L-Carnitine ???

niknak30
niknak30 Posts: 58
in Food and Nutrition
I have been training hard , 2-4 1hr sessions a week with my trainer and am slowly getting good results.

I take a protein shake 1-2 times per day and other than that take no supplements or medication other than the pill.

It was suggested to me (not by my trainer) that I should be taking L-carnitine to get better results from the same effort. I don't know a lot about it and everything I seem to find online relates to body building rather than weight loss and I am a little confused. I successfully boilt my body with bad habits and little care for it that I am now trying to make good choices for lifelong results.

Anyon know much about it?

Replies

  • yeowiepower
    yeowiepower Posts: 31 Member
    i think there is l-carnitine and acetyl-carntine which is a more refined version? and supposedly more effective albeit more expensive. it is meant to assist in the conversion of fat into energy, so when you work out you burn more fat from my understanding... i used it for a few months a while back and seemed to work, but may have been a combination of other things.

    as with most supplements there is no absolute conclusive evidence it works, only people with opinions. mine is that i think it worked for me, so if you want to give it a shot go for it...

    btw i think it is an animal derivative? beef perhaps?

    hope that helps a little bit. i think there is a fair bit of information out there for it :-)
  • niknak30
    niknak30 Posts: 58
    :smile: thank you - maybe it is worth a try
  • vivo
    vivo Posts: 80
    I'm taking L carnitine and I have to say I'm getting results. My aim is for weight loss as well, but basically I can see my body getting toner, and therefore less fat on my body. I got the blueberry blast flavour and mix it with water so it takes away cravings :p and as a plus side it slightly surpresses my appetite
  • yeowiepower
    yeowiepower Posts: 31 Member
    ohhh, and if u were to try it, the powder form will usually be more effective (and better value for money) than the pill form :-)
  • salxtai
    salxtai Posts: 341 Member
    There is no conclusive studies (that are not being funded by the manufacturers themselves) on (if any) benefits.

    Some people swear by it, but its still debatable from a scientific point of view.




    On the plus side, 30% of all treatment effects are due to the "placebo effect", meaning that if you think its working, then it is.

    I personally wouldn't bother paying money for that and invest that into other things, but that's just me.
  • AmerTunsi
    AmerTunsi Posts: 655 Member
    I take it and I do believe it makes a difference.

    As we get older our natural reserves of L-Carnitine are depleted and our metabolisms are slowed. We naturally get this from foods like red meat. When using it as a supplement form it helps to better metabolize fat as well as supporting muscle growth. It is also supposed to help with fatigue because it is better processing fat into energy. As with any supplement it does take a few weeks of consistency before you see any difference
  • RachelsReboot
    RachelsReboot Posts: 569 Member
    I take it daily but it was recommended to me by my physicians. I have a disorder that prohibits my body from metabolizing carbohydrates as well as several deficiencies such as protein, amino acids, vit D, B, calcium and iron. I do know since I have been taking it I am seeing weight loss again.
  • akiramezu
    akiramezu Posts: 278
    No conclusive studies, but i take it daily and i'm seeing awesome results. Placebo effect? who cares, it's working LOL
  • AmerTunsi
    AmerTunsi Posts: 655 Member
    No conclusive studies, but i take it daily and i'm seeing awesome results. Placebo effect? who cares, it's working LOL

    I second this! lol But the Science behind it also just makes sense to me in my head.
  • niknak30
    niknak30 Posts: 58
    Thank you everyone for your information.
    I guess I just needed to hear it from people in a similar situation rather than a body building one.

    Gak! More powder....... maybe I can mix it with my protein shake and not taste it too much
  • akiramezu
    akiramezu Posts: 278
    As i was talking to someone else about L-Carnitine, they mentioned that just like a high intake of protein, you must work out HARD to get the benefits of the increased protein. The same goes with L-Carnitine, in combination with exercises that
    increase your heart rate well above, lets just pick a high number =P, say 150+, then in my opinion, with in conjunction with
    EPOC (Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) being raised due to the high intensity exercise, you can definitely have the
    benefits of L-Carnitine =]

    This is just my opinion though.
  • niknak30
    niknak30 Posts: 58
    Well I think I work HARD in my session - usually they are a combination of heavy weight, cardio, abs, depending on the day.
    I sweat and am puffed so one would think that I am doing something LOL
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    This thread got me curious - L-carnitine (as a health supplement) is banned in Canada, still trying to find the reason why.....
  • niknak30
    niknak30 Posts: 58
    I would be interested to know why Brian?

    I am not in Canada and it seems to be easily available in lots of places here in Australia
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    I would be interested to know why Brian?

    I am not in Canada and it seems to be easily available in lots of places here in Australia

    I found one item on Health Canada's website related to the seizure of illegal supplements

    "Side-effects associated with L-Carnitine include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea and seizures"

    http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_2010/2010_84-eng.php

    So far I haven't found anything else suggesting that it's dangerous but a number of credible sources questioning it's efficacy in respect to some of the claims made as a nutritional supplement (apparently it has proven benefits related to angina, ED in diabetics and some other specific health problems).

    The best nutritional source is red meat (especially lamb!)
  • niknak30
    niknak30 Posts: 58
    Roast lamb is on the menu at home tomorrow night Brian - YUM!
  • kyt1206
    kyt1206 Posts: 101
    It helps move fatty acid chains into the mitochonria - translation - it puts your smaller molecules of fat from the cell into its power house where it gets turned into energy.

    I'm not sure ingesting it helps and there's no research to prove either way. Not exactly sure oral intake of it guarantees blood uptake of it. Many things we eat are simply passed along or digested by our stomach acid.

    The side effects corresponds with abnormal higher metabolic problems, such as too much adrenaline, etc.

    What I do know is - 2 placebo pills can stop headaches better than 1 placebo pill. That's been proven. So people will believe it works and make it work, either with or without the actual supplement.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,321 Member
    I would be interested to know why Brian?

    I am not in Canada and it seems to be easily available in lots of places here in Australia

    I found one item on Health Canada's website related to the seizure of illegal supplements

    "Side-effects associated with L-Carnitine include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea and seizures"

    http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_2010/2010_84-eng.php

    So far I haven't found anything else suggesting that it's dangerous but a number of credible sources questioning it's efficacy in respect to some of the claims made as a nutritional supplement (apparently it has proven benefits related to angina, ED in diabetics and some other specific health problems).

    The best nutritional source is red meat (especially lamb!)

    Part of the "ban" and it wasn't really a ban in the normal sense of the word, was political. I have seen it for sale as I walked by a Nutrition House store at the mall, so the 'ban' may have been lifted or changed. I have not looked into it recently.

    Edit:
    I checked, and it was approved for OTC sales in December 2011 http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/nr-cp/_2011/2011_168-eng.php
  • Toddrific
    Toddrific Posts: 1,114 Member
    As someone else said there are two forms. When looking it up myself I found the Acetyl version to be mildly dangerous.
    I have the other version.
  • RachelsReboot
    RachelsReboot Posts: 569 Member
    Just to add I take liquid form.
  • salxtai
    salxtai Posts: 341 Member
    Well I think I work HARD in my session - usually they are a combination of heavy weight, cardio, abs, depending on the day.
    I sweat and am puffed so one would think that I am doing something LOL

    I think keeping this up is more than enough, to be honest :smile:
    If you were trying to go from average joe to olympic-level athlete, then you might notice a difference, but the truth is that for the 99% of us losing weight to be back in the "health" weight range, its just feeding the body things it doesn't need, and that it may not neccesarily like. There isn't any magic pill / liquid / formula to losing weight, its as simple as exercise and nutrition.


    Its similar in a way to compression tights: 2XU brand has been shown to work and is endorsed by the AIS, but the improvements in performance are so minimal (we're talking .0something of a second) that only elite athletes would really notice it.
  • niknak30
    niknak30 Posts: 58
    I am just trying to get best result from my efforts. That is my goal so if a supplement can help with that best result then perhaps it is worth a try

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