The body naturally produces L-carnitine from the essential amino acids lysine and methionine, which likely explains why people commonly mistake carnitine for an amino acid. L-carnitine is an important molecular chaperone for transporting fatty acids, particularly long-chain fatty acids, across the outer mitochondrial membrane.

Mitochondria are cellular organelles that break down fatty acids to produce chemical energy e. As such, mitochondria are veritable "power generators" within cells. The more dense the mitochondria are in your cells, the more energy you burn i.

A typical Western diet contains roughly mg to mg of L-carnitine per day, mostly from red meat and dairy. In vegan diets, L-carnitine content may be as low as a few milligrams per day. At dietarily relevant intakes, L-carnitine won't produce ergogenic effects or lead to greater weight loss.

As such, you'll need to take L-carnitine as a supplement for best results. But L-carnitine supplementation is a bit more complicated than you might presume. The following section explains why the type of L-carnitine supplement you use and when you take it can make all the difference.

L-carnitine L-tartrate is the carnitine salt of tartaric acid, a naturally occurring substance found in many fruits. The premise behind L-carnitine supplementation is sound, but a major hindrance of the tartrate form is poor oral bioavailability and uptake into muscle cells.

In turn, that may cause side effects, notably gastrointestinal distress. Thus, for L-carnitine tartrate to be effectively absorbed, a large dose is necessary. Moreover, intravenous administration does not help increase muscle carnitine stores; a series of I.

infusion studies discuss how this method of administration, similarly to oral supplementation, fails to increase muscle carnitine stores [ 2 ].

Not surprisingly, there are conflicting results regarding the effects of L-carnitine supplements on exercise performance and weight loss [ 3 , 4 ].

The current data is riddled with methodology and practicality issues. L-carnitine may be effective for improving body composition and muscle fat metabolism during exercise.

The weight-loss benefits of supplementing with L-carnitine L-tartrate orally and without an ancillary to increase carnitine transport into mitochondria are most apparent in individuals with carnitine deficiencies.

In healthy individuals, such benefits of L-carnitine are likely negligible. Now, that's not to say that the tartrate form of carnitine is "bunk" or useless. There are ways to improve the absorption and uptake of this type of carnitine supplement, and it does appear to be useful for muscle recovery, exercise performance, and nutrient partitioning when taken before meals and post-workout [ 5 ].

To reap the metabolic benefits of carnitine supplementation, it's imperative to improve carnitine's bioavailability and uptake into muscle tissue.

One way of doing this is to take L-carnitine L-tartrate in combination with supplemental choline. Choline is a lipotropic agent read: a molecule that helps break down fatty acids and appears to act as a "shuttle" for carnitine [ 6 ].

It's also a constituent of acetylcholine and phosphatidylcholine. The former is an important neurotransmitter, and the latter is a phospholipid. Phospholipids are components of cell membranes and critical for cellular metabolism and integrity. However, choline molecules don't actually carry carnitines into the mitochondria of muscle cells and neurons.

Insulin appears to do the same [ 8 ]; hence, it's best to take L-carnitine tartrate before meals containing carbohydrates or after exercise. A typical Western diet provides about to micrograms of choline per day, mostly from lecithin found in egg yolk, liver, meat, and peanuts.

Given that an effective dose of choline is several hundred milligrams, a supplement is necessary. The best approach is to take alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine alpha-GPC or citicoline CDP-choline along with L-carnitine.

Doing so will ensure more L-carnitine tartrate gets absorbed and transported into muscle mitochondria. Acetyl-L-carnitine is simply L-carnitine with an acetyl group derived from acetic acid attached to it.

This small molecular modification improves the oral bioavailability of L-carnitine and allows it to cross the blood-brain barrier [9] readily. Therefore, acetyl-L-carnitine supplements are best for pre-workout and nootropic applications. For example, individuals with depression and anxiety may be at risk for dysfunction of brain lipid metabolism [ 10 ]; ALCAR is suggested to be a promising alternative treatment for mood disorders by restoring proper fat metabolism in neurons [ 11 ].

Research also shows that acetyl-L-carnitine supports cerebral and nervous system function in several ways, such as:. Moreover, ALCAR works in concert with other nootropics , such as citicoline CDP-choline and caffeine, bolstering its benefits in the process.

And due to its better bioavailability, ALCAR is a useful fat burner. A neuroscience study by Bigini et al. That way the supplement can be properly absorbed. When digested, it can end up in the intestines - even in the brain. The results differ from one person to another.

Depending on your lifestyle, Carnitine intake can manifest in different ways. For healthy young adults who pay attention to their meal plan, Carnitine supplementation mostly affects post-workout muscle soreness and recovery process.

It may also be beneficial to your exercising performance. For middle-aged and elderly people, Carnitine has the most effect when it comes to fat loss, muscle growth and lowered exhaustion during workouts.

There are no side effects of Carnitine supplementation. However, a study from highlights the fact that carnitine found in red meat may increase the risk of developing a heart disease. To be more precise, the research only showed a temporary increase of a substance called Trimethylamine N-oxide TMAO , sometimes associated with heart disease, but was never actually proven to be the cause.

Other studies also suggested there is no connection between eating red meat and being affected by a heart condition. So far, there has been plenty of evidence in support of Carnitine supplementation.

Not only is it completely safe, but it also helps improve your overall health and supports other aspects of your physical lifestyle.

Help your body to help itself. Now that you have all the research at hand, the only thing left to do is figure out which supplement is the best fit for you. Banish the swollen belly look with these amazing superfoods packed with natural benefits. Confused about BCAAs? For personalised medical or nutrition advice, please make an appointment with your doctor, dietitian or qualified health careprofessional.

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