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L-Carnitine for weight loss: effectiveness, properties, and dosages
Author: Margarita Kuts - doctor-dietitian, gastroenterologist, and body mesotherapist. All articles by the author ➤
I want to talk today about such a wonderful dietary supplement as L-carnitine. This substance is so remarkable and unique in its effects on our body that it deserves a separate article. Let's consider the effects of L-carnitine on the human body. So, L-carnitine in our body:
It is worth noting that despite this variety of positive effects on the human body, L-carnitine is also an absolutely safe preparation that can be prescribed even to infants. Now, let's delve into some biochemistry. L-carnitine is a substance that was isolated from muscle tissue by Russian scientists V.S. Gulevich and R.Z. Krimberg. Earlier, this substance was called the growth vitamin due to its ability to accelerate the growth of children who lag behind in this regard. Thus, L-carnitine is an amino acid substance, sometimes old-fashionedly referred to as vitamin Bt. In the human body, L-carnitine is produced in the liver, kidneys, and brain. L-carnitine is also found in food: in red meat and milk. We obtain about 50 mg of L-carnitine from food, of which even less is absorbed. I want to note that with age, the production of our own L-carnitine decreases. Additionally, an inadequate diet that is low in proteins, vitamins (groups B, C), and trace elements (iron, calcium) leads to a reduction in L-carnitine synthesis. My patients often ask: is it necessary to take L-carnitine supplements for weight loss? And now for the important part: adding this supplement to your diet without aerobic exercise will not lead to weight loss!!! As I have mentioned in other articles: there is no magic weight-loss pill, and it simply does not exist!!! However, there are several supportive means that can significantly help in this regard, and L-carnitine is probably the most powerful among them. Let's figure out how this supplement works with regard to weight loss. How L-carnitine WorksTo get rid of fat reserves, fat must enter the mitochondria (energy substances) of our muscle cells, where it is successfully oxidized. In this way, we lose weight and the body is enriched with energy. If fat does not enter the mitochondria, then no weight loss will occur, no matter what kinds of loads you experience or how properly you eat. Therefore, very often L-carnitine turns out to be the missing link in this complex chain of getting rid of excess fat. Under aerobic physical load, L-carnitine helps fats penetrate from the blood through the membranes (shells) of cells into the mitochondria, where this fat is “burned” with the release of a large amount of energy, which is so necessary for working muscles. That is, L-carnitine increases the permeability of muscle cell membranes to fats (fatty acids). Dosages and Methods of UseAs for the dosage, on average, I recommend my patients to take on workout days, on an empty stomach (or 1.5 hours after eating), 1500 mg of L-carnitine 10-15 minutes before physical activity and 1500 mg after the workout. Despite the fact that L-carnitine is a harmless supplement, it should be taken for no more than two consecutive months, followed by a two-week break. This is necessary to ensure that your own L-carnitine production does not decrease. It is also worth noting that only the L-form of carnitine is effective. Meanwhile, some dietary supplements and medications contain a mixture of L- and D-forms. This is unacceptable because the D-form is not only ineffective but also toxic to the body and has long been banned in many countries. It is important to pay attention to the percentage of the L-form in a specific product. Be careful! I can recommend the following products:
I hope my article will be useful to you! Wishing you health and beauty!!! SIMILAR ARTICLES
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