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L-Carnitine - mechanism of action and effectiveness
Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer. All articles by the author ➤
L-Carnitine is an amino acid, a natural substance related to the B vitamins. Unlike vitamins, carnitine is synthesized in the body, which is why it is also referred to as a vitamin-like substance. In medicine, it is used to correct metabolic processes. It has anabolic (muscle mass growth), anti-hypoxic (resistance to oxygen deprivation), and anti-thyroid effects, activates fat metabolism, stimulates regeneration, and increases appetite. Currently, the pharmaceutical and fitness industries widely exploit this amino acid. A plethora of products are available in tablets, capsules, liquid form, drinks, and chocolate bars. Its popularity is fueled by mass advertising and low cost. A package of 20 tablets typically costs around 220 – 240 rubles in pharmacies. If you take 2 tablets a day, that amounts to 660 – 720 rubles per month. Agree, it's not expensive. I won’t overload you with formulas and complex terms. Your interest as a consumer is to know whether L-carnitine actually works for burning fat. And if it does, what is its mechanism of action and effectiveness? Under what conditions will the body start to get rid of the usual amount of fat tissue? These should be quite stringent conditions. Almost extreme. Firstly, you must have a sufficiently high level of physical activity. Whether it’s training every day, a job involving daily running around, or unloading sacks of potatoes at night, it doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you expend a considerable amount of calories daily, and your heart rate is elevated as often as possible (mean daily heart rate). Additionally, you should consume roughly 10% fewer calories than you expend. In other words, you should constantly eat slightly less. All of this will create powerful prerequisites for the body to shed excess weight. As you can see, the conditions are quite extreme. With significant physical exertion, you also need to eat a bit less. I’m not advocating for starvation! A diet has nothing to do with starving! But calorie intake needs to be about 10% less than what you expend. It’s impossible to calculate this exactly; it should be arrived at through experience. Now, about L-carnitine. Remember, L-carnitine helps break down fat by transporting fatty acids. So if you have created the right conditions for the breakdown of fat tissue, then carnitine will work. If there are no conditions, then no matter how much you take – it won’t help. In this respect, L-carnitine is a support in the challenging task of fighting excess weight, not the main tool. The main tool is your determination. Moreover, this amino acid provides you with extra energy and helps with your diet. Like any other amino acid, carnitine has no side effects (except perhaps in cases of individual intolerance). Thus, even an excess of it will not harm your body. But there won’t be any benefits from overdosing either. Conclusions:If you create the conditions for fat burning by increasing physical activity and reducing your diet, then taking L-carnitine makes sense. It will work effectively. But don’t expect miracles from it. And remember that the increase in physical activity and reduction in caloric intake should happen gradually. Your body needs to adapt to such changes. Otherwise, the benefits of such an assault on your body will be minimal. I can recommend the following products:
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