Carnitine: What You Should Know

Athletes from all over the world always try to find the best workout supplements to not only help with maintaining good health but also to lose weight or enhance performance.

There are a variety of supplements that can be worth adding to someone’s diet, and here’s one that some might not even be aware of carnitine.

Let’s go over carnitine and what it can do to the body

What Is Carnitine?

Chances are that not many people know of carnitine, but the body makes it daily. Carnitine is a natural amino acid that is found in the flesh of most animals and people. The liver and kidneys produce this substance.

The way carnitine is used is creating energy from fats, which in turn are making the body lose weight almost subconsciously.

In a way, this is almost like a solar panel for the body, and it’s something to consider if you’re looking to shed a few pounds while still having energy for the day.

Carnitine Supplements

Trying to find the best workout supplements is like trying to find the perfect car. There are some options for how to get this fat burner.

As mentioned before, the body’s liver and kidneys naturally make carnitine and usually make a good amount. Including red meat in your diet will give you roughly around 50 to 100 mg of carnitine.

If that isn’t enough, however, some vitamin tablets can help boost the strength of carnitine to help with that.

Types of Carnitine

As far as supplements go, different types of carnitine are available for use. Each of the following has a different purpose or reason for taking it:

• L-Carnitine
• Acetyl L-Carnitine (ALCAR)
• Propionyl L-Carnitine

For the sake of simplicity, we’ll be leaving out D-Carnitine from this list, as it’s considered dangerous and toxic to the body.

L-Carnitine

One of the most basic and commonly used forms of carnitine, L-carnitine is commonly found over the counter in many drug stores, not only being great for the metabolism but also promoting good heart health.

If you’re looking to get more definition in your workout and not so much bulking up, this might be something to look into.

This is a very common form of carnitine supplement that is accessible to anyone, though it should be portioned out reasonably.

Acetyl L-Carnitine

Ever wondered if there was a miracle pill that could make you smarter and remember things better? Acetyl L-Carnitine (ALCAR) definitely sounds like it could help with that.

A more natural form of L-carnitine, ALCAR is not only good for muscle and energy, but it’s also been shown to have effects in improving brain function, and even improving memory.

Apart from that, people who have taken this have also had help with depression, and it has even helped cravings from those who were trying to quit drinking.

Propionyl L-Carnitine

Once again, this is for boosting energy, but it has some healing properties too. Propionyl L-carnitine is used to help with leg pain and has even worked wonders on men with sexual performance dysfunctions.

So if you ever have erectile dysfunction, give this a look to see if it’s right for you.

Side Effects

Anything taken in is sure to have its fair share of side effects that you can expect. Carnitine has a good amount of its own, including the following:

• diarrhea
• stomach aches
• vomiting
• nausea

Even if on a vegan diet, the human body makes a good amount of carnitine to have the bodywork the way it should. However, when taking it as a dietary supplement, these side effects do need to be taken into consideration.

If you’re still unsure whether you might have any other serious side effects that could end up being harmful to you, check your doctor to see if carnitine is right for you.

How Should Carnitine Be Used?

While this supplement is definitely good for cutting down on a few pounds, this isn’t an alternative to eating right and exercising.

This would be a good way to get a bit of energy in your system and to improve the health of the heart, the brain, and kidneys. It’s also very beneficial to Alzheimer’s patients and cancer patients.

However, it should be worth noting that if you do take more than what is needed, you are going to make things worst for yourself. Since the side effects are not only irritating, they could also end up being painful.

Don’t take it if you think it’s the magic pill that will make you thin again. L-carnitine should be taken after a workout for the best results and should be limited to just one tablet per day of working out.

Is Carnitine the Best Supplement?

For someone who is looking to lose some body fat and improve their muscle definition, this is a pretty decent choice to include in their dietary supplements.

While this might not be the surefire way of winning a marathon or a body-building competition, carnitine can help your body turn your body fat into something useful.

Just remember to really ration it out if you do plan on using L-carnitine. As mentioned before, your body makes plenty of this amino acid, so a little bit goes a long way.

But if you want to support your muscles and bones while at the same time helping your heart and brain, it’s worth looking into.

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