All the fitness enthusiasts out there who are exploring different types of supplements to get their ideal body, there are certain ingredients like Creatine, Pre-Workout, Protein, Carnitine and what not that one explores always.
It is important to understand that you go through every detail and aspect of the supplements, before you integrate it into your daily routine.
In today’s blog we will be covering L-Carnitine and its health benefits for fat loss and how it is different from others.
Moving ahead we would be covering What is Carnitine, Benefits, Foods rich in Carnitine and science behind Carnitine along with covering other aspects.
What is Carnitine?
L-Carnitine is a nutrient and dietary supplement that helps produce energy by breaking down Fat in Energy in your cells’ mitochondria. (1)
Mitochondria acts as the engine of your cell; it is responsible for generating usable energy. Your body can produce Carnitine using amino acids Lysine and Methionine. For the body to create enough amounts, it additionally requires an abundance of Vitamin C.
In addition to the Carnitine synthesized in the body, one can obtain it through eating animal products such as meat or dairy products, but the amount of Carnitine one gets is minimal.
Vegans, vegetarians and people with certain genetic issues may be unable to produce or obtain enough. This makes L-Carnitine a conditionally essential amino acid.
Different Types of L-Carnitine
L-Carnitine is a biologically active form of Carnitine, which is present in all the supplements, foods and naturally produced in the body.
Several other types of Carnitine are:
- D-Carnitine: It’s an inactive form of Carnitine that reduces blood levels of Carnitine and increases fat build up which leads to liver inflammation and oxidative stress.
- Acetyl-L-carnitine: Often known as ALCAR, its most effective form for brain.
- Propionyl-L-carnitine: This form of Carnitine is better suited for circulatory issues such as high blood pressure and peripheral vascular disease. This form has also been shown to increase Nitric Oxide (NO) levels.
- L-carnitine –L tartrate: Its commonly added to sports supplement due its rapid absorption rate. It aids muscle soreness, fat metabolism and recovery in sports. (2)
Benefits of L-carnitine:
Depending on the goal, you should always pick the best form that works. For most individuals. L-carnitine and acetyl-Carnitine work the best.
1. Role of Carnitine in the body
L-carnitine’s vital role is in energy production, metabolism boost and mitochondrial function. In cells, it transports fatty acids to mitochondria where they are broken down to energy.
More than 95% of the L-carnitine is stored in muscles and trace amount is present in blood, liver and kidneys. (3)
Along with increasing mitochondrial function, Carnitine also plays a role in healthy ageing.
Moving ahead with understanding potential health benefits of carnitine.
2. Does it help with Weight Loss?
Since the major role of Carnitine is to move fats into mitochondria for burning it into energy, its major use as weight loss supplement.
Several studies suggest that Carnitine supplementation significantly reduces body weight, body mass index (BMI) and fat mass. However, it had zero effect on belly fat or body fat percentage. It’s important to note that Carnitine supplementation should be combined with daily exercise.
It’s important to note that Carnitine can’t be viewed as magic supplement for weight loss. It should be used in conjunction with a healthy and well-balanced diet with exercise.
3. Effects on Brain Function
L-carnitine has a role to play in brain function as well. Some research suggests that acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) may help prevent mental decline and improve markers of learning.
There is no concrete evidence and hence further research is necessary in this field.
4. Other Health Benefits:
- Metabolism: Faster metabolism is equivalent to faster weight loss that helps to keep in pace with healthy lifestyle. L-carnitine helps boost metabolism by transporting stored fat into mitochondria where it’s broken down to energy.
L-carnitine also regulates blood sugar levels and improves insulin sensitivity by regulating lipid metabolites, which can help individuals with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Overall, L-carnitine helps improve metabolic energy and health production. - Muscle Recovery: L-carnitine supplementation may help with muscle recovery post workout caused due to exercise by reducing muscle damage and improving muscle repair. L-carnitine helps alleviate muscle injury and reduce markers of cellular damage and free radical formation that can cause muscle inflammation and soreness.
L-carnitine supplementation enhances blood flow and oxygen supply to the muscle tissues and may help reduce lactic acid building in the muscle, which causes fatigue. - Heart Health: Studies suggest that L-carnitine could benefit several aspects of heart health. One study demonstrated that L-carnitine significantly reduced diastolic blood pressure, especially in people who are obese and overweight. Additionally, L-carnitine could reduce total and LDL (Low Density Lipoproteins) I.e. bad cholesterol levels, while enhancing HDL (High Density Lipoproteins) I.e. good cholesterol levels in the body.
- Type 2 Diabetes: L-carnitine may be beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes. It reduces the blood fasting sugar and hemoglobin A1c (a marker of long-term blood sugar levels) while also improving insulin sensitivity in people with obesity, diabetes and overweight. There is also research that suggests that L-carnitine might have a role in Beta Cells, which are cells in pancreas responsible for producing insulin.
- Depression: Some studies demonstrate that L-carnitine could also play a role in the treatment of depression. Acetyl –L-carnitine is thought to reduce symptoms of depression when compared to placebo. Still, this area of interest with Carnitine requires research to understand the exact role of how L-carnitine may affect depression.
- Immunity: L-carnitine is thought to have an effect on boosting your immunity. Studies suggest that L-carnitine has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Supplementation with Carnitine helps to fight free radical damage which reduces oxidative stress and inflammation. There are studies that claims that Carnitine enhances activity of Natural Killer cells and reduces the levels of inflammatory markers in elderly individuals.
Food Sources:
There are various animal and dairy products from where one can get small amount of Carnitine:
Sources of Carnitine are:
- Beef
- Pork
- Chicken
- Milk
- Hard Cheese
One thing to note is that food sources of Carnitine offer better nutrient absorption than supplements. Also, the body can produce carnitine using amino acid Lysine and Methionine if the stores of carnitine are low in the body as discussed previously.
Dosage:
The potential benefits of Carnitine are many, but it is important to understand the right dosage to get potential benefits from the same.
- Acetyl-L-carnitine: vital function is for brain health and function; the dosage varies from 500-3000mg/day.
- L-carnitine L-tartrate: This form is most effective for weight loss and exercise performance; dosage varies from 1000-4000mg/day.
- Propionyl-L-carnitine: this form plays a role in improving blood flow in those with high blood pressure or related conditions.
How to Select the Right Carnitine Supplement?
L-carnitine supplement is available in various forms like tablets, capsules, effervescent, liquid and others. What is more important is to select the right form, quality and source of Carnitine. The L-carnitine supplement should be without any added fillers or undesired ingredients.
Ideal L-carnitine supplement:
- Effervescent Form: Effervescent L-carnitine tablets offer better nutrient absorption and nutrient bioavailability as compared to traditional form of Carnitine supplement. In addition, effervescent carnitine tablet is easier to consume and is available in refreshing taste which is not the case with liquid or tablet form.
- Source of Carnitine: Source plays an important role when it comes to L-carnitine supplement. The best source of Carnitine is Lonza, a Swiss based company which is leading supplier of Clinically tested and world’s leading supplier of Carnitine.
- Form of Carnitine: Depending on the goal, it’s important to select the right form. L-carnitine for fat loss is the best choice and daily integration along with well-balanced diet and exercise supports weight loss.
- Dosage: The minimum dosage any L-carnitine tablet should offer is 1000mg per serving, however the dosage can vary basis the desired goals.
When to consume L-carnitine?
The best time to consume L-carnitine is before workout as it will utilize stored fat as source of energy and support weight loss. It can be taken post workout as well to help in recovery.
Ideal Target Audience for L-carnitine:
- Anyone who wants to burn fat
- Athletes, fitness enthusiasts and body builders who have active lifestyle
- Anyone who wants to boost their energy and stamina
- Anyone on a weight loss program
- Anyone looking for pre workout energy or post workout recovery
Take Away Message:
There are potentially many health benefits of Carnitine. Depending on the goal, the right form can be chooses: Acetyl-L carnitine for brain, Propionyl-L carnitine for blood flow and L-carnitine for weight loss. Most common usage of L-carnitine is for Weight Loss, where it transports fatty acids to mitochondria and breaks down into usable energy.
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