Is L-Carnitine worth it while on a diet ( no exercise)?

tadas01
tadas01 Posts: 2 Member
edited December 3 in Health and Weight Loss
(i couldn't find a board that dealt with supplements so i'm posting here)

Hello, new guy here.

L-Carnitine is accepted as a safe way of adding a bit of an extra kick to the weight loss. That is while pairing it with exercises.... But would it be worth it if i'm an office monkey with no physical activity besides ~40min of walking per day? I pretty much have my calorie consumption in control ( tho i seem to undershoot quite often) and i'm looking to boost the losses somehow.
You don't have to tell me that it would be best if i started working out, i know... I'll add physical activity down the line but for now and foreseeable future i want to do it without any.

Replies

  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
    no
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    no
  • jujunna_ichi
    jujunna_ichi Posts: 1 Member
    "Supplementation of L-carnitine does not burn fat unless the individual is deficient in L-carnitine."

    Reference: https://examine.com/supplements/l-carnitine/

    "Theoretically, ALCAR supplementation for fat burning should work well, but studies on ALCAR in isolation do not show very good results. Fat loss is typically attributed to the increased activity done by people, from the increased energy they have from ALCAR supplementation."

    Reference: https://examine.com/supplements/l-carnitine/#citations
  • tadas01
    tadas01 Posts: 2 Member
    thanks jujunna for giving an actually useful answer.
  • Budjola
    Budjola Posts: 148 Member
    nope
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    bodybuilding.com/fun/11-super-side-effects-from-taking-l-carnitine.html

    @tadas01 I take it for side effects 8, 9 and 10.
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
    GaleHawkins wrote: »
    bodybuilding.com/fun/11-super-side-effects-from-taking-l-carnitine.html

    @tadas01 I take it for side effects 8, 9 and 10.

    Any evidence?
    There are many types of carnitine products found at the Bodybuilding.com store.

    No *kitten*.
  • alexpn
    alexpn Posts: 59 Member
    edited August 2016
    I've tried it, as a standalone supplement, and also taken various protein powders with it in, and seen very little differentiation against what would happen with general weight loss / placebo. I believe CLA, Green Tea, L-Carnitine they are just used to sell products that you really don't need if you're in calorie deficit anyway. Don't believe the hype and buy the cr@p the big companies try to sell you, concentrate on a solid eating plan as the cornerstone of losing weight, then your exercise (if you ever plan to do any)
  • selina884
    selina884 Posts: 826 Member
    Personally I think its a waste of money
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
    I've used it for a bit, but not had any success, and it's very expensive. From my understanding it's not supposed to support actual loss, but increase fat metabolism so that fat tissue becomes muscle. My hope was that it would take care of my cellulite, which I still have despite working out. I have high cholesterol and also hoped it would help there. Fish oil is cheaper and more relatively available for that, and for a metabolism boost, green tea is a lot cheaper, both as a beverage and in capsule form.
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
    Okay, you can't turn fat tissue into muscle tissue. They are two totally different things and it's just not biologically possible.

    Anyway, I tried it for a bit. It did nothing so I stopped. I do take CLA, fish oil, melatonin and find those beneficial for my specific routine(s).
  • ereck44
    ereck44 Posts: 1,170 Member
    I think that there is a difference between L-carnitine and Acetyl - L -carnitine. I take acetyl l- canitine (alcar) and it has helped me cope with the night shift,....more alert, clearer thinking, and able to stay awake longer. I can't speak abou the L- carnitine. I thought about combining the two, but need to be more serious about lifting,
  • thestrobro
    thestrobro Posts: 3 Member
    Taking supplements is pretty worthless if you're not training.
  • MissDi321
    MissDi321 Posts: 87 Member
    I've used L-Carnitine to support healthy heart function. I had a diagnosed heart murmur (not serious or life threatening) and taking the L carnitine helped reduce it. I wouldn't recommend it unless checked with a Dr for that. Don't know if it does anything for reducing fat or anything like that. I do know that getting active has helped me. I am just really starting to get in shape. That could be helping my heart also.
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    Why buy it as a supplement? It is in almost all foods, meats, nuts, seeds, vegetables.

  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    the only way to "boost your losses"is through additional calorie deficit or increased activity.
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
    MissDi321 wrote: »
    I've used L-Carnitine to support healthy heart function. I had a diagnosed heart murmur (not serious or life threatening) and taking the L carnitine helped reduce it. I wouldn't recommend it unless checked with a Dr for that. Don't know if it does anything for reducing fat or anything like that. I do know that getting active has helped me. I am just really starting to get in shape. That could be helping my heart also.

    Can you produce any evidence that taking L-Carnitine had a clinical effect on a diagnosed cardiac issue?

    This could literally be groundbreaking.

    You'll be heralded as the new Marie Curie.

    Etc etc etc.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    cityruss wrote: »
    GaleHawkins wrote: »
    bodybuilding.com/fun/11-super-side-effects-from-taking-l-carnitine.html

    @tadas01 I take it for side effects 8, 9 and 10.

    Any evidence?
    There are many types of carnitine products found at the Bodybuilding.com store.

    No *kitten*.

    All the evidence I have is from research read. I can say it has not harmed me the best I can tell. Remember I am not here to lose weight but to recover my health. Weight loss seems to just be a side effect of improving health in my case. Like @MissDi321 I want my heart to last a long time too. :)
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
    GaleHawkins wrote: »
    cityruss wrote: »
    GaleHawkins wrote: »
    bodybuilding.com/fun/11-super-side-effects-from-taking-l-carnitine.html

    @tadas01 I take it for side effects 8, 9 and 10.

    Any evidence?
    There are many types of carnitine products found at the Bodybuilding.com store.

    No *kitten*.

    All the evidence I have is from research read. I can say it has not harmed me the best I can tell. Remember I am not here to lose weight but to recover my health. Weight loss seems to just be a side effect of improving health in my case. Like @MissDi321 I want my heart to last a long time too. :)

    Oh. We know why you're here gale. How's the pain?

    Any chance you could point the direction of the research?

    Can you pinpoint that L-Carnitine has had health benefits that would not have occurred without it?

    I'm all for increasing my L-Carnitine consumption of there are any proven benefits.
  • dbhuff369
    dbhuff369 Posts: 17 Member
    pretty much a bust for weight or fat loss, but good for exercise recovery: http://www.muscleforlife.com/fat-burner/ Lots of research links in this article.
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