A person receives part of the necessary L-carnitine from food, part of the substance is synthesized in the body, and the level of L-carnitine in the body is relatively constant, there is no excess of the substance, since all its excess is quickly excreted from the body.
Actually, carnitine exists in two forms: L-carnitine and D-carnitine, while only the L-form of carnitine has beneficial biological activity, and its D-isomer is an antagonist and is harmful to the body.
In the human body, L-carnitine is synthesized in the tissues of the kidneys and liver, from where it is transferred to other organs and tissues with the bloodstream. L-carnitine accumulates in the muscles and liver. The process of synthesis of levocarnitine itself proceeds with the participation of a number of vitamins: C, group B3, iron, and some other substances, with a deficiency of which L-carnitine deficiency develops quite quickly, leading to impaired body functions.
Fortunately, as a rule, this condition occurs only with a genetically determined deficiency of the enzymes necessary for the synthesis of L-carnitine, and therefore is rarely observed.
The main action of L-carnitine:
- Fat burning
- Increase in intellectual and physical tone
- Increasing Stress Resilience
- Removal of toxins and other harmful substances from the body
- Lowering blood cholesterol levels
- Cardiovascular Protection
Other beneficial effects of L-carnitine:
- Stimulates tissue regeneration processes
- Protects the nervous system
- Increases the supply of oxygen to body tissues
- Neutralizes the damaging effects of free radicals
- Prevents apoptosis (cell death)
- Protects bones from the development of osteoporosis
The benefits of L-carnitine for an athlete:
Levocarnitine increases the body's endurance when doing aerobic sports (running, rowing, swimming, etc.). At the same time, if simultaneous weight loss is not required, the combination of levocarnitine with a high-fat diet will give the maximum energy effect.
Levocarnitine is useful for increasing endurance and in anaerobic sports (bodybuilding, powerlifting, bodybuilding, etc.). However, in this case, please note that the anabolic effect of levocarnitine can be masked by a decrease in total body weight due to a decrease in the amount of adipose tissue in the body. Therefore, the anabolic effect of carnitine should be evaluated by calculating the percentage of adipose tissue relative to total body weight. At the same time, in order for the effect of taking levocarnitine to be maximum, it should be combined with a balanced diet and training.
Natural Food Sources of L-Carnitine
L-carnitine is found in meat, fish and dairy products. The minimum daily dose of this substance - 300 mg - is contained in 300-400 g of raw beef. However, it should be remembered that the heat treatment of the product destroys the levocarnitine contained in it, and therefore it becomes necessary to take this substance in the form of additional food supplements.
Compatibility with other supplements
L-carnitine works well with any fat-burning dietary supplements, while it enhances their effect and significantly reduces the incidence of side effects.
Effective intake of L-carnitine and during weight gain - in order to avoid the accumulation of adipose tissue. Another highly effective combination is the complex intake of carnitine and coenzyme Q10, as they work in a complementary way.
Dosage of L-carnitine and time of administration
Take L-carnitine in the morning, on an empty stomach, and 30 minutes before training. On non-training days, L-carnitine is also taken in the morning on an empty stomach and in the middle of the day between meals (on an empty stomach). The drug has the highest activity in the first half of the day and during physical exertion.
Please note that if you do not initially suffer from a violation of the synthesis of your own L-carnitine, you should take the supplement in short courses, since with a prolonged intake of L-carnitine, the production of your own carnitine is significantly reduced and a withdrawal syndrome is observed.
