Introduction
L-carnitine was discovered by the Russian scientist V.G. Gulevich, who first discovered it in muscle tissue and assigned non-protein nitrogenous substances of muscle tissue to the group of extractive substances. By biogenic nature, carnitine is close to carnosine, a substance involved in the biochemical dynamics of muscle tissue. The therapeutic effect of carnitine was described before its chemical structure was deciphered. In the original descriptions, there is such a designation of carnitine as vitamin W. Carnitine is also called the growth vitamin for its ability to significantly accelerate the growth of people at a young age. Basically, carnitine enters the body with food, but under certain conditions it can be formed in the body through biosynthesis. In such cases, carnitine is synthesized in the liver from glutamic acid (which is why glutamic acid is such a muscle-friendly compound).
Human fat depot and L-Carnitine
Any healthy person has a fat depot. This is the energy reserve that is necessary to ensure the functioning of the body in the short term. The body creates a certain reserve of energy to compensate for the upcoming energy costs and replenishes this potential as it is spent. At the same time, the use of fat depot reserves provides up to 96% of all human energy consumption! We can say that the normal functioning of the human body depends almost entirely on the implementation of this mechanism, in which L-carnitine plays a decisive role, which ensures the transport of fatty acids into the mitochondria of cells. It is important to remember that nutrition is not only necessary for skeletal muscles. It is known that the human brain "burns" about 20% of all energy consumed by a person. Nutrition is also necessary for the muscles that ensure the functioning of the heart, lungs, and all systems of the human body. In the absence of a sufficient amount of energy in the cell, life processes either do not occur or are noticeably disturbed. The reduced content of L-carnitine in the body does not allow the full use of the energy of the fat depot, and despite the sufficient amount of stored calories, a person needs additional nourishment. Unused energy reserves form excess adipose tissue, provoking a whole bunch of serious diseases, for example such a formidable phenomenon as diabetes mellitus.
The fight against excess adipose tissue in terms of its intensity and material costs can only be compared with the struggle for space exploration. Hundreds of medicines and thousands of types of dietary products are produced, but the number of fat people, despite any economic upheavals, not only does not decrease, but is constantly growing. Obesity is too complex a problem and deserves separate consideration. Let's just say that carnitine in this case opened up a whole era of new drugs to combat excess adipose tissue.
What is human fat? Its chemical composition is relatively simple. For the most part, the subcutaneous fat layer consists of triglycerides - esters of glycerol with long-chain fatty acids. Fat molecules break down at a constant rate and some fatty acids and glycerol enter the bloodstream. Approximately the same amount of fatty acids and glycerol comes from the blood into the subcutaneous fat. All weight loss drugs in the pre-carnitine era acted on the body only in this way: the breakdown of fat molecules increased, the blood was filled with a large amount of fatty acids and glycerin. At the same time, fat synthesis remained unchanged, since the ability of fatty acids to penetrate into the cells of the body (including fatty acids) is strictly limited. Burning fat gives twice the energy output than burning carbohydrates or proteins, however, fatty acids are very poorly oxidized and, as a result, the use of fat for energy needs of the body is limited. The ability of fatty acids to penetrate into the cell depends almost 100% on the state of a special kind of proteins in the cell membrane. Blood flooding with fatty acids is accompanied by a lot of negative effects: body temperature rises, nervous excitability increases, tachycardia appears, etc. It should also be noted that fatty acids, oxidized in the body, form highly toxic compounds known as free radicals, which cause damage to all cell membranes and, as a result, damage to all organs and systems of the body without exception. Free radical oxidation of cell membranes is one of the main causes of aging. He is also credited with a leading role in the development of such diseases, like cancer and atherosclerosis.
The unique feature of carnitine is that it increases the permeability of cell membranes for fatty acids. Without increasing the rate of breakdown of adipose tissue, it increases the absorption of fat by the body for energy purposes and, as a result, slows down the rate of synthesis of neutral fat molecules in subcutaneous fat depots. With the start of taking carnitine, a persistent loss of adipose tissue begins at a constant rate, which sometimes reaches 10-15 kg within a month without changing the diet. At the same time, the efficiency of fat oxidation in the body sharply increases, since now fatty acids do not give toxic free radicals, but energy stored in the form of ATP. The ability of carnitine to destroy adipose tissue is largely due to the presence of highly mobile methyl radicals in its molecule.
The effect of L-carnitine on the cardiovascular system
The energy of the heart muscle is especially improved, because the heart is fed by 70% fatty acids. Increased penetration of long-chain fatty acids into the cell, followed by oxidation, significantly increases the strength and endurance of the heart muscle. The content of protein in the heart muscle increases and, especially significantly, the content of glycogen. Carnitine is indispensable in cases where it is necessary to increase general and special endurance in aerobic sports (running, swimming, rowing, etc.). A remarkable property of carnitine is its ability to reduce the content of cholesterol in the body and slow down the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the vessels. Under the influence of carnitine, the formation of lecithin in the liver is enhanced. And here it does not do without highly mobile methyl radicals, which are necessary for the synthesis of lecithin in the liver. Lecithin is a substance that removes cholesterol from atherosclerotic plaques. Carnitine is thus one of the few compounds whose use allows active longevity to be achieved.
The effect of L-carnitine on the liver
The energizing effect of carnitine, coupled with its anabolic effect, is highly beneficial for the liver. The liver enhances its detoxification and protein-synthetic function. The content of glycogen in the liver increases. The liver begins to more actively break down lactic and pyruvic acids, which are fatigue toxins. Thus, carnitine helps to increase endurance in both aerobic and anaerobic (powerlifting, bodybuilding, etc.) sports.
The mechanism of action of L-carnitine
If we consider the action of carnitine at the subcellular level, we will see that it mainly affects the mitochondria, which are the energy stations of the cell. It is mitochondria that give cells energy, burn fats, proteins and carbohydrates. The mitochondria of the heart work especially intensively, processing fatty acids, and the mitochondria of the liver, which supply the entire body with energy. The main factor limiting muscle growth is the protein-synthetic function of muscles. For adequate muscle growth, it is necessary to provide sufficient building material - amino acids.
However, no less significant is the energy supply - the supply of energy necessary for protein synthesis. In evolutionary terms, mitochondria are the youngest organs of the cell. Therefore, in any adverse situation, their work is disrupted in the first place. In any disease, energy metabolism is the first to suffer. Carnitine in this case is something like a philosopher's stone, a cure for all diseases. After all, by improving bioenergetics, it is possible to treat almost any disease. A strong body will cope with all the sores.
Anabolic action of carnitine
Anabolic action of carnitine проявляется в значительной стимуляции биосинтеза белка. Anabolic action of carnitine по отношению к растущему организму проявляется в большей степени, чем по отношению к развившемуся. The anabolic effect of the introduction of carnitine into the body of an adult is less pronounced compared to its effect on the child's body, but still it is quite noticeable. In an experiment in adults with severe depletion, carnitine causes stimulation of appetite and a significant increase in body weight.
In sports practice, carnitine has established itself as a good non-doping anabolic agent, leading to an increase in strength and muscle mass, an increase in the rate of digestibility of protein, vitamins and carbohydrates, and an increase in endurance. The combination of a pronounced anabolic and restorative effect of carnitine with its absolute safety makes it very valuable. means of sports pharmacology.
L-carnitine as a medicine for various diseases
In sports, diseases are a direct consequence of overload, competitive stress. Knowledge of the therapeutic effects of carnitine allows you to solve two problems at once: increase the anabolic activity of the body and correct the pathology that occurs during sports.
In mild forms of thyrotoxicosis (increased thyroid function), carnitine reduces the increased basal metabolism (the amount of energy required for the body to function in a calm state), normalizes body temperature, reduces tachycardia and nervous excitability, general weakness, etc. An excessive increase in thyroid function in any person causes a decrease in body weight even with abundant protein nutrition, since thyroid hormones, although they increase the rate of protein synthesis in the body, further increase the rate of breakdown of protein molecules. This disease is very widespread. In some regions of our country, almost 30% of the population suffer from one or another pathology