Carnitine is an amino acid that studies to soothe the feeling of hunger and fat burning. There are 4 types of arnitine: D-Carnitine, Acetyl L-Carnitine, Propionyl L-Carnitine, L-Carnitine L-Tartrate. Depending on the rate of absorption in the body, the type of carnitine used in food supplements is l-carnitine l-tartrate. L-carnitine (β-hydroxy-γ-trimethylammonium butyrate) is an amino acid synthesized by the body. Lysine-methionine and cofactors (C, B3, B6 and Iron), the two leading amino acids, can be synthesized by the body when they are present in sufficient quantities. The lack of any of these nutrients may limit the body’s ability to produce 1-carnitine.
Its main metabolic function is to bring long-chain fatty acids into the matrix part of the mitochondria so that fat stores can be used as energy sources. In this way, the transport process is realized to convert the fat stored in the body into energy.
As a result of the researches conducted in 2015 and 2016, hypotheses that l-carnitine provides an increase in performance become reality. This is mainly due to its positive impact on fat burning and oxygen utilization capacity. They also found that 1-carnitine supplementation was effective in reducing the production of free radicals, tissue damage, and muscle pain after training.
Although unaware, l-carnitine is part of our diet. Most foods are present in different proportions and are consumed continuously throughout the day. Red meat (eg lamb, venison and beef) is rich in 1-carnitine. Fish, poultry, milk and breast milk contain smaller amounts of l-carnitine, while plant nutrients contain negligible amounts of l-carnitine. The vegetarian diet is very poor in terms of the leading components that produce both l-carnitine and l-carnitine. The research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has shown that vegetarian individuals contain lower levels of l-carnitine in their blood. For this reason, carnitine is suitable for vegetarian use.
Some of the benefits of carnitine are as follows: Suppressing the feeling of hunger in the food helps people consume less food. It is the necessary compound for the body to burn fat. It improves training performance due to its effect on metabolism. Slows down bone density. Using it under the supervision of a doctor during pregnancy can have positive health consequences.
In addition, no damage was found in the researches. The European Food Safety Authority concluded that it is safe to take L-carnitine food supplements up to 2 grams per day. For people who want to support fat burning with sports, it is recommended to use in combination with regular sports or intense physical activity to help the body’s nutrients and stored fats convert into energy.