L-carnitine is synthesized in the body from the amino acids lysine and methionine. Find out how your chances of success can be improved if you include L-carnitine in your diet.
The effect of L-carnitine on the body
L-carnitine is synthesized in the body from the amino acids lysine and methionine. Regardless of your bodybuilding and fitness goals (fat loss or muscle gain), your chances of success will greatly increase if you take L-carnitine as part of your supplement. Research on L-carnitine dates back to 1937. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits it can provide to your health while reaching your goals.
1. Fat Loss If you want to lose weight, then this is the amino acid you need. L-carnitine transports long chain fatty acids, triglycerides, into the mitochondria where they can be oxidized for energy. L-carnitine has also been found to reduce fatigue and serve as an appetite suppressant. Therefore, L-carnitine will become the main element of your diet. Not only will it protect your body from fat storage, but it will also increase your aerobic capacity to help you burn more calories.
2. Increase Muscle Mass L-carnitine is also an excellent remedy for hardgainers looking to gain muscle mass. Supplements containing L-carnitine will help increase strength, which means lifting more weight, which ultimately means gaining muscle mass.
3. Preservation of bone mass With age, bone loss becomes a serious problem for older people and postmenopausal women. Of course, this can lead to an increased risk of fractures, osteoporosis, and arthritis along with other bone diseases. Fortunately, taking L-carnitine will slow down the process of bone loss and improve its microstructural properties.
4. Improving the condition of the heart L-carnitine is primarily used in the treatment of diseases associated with the heart. Clinical studies show that L-carnitine can be used along with conventional treatment for angina to reduce the need for medication and also enable those suffering from this condition to exercise without chest pain or discomfort. Researchers have also found that taking L-carnitine after a heart attack reduces the risk of relapse. In fact, L-carnitine is indicated for people suffering from heart disease.
5. Treatment of the kidneys L-carnitine is synthesized in the kidneys, so it is natural that when they are ill, it is recommended to take L-carnitine to make up for its deficiency in the body.
6. Treatment of male infertility For men who are trying to have children and have a low sperm count, L-carnitine is indicated to improve both the quantity and quality of sperm.
7. Benefits for breastfeeding mothers Young mothers choose breastfeeding in part because it burns calories. But breastfeeding has another side effect – it lowers L-carnitine levels in the body. Even if you weren’t deficient during your pregnancy, supplementing with L-carnitine will prevent a possible deficiency in the future. By combining breastfeeding with taking L-carnitine, a young mother will quickly get rid of the fat accumulated in the body during pregnancy.
8. Help in the treatment of type 2 diabetes For people with type 2 diabetes, taking L-carnitine helps to increase the degree of oxidation and absorption of glucose, as well as preserve its reserves in the body.
9. Immune Boost L-carnitine serves as an antioxidant that will help prevent free radical damage to healthy cells. It can help you with colds, seasonal allergies, as well as during training.
10. Improving brain function Older people who take ginkgo biloba to improve brain function can also be offered L-carnitine. It helps protect the brain from the adverse effects of aging and stress, allowing it to function better and last longer.
11. Antidote for Valproic Acid Poisoning Although it may not be related to bodybuilding, thousands of cases of valproic acid poisoning are documented every year. Not being able to serve as a universal antidote, L-carnitine will help in case of this dangerous poisoning.

What is valproic acid?
Valproic acid is a chemical compound that has found clinical use as an anticonvulsant and mood-stabilizing drug in the treatment of epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and less commonly, major depression. It is also used in the treatment migraines and schizophrenia. Sold under the trade names “Depakote”, “Depakote ER”, “Depakene”, “Depacon”, “Depakine” and “Stavzor”.
How and in what quantity to take L-carnitine? As a general rule, a dose of two to four grams per day will be beneficial for overall health and will help achieve fitness results. L-carnitine is available in capsules, tablets, and liquid form. A large selection of L-carnitine products can be found at Bodybuilding.com. If you prefer food as a source of L-carnitine, then there are a large number of products containing this substance. Red meat and dairy products are the best choice here. Also on this list are nuts, seeds, artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collards, garlic, mustard leaves, okra, parsley, cabbage, apricots, bananas, bee pollen, brewer’s yeast, buckwheat, corn, oatmeal, rice bran, rye and whole grain wheat.