The Molecule

Carnosine is a dipeptide: two amino acids, beta-alanine and L-histidine, joined by one amide bond. The body makes it, and meat and fish contain it. Its chemical name is beta-alanyl-L-histidine.

The pages in this section describe the molecule. They rely mainly on one long independent review, Boldyrev, Aldini and Derave 2013 in Physiological Reviews, and on the primary papers linked from each page. Where the reviews say something is still unknown, the pages say so.

• What is carnosineCarnosine is a dipeptide of beta-alanine and L-histidine. Its chemistry, structure and the part of the molecule that does the work.
• Names and spellingsCarnosine, L-carnosine, beta-alanyl-L-histidine, and the compounds it is confused with: carnitine, carnosic acid and carnauba.
• HistoryFrom discovery in meat extract in 1900 to muscle buffering, anti-glycation research, a Japanese ulcer drug and eye drops.
• In food and the bodyWhere carnosine occurs in the body, how much muscle holds, which foods contain it, and how the body makes it.
• How it worksThe proposed mechanisms of carnosine: pH buffering, antioxidant and metal-binding chemistry, carbonyl quenching and anti-glycation, and calcium handling in muscle.
• GlossaryPlain definitions of the terms used on this site.