Everything about L-carnitine

L-carnitine is an amino acid that has been used in supplement form in the fitness world for over 25 years. It is often used during a fat-loss diet. You’ll find it in fat burners, but carnitine is also used on its own as an aid for weight loss. In this article from XXL Nutrition, we’ll tell you everything about L-carnitine, including what carnitine actually is, how much you need per day, and its effects on your body.

What is L-carnitine?

Curious about what L-carnitine really is? It belongs to the group of semi-essential amino acids and naturally occurs in (red) meat and dairy products. Carnitine is a water-soluble amino acid, and the name comes from the Latin word Carnis, meaning meat. Your body can also produce L-carnitine on its own, primarily in the liver and kidneys. Around 95 to 98% of the total amount of carnitine is stored in your muscles and bones. The rest is stored in your kidneys, liver, and blood plasma. Carnitine exists in three different forms: L-carnitine, D-carnitine, and Acetyl L-carnitine. L-carnitine is the natural form, D-carnitine is a synthetic variant, and Acetyl L-carnitine is absorbed more quickly by the body.

L-carnitine Effects

As previously mentioned, the amino acid carnitine is primarily used during calorie-restricted diets aimed at fat loss. The reason for this is that it is believed to assist in the transport of body fat to the mitochondria. This process is thought to contribute to fat loss, but more evidence is needed to confirm this.

Additionally, carnitine is a building block in combination with all other amino acids, which your body derives from proteins. Together, these amino acids support many physiological processes.

• The amino acids from proteins contribute to muscle mass growth.
• The amino acids from proteins help maintain muscle mass.
• The amino acids from proteins support rapid muscle recovery after training or sports.
• The amino acids from proteins support muscle building/strength/mass.
• The amino acids from proteins play a role in muscle recovery after physical exertion.
• The amino acids from proteins play a role in the repair of muscle tissue after training or sports.
• The amino acids from proteins stimulate muscle growth/lean muscle mass (during sports).

Where Can You Find Carnitine?

As you know, amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. This means you can also obtain the amino acid L-carnitine from your daily diet. But where can you find this substance? Primarily in meat, especially red meat, which contains a lot of L-carnitine. Dairy products also contain carnitine, but in smaller amounts than meat. What stands out is that carnitine is found in animal protein sources. This means that vegans might not get enough, making an L-carnitine supplement a good addition.

Good sources of carnitine include:

• Beef
• Pork
• Fish
• Chicken
• Milk
• Yogurt

Since L-carnitine is a semi-essential amino acid, the body can produce it on its own. To do this, it primarily needs sufficient methionine and lysine, which are other amino acids. Methionine is mainly found in protein-rich foods such as fish, meat, and seeds. Lysine is found in fish, shellfish, meat, dairy, and various vegetables and fruits.

How much L-carnitine per day?

Normally, supplementing with L-carnitine is not immediately necessary. Your body gets enough carnitine from protein-rich foods (meat and dairy) and can also produce it naturally. L-carnitine supplements are particularly beneficial for vegetarians, vegans, and older athletes, as the level of carnitine in the body decreases with age. Additionally, it can be useful to take extra carnitine when you're on a diet.

The daily dosage of L-carnitine ranges between 500 - 2000 mg. Using L-carnitine is completely safe. Even with a daily dosage of 3 grams, no negative side effects have been reported. Moreover, carnitine has been extensively researched by scientists, and no health risks have been found.

Ideally, you should take L-carnitine with a carbohydrate-rich meal. This helps with better absorption.

Buy the best L-carnitine at XXL Nutrition

Are you looking for the best L-carnitine to supplement your healthy diet? At XXL Nutrition, you can buy the highest quality Acetyl L-Carnitine. Our L-carnitine comes in veggie capsules, making it a perfect product for vegans to replenish their carnitine levels. Acetyl L-Carnitine is the ideal support for any diet and can be perfectly combined with caffeine and CLA!

Additionally, you can opt for a delicious sports drink with L-carnitine: Burner Drink. This sugar-free and super-refreshing sports drink is ideal during your workout, but it’s so tasty that you’ll want to drink it throughout the day. Good news: Burner contains no sugar or artificial colorings, so you can enjoy it anytime. Burner contains a whopping 2000 mg of L-Carnitine per serving, 50 mg of caffeine, and no carbs or fats.