Living Strong

Fat burning supplements for many, are an investment in the hope that they will melt away any excess body fat. However with hundreds of fat burners on the market, very few actually work and the ones that do, at best, just over stimulate your adrenal glands and increase your heart rate and blood pressure.

At Professional Whey we stay away from stimulating fat burners and work more with the natural rhythms of the human body. One of the body’s own natural fat burners in the body is carnitine and supplementing with it has not only shown that it increases fat oxidation without any stimulatory effects, but it also improves performance and recovery.

So what is it?

Carnitine is an amino acid that is essential to the metabolisation of fat.  Although it is not strictly speaking an amino acid, it is often referred to as one.

Carnitine is produced naturally and found in nearly all the cells of the human body.  However, it is produced by the liver and kidneys and concentrated in tissues such as skeletal, heart and brain which use fatty acids as a dietary fuel.

Dietary Sources

Common dietary sources include lamb being the highest source at 78mg per 100g, followed by beef (64mg per 100g), pork (28mg per 100g) while there is also some carnitine in dairy products. Fruit and vegetables, however contain little or no carnitine.[1] In Japan there is a trend driven by young women to eat plenty of lamb and mutton as they are aware carnitine’s ability to burn fat and increase energy; especially mutton as older sheep contains almost three times as much as carnitine as lamb at 210mg per 100g of meat.[2]

How it works

The main role of L-Carnitine is to regulate fat metabolism. This makes it of great interest to bodybuilders or those looking to lose weight and improve body composition.

Carnitine works by transporting fat (long-chain fatty acids) into the mitochondria (our energy generators) so they can be burned – this produces the energy rich ATP.  Once the energy is burned, carnitine transports the toxic compounds back out of the mitochondria.  It is thus essential for the supply of energy to the muscles.

Does it work?

L-Carnitine continues to be the subject of much debate among the scientific community, with both supporters and sceptics.  There are three main areas where it is claimed to be of benefit. Obviously fat loss but also improving athletic performance and post-workout recovery.

Fat Burning

Research on both animals and humans has demonstrated that carnitine can increase fat oxidisation.[3]^,[4],[5] Perhaps the most compelling study[6] found a significant increase in fat oxidation where twelve volunteers took 3 grams of carnitine for 10 days on a regular diet.  The carnitine led to a dramatic increase in fat burning while maintaining muscle (no decrease in protein catabolism).

Improved Performance

There are two factors that fuel claims of improved performance from carnitine supplementation; firstly, decreased concentrations of carnitine in muscle can lead to impairment in muscle function.  Secondly, carnitine is effective in helping people who are recovering from various illnesses to tolerate exercise better.

Much research points to the benefits of carnitine in endurance sports. Carnitine enhances aerobic performance, allowing athletes to exercise longer without fatigue. In one study, trained runners given 2g of carnitine per day increased their peak running speed by a remarkable 5.7 percent.[7]

Recovery

The latest evidence for carnitine concerns its role in post-exercise recovery.  Two recent studies have found that carnitine supplementation improved recovery from exercise.[8]^,[9] Dr. Kraemer continued his studies and in 2006 found that supplementing with carnitine for 21 days increased androgen receptors, which is known to stimulate muscle growth through protein synthesis.[10]

What to look for in Carnitine

It is important to remember that dietary carnitine is easily obtained from foods such as meat, particularly beef, sheep, and lamb. However with supplemental carnitine, it does come in two forms, L-Carnitine and D-Carnitine; only the L form is biologically active as the body cannot use D-Carnitine, and there is some evidence to suggest that D-Carnitine may in fact be harmful.[11]

Another alternative is Acetyl L Carnitine (ALCAR), which has been shown to get more into the fatty tissues of the body and mobilise them and also cross through the blood brain barrier. Due to this ALCAR has been touted as the best carnitine by the anti aging community for many years.

However lately there has been increasing interest in L-Carnitine L-Tartrate (which has had 7822 studies listed) as evidence supports that it increases protein synthesis and anabolic response better than other forms of carnitine, making it ideal for bodybuilders or those wanting to lose fat whilst building muscle.[12]^,[13]  In a study which compared the bioavailability (how much is available for the body to use) and absorption rates of a range of different forms of carnitine, the following was observed:[14]

Bioavailability was similar for free L-Carnitine and the L-Carnitine salt L-Carnitine L-Tartrate, while those of the ester version of Carnitine (Acetyl L-Carnitine) was lower.

L-Carnitine L-Tartrate was also shown to be absorbed faster than the other L carnitine compounds.

How to use it

Recommended dosages vary quite widely, but are usually between 1 and 3 grams per day.  Usually take in 1g doses upon rising, 1g pre and post workout or 1g 20-30 minutes before a meal. However the most important time to use L-Carnitine L-Tartrate is with your post workout meal, as this increases recovery and muscle growth.[15]

Although there is no evidence of significant side effects, high doses (above 5 grams per day) can cause diarrhea, a fishy body odor and rashes.

Bottom Line

Thus it would seem that the best carnitine today for those wanting to improve body composition, recovery and performance is L-Carnitine L-Tartrate for its ability to improve protein synthesis aswell as the added benefits of bioavailability and improved absorption rate.

So next time you think about fat burning supplements, remember that most don’t work with your body’s natural ability to oxidise fat, enhance recovery and improve performance the way carnitine does.

That’s why we sell carnitine and offer the best on the market - L-Carnitine L-Tartrate…Click here to buyJ!

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