September, 2010
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If getting back into shape and boosting energy levels is one of your New Year’s resolutions then help is at hand in the form of L-Carnitine.
Essential in energy metabolism, L-Carnitine helps us turn food into energy. It is a water soluble vitamin-like compound that is essential for the burning of long chain fatty acids – the primary fuel for muscles. Up to 70% of energy produced by the muscles comes from the burning of fats.
For people trying to lose weight L-Carnitine supports optimal fat oxidation and consequently body weight reduction. When taken as a supplement to a well balanced diet and fitness programme it can help weight control.
Women have more fat deposits than men, slower metabolism and more difficulty in losing weight. Growing scientific evidence indicates that supplementation with L-Carnitine helps to promote a healthier body weight and maintain toned muscle.
Like older people, obese people have lower levels of L-Carnitine. And without sufficient L-Carnitine, they have more difficulty burning not only their body fat, but also their glucose, since it turns out that thanks to increasing the fluidity of the mitochondrial membranes, L-Carnitine also enhances the production of energy from glucose.
Humans can synthesize a small amount of L-Carnitine from the amino acid lysine --the rest has to come from diet and supplements. Meat, fish, milk, eggs, cheese and other animal products in general contain preformed L-Carnitine. Mutton and lamb are particularly rich sources, followed by beef. Human milk also contains relatively high levels of L-Carnitine, since newborns are at first incapable of producing it. Eggs are a poor source of L-Carnitine. Plant food contains at best only negligible amounts of L-Carnitine, with the exception of somewhat higher levels in avocados.
Today the average L-Carnitine intake is estimated at 30 to 50 mg a day – the optimal intake is between 250 mg to 500 mg per day. Strict vegetarians consume practically no L-Carnitine. Since their diet may also be poor in lysine and methionine, vegetarians are likely to be especially deficient in L-Carnitine. Consequently L-Carnitine levels are low in vegetarians consuming chiefly a grain-based diet. In order to get 500 mg (more when people are under stress and other special circumstances) we would have to consume over two pounds of beef every day.
Elite performers have an increased requirement in order to strengthen the immune system and stimulate regeneration. L-Carnitine increases the number of immune cells.
It supports the body’s ability to recover from exercise, supports the ability to deal with high level physical and psychological performance.
Studies have shown that 1g of L-Carnitine taken daily for two to three weeks before high impact exercise could significantly lessen damage to the muscles.
Multipower has a range of products containing L-Carnitine from drinks to snack bars and L-Carnitine Liquid shots.
For more information on L-Carnitine please visit the Lonza group’s website at www.carnitine.com
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