.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2726520704

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

Version 2Current
27 Oct 2026, 18:20 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
27 Oct 2026, 16:32 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

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