L Carnitine is a proclaimed performance supplement and fat burner. It gives combined benefits of amino acids and vitamin B.
In our body, it is formed in liver and kidneys, and is stored in muscles, brain, and heart tissues. The natural sources for l carnitine are red meat, avocado, and soy-beans. Some of the l carnitine formulations available are-
- Acetyl L Carnitine
- Propionyl L Carnitine
- L carnitine L Tartrate
- D Carnitine
Let us have a look at the l carnitine benefits in our routine followed by the use of each type of l carnitine.
Benefits of L Carnitine
To understand the l carnitine benefits better, it is important to know how it functions in our body. It plays an important role in generating energy from the food we eat. L carnitine transports the fatty acids to the mitochondria cells, which burns the fat to derive energy. Our body produces l carnitine from the amino acids- lysine and methionine in the presence of vitamins. One can get these amino acids from the protein rich food and red meat.
However, vegans need to take l carnitine externally in the form of supplements. Following are some of the benefits of l carnitine-
- L carnitine helps in improving the energy level in our body. Higher energy level leads to improved performance.
- Since more fatty acids are utilized for generating energy through l carnitine supplement, more fat is burnt. This implies l carnitine is beneficial for those looking for weight loss.
- It helps our body against ageing.
- L carnitine also incorporates medicinal benefits like enhancing learning abilities and indirectly preventing alzheimer’s and other brain conditions. It is also used for increasing male fertility as it enhances the testosterone levels.
- Some physicians have a consent for l carnitine potential in reducing blood pressure, reducing symptoms of type 2 diabetes, and inflammatory process associated with the heart disease.
Apart from understanding the benefits of l carnitine, one should also be aware of the side effects associated so that precautions and suitable dosage can be determined. Actually, when taken in proper dosage, there aren’t any reported side effects or addiction of l carnitine and one can continue the l carnitine routine for long term. Loading with l carnitine may cause headache, nausea, or dizziness; however these symptoms aren’t common.
Experts suggest avoiding l carnitine if you have underactive thyroid and seizures (a condition related to changes in brain’s electrical activity due to injuries or mental conditions). To be on the safe side, women should avoid l carnitine during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Now let’s have a look at the l carnitine uses.
Uses of L Carnitine
L carnitine can be used orally and by directly injecting it into the bloodstream. The food might not get utilized completely to derive energy; and when it comes to the fitness trainers, the energy requirement cannot be ignored. Moreover, increasing diet results in increased carb intake, which leads to more fat accumulation. Thus, l carnitine is important to extract maximum energy from whatever food we eat. As mentioned above, l carnitine is available in different forms, whose uses are as listed-
- Acetyl L carnitine : It is popularly called as ALCAR. It is effective for our brain’s health and is useful for treating the neurological conditions such as alzheimer’s. Its suggested dose is 600 mg to 2500 mg each day.
- Propionyl L Carnitine : This for of l carnitine is beneficial for regulating the blood flow in our body. It’s recommended dose is 400 mg to 1000 mg per day.
- L carnitine L Tartrate : Most of the sports supplement use this form of l carnitine. It helps to recover muscle soreness, and hence improving the performance. Depending on the intensity of the training, 1000 mg to 4000 mg of this supplement can be taken each day.
Other than these, D carnitine is an inactive form of l carnitine found in our body, which helps the liver and kidneys in building other forms of carnitine. The most forms of l carnitine for the athletes and fitness trainers are acetyl l carnitine and l carnitine l tartrate. Two major goals that can be accomplished with l carnitine are the weight loss and performance benefit. Let’s discuss l carnitine uses for these purposes-
Helps in Weight Loss
L carnitine and weight loss go hand in hand. It helps in fat metabolism by rigorously transporting the fatty acids to the mitochondria cells to generate energy. In other words, the fat are burnt and energy is produced, which can be used for further training.
So, if despite exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet you are not losing weight, l carnitine could be a solution.
Improved Performance
L carnitine supplement routine results in better athletic performance by helping in faster recovery of muscle soreness, higher energy level, improved muscle building potential and fat metabolism. In some of the athletic competitions, l carnitine injection dose is not allowed as it is known to improve the performance. However, one can carry the l carnitine oral dose routine to avail the regular performance benefits.
So folks, we hope you have unravelled the benefits and uses of l carnitine. It should be noted that l carnitine is not a stand alone supplement like whey or casein, but acts as a catalyst for producing energy. It can be taken along with existing supplement routine or regular diet. Feel free to share your inputs towards this supplement in the comment section below.
