Acetyl L-Carnitine has become a very popular supplement lately because of the studies that have shown it greatly helps with the burning of fatty tissues. Many weight loss tips will suggest taking this to help boost your fat burning processes. It does this by helping your body more effectively oxidize fatty acid and convert it into energy. Some of the studies show this can cause a bit of shift in the energy used from carbohydrates to fatty tissues. I won’t go into all the detail on how this is done but it involves the transfer of fatty acids through the mitochondria membrane which makes the conversion to usable energy more possible.
Some people will actually have noticeable signs of a deficiency in the carnitine their body can produce. The typical signs of this are excessively weak muscles, but keep in mind; this means weaker than you would normally expect them to be. If you’ve never engaged in any type of resistance training, it’s very normal to have weak muscles. Another sign of a carnitine deficiency would be greater than normal muscle cramping. The same caveat applies here for those people who aren’t used to working out. If you’re new at the fitness game, it’s very normal to have some sort of cramping after vigorous exercise.
Most people would do very well by supplementing their diet with L-Carnitine because the body, in most cases, isn’t going to make as much as you need. If you’re a vegetarian, you’ll want to make sure you’re getting a good dose of L-Carnitine supplements. Some people may not be vegetarians, but they still have a greatly reduced amount of meat in their diet; these people should strongly consider supplementing with L-Carnitine. If you are experiencing cramping of your muscles or serious muscle fatigue, it wouldn’t hurt to introduce some L-Carnitine and see if that subsides. If it does, great, you’ve just solved one issue and for fairly cheap. If it doesn’t reduce your cramping and fatigue, then you know it’s not related to your carnitine levels and you should look for another solution.
A very good dose for the typically active person would be about 2 grams per day. That means you may want to take your supplements at each meal to get to the proper dosage. You should be aware of the side effects that CAN be associated with acetyl l-carnitine and watch for these. Of course, always check with your doctor before taking any supplements and certainly if you experience any of these side effects. Monitor your blood pressure before you begin taking the l-carnitine and watch for a marked increase. If you do notice this, stop taking it immediately and see if it decreases accordingly. You’ll also want to make sure it’s not causing an unusual increase in your heart rate. If you have too much l-carnitine you’ll likely find your bowels will become irritated and you may even experience some diarrhea.
Please don’t let these side effects influence your decision to at least try l-carnitine supplementation. Just make sure you’re monitoring these items and correcting if you do experience something. The benefits for serious fitness enthusiasts are well worth at least trying it out. Some of the benefits including the increased ability to burn fat as we’ve already discussed, as well as an improvement in your mental performance. It’s also been shown to slow down the effects of aging including an ability to possibly decrease the risk of cataracts. Some studies have shown people who suffer from depression may benefit from supplementing their diet with some acetyl l-carnitine.