Carnitine is an incredible amino acid with amazing properties and benefits, including weight loss, fitness and anti-aging. L-carnitine helps the body produce energy, and it’s important for heart and brain function, muscle movement, and many other body processes.
The University of Maryland Medical Center explains, “It can help your body convert fat into energy through a process called fat oxidation.” It also contributes to weight loss because it may increase muscle mass and metabolic rate and as a result burn more calories during the day.
The multi-faceted benefits of acetyl-l-carnitine in brain cells make it an important supplement that we can take to maintain and improve overall neurological functions. It helps to maintain a young brain. The use of carnitine also showed some promise in a controlled trial in selected cases of male infertility by improving sperm quality.
Carnitine also has an antioxidant effect, which helps human aging and health. Carnitine can help to maintain bone mass, help to treat symptoms of hyperthyroidism, improve symptoms in moderate asthmatics and some research shows that it can help some heart conditions.
The principal food dietary sources of carnitine are meat, with the highest amount occurring in lamb, poultry, fish, tempeh, wheat, peanut butter, avocados and asparagus. Examples of quantities in some foods:
| Product | Quantity | Carnitine |
| Beef steak | 100 g | 95 mg |
| Ground beef | 100 g | 94 mg |
| Pork | 100 g | 27.7 mg |
| Bacon | 100 g | 23.3 mg |
| Tempeh | 100 g | 19.5 mg |
| Cod fish | 100 g | 5.6 mg |
| Chicken breast | 100 g | 3.9 mg |
| American cheese | 100 g | 3.7 mg |
| Ice cream | 100 ml | 3.7 mg |
| Whole milk | 100 ml | 3.3 mg |
| Avocado | 1 medium | 2 mg |
| Cottage cheese | 100 g | 1.1 mg |
| Whole-wheat bread | 100 g | 0.36 mg |
| Asparagus | 100 g | 0.195 mg |
| White bread | 100 g | 0.147 mg |
| Macaroni | 100 g | 0.126 mg |
| Peanut butter | 100 g | 0.083 mg |
| Rice (cooked) | 100 g | 0.0449 mg |
| Eggs | 100 g | 0.0121 mg |
| Orange juice | 100 ml | 0.0019 mg |
To obtain therapeutic dosages of the supplement, it is necessary to use 500 to 1,000 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine daily, according to the Oregon State University’s Linus Pauling Institute. They reported this dose is generally considered safe for healthy adults. Various carnitine supplements are available over-the-counter as well, including L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine and propionyl-L-carnitine.
Carnitine use is very safe but may produce some side effects. Main side effects include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. Taking more than 3 grams per day can lead to a fishy body odor.
Carnitine is my number one fat-burner natural supplement because it is safe and has multiple benefits. I recommend asking your doctor before using any carnitine ;)
