L-carnitine is a naturally occurring amino acid that's produced by the body. It's found in nearly all cells and is required for many vital bio-mechanisms. L-carnitine is also found naturally in food sources such as beef and pork. L-carnitine offers many health benefits, such as promoting heart health, decreasing cognitive decline and increasing exercise performance.
Cardiovascular Health
Studies from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University report that L-carnitine supports cardiovascular health. One study showed carnitine's ability to reduce damage to the heart muscle resulting from myocardial infarction or heart attack. Patients who supplemented with carnitine immediately after a heart attack showed improved clinical recovery. More important, after one year of treatment, the mortality rate was significantly lower in those people who were administered L-carnitine compared with the control group. The results suggested that L-carnitine therapy in heart attack patients may limit adverse effects on the heart muscle. L-carnitine has also shown to decrease incidences of death in patients who suffered from heart failure, an inability of the heart to pump enough blood. One study conducted by the Linus Pauling Institute tested 70 heart failure patients while giving them L-carnitine daily for three years. The results concluded that the three-year survival rate was significantly higher in the group receiving L-carnitine.
Cognitive Decline Prevention
Cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer's disease have been rising steadily. Cognitive decline is characterized as a deterioration of cognitive skills, such as memory and speaking. Controlled clinical trials conducted at the Linus Pauling Institute suggested that L-carnitine treatment might slow the progression of cognitive decline in patients. Data from the study suggested that patients with early onset of Alzheimer's disease experienced a significantly less and slower cognitive decline when treated with l-carnitine (3g/day for 12 months).
Exercise Performance
L-carnitine naturally functions as a transporter of fatty acids into the mitochondria, the energy-producing part of the cell, and plays an important role in the metabolism of fat. Vanderbilt University reports that carnitine aids in the release of stored body fat into the bloodstream and increases natural energy for long-term aerobic activity. Fatty acids are the major source for the body's production of energy. L-carnitine allows the body to burn more fat during exercise. This fatty acid bio-mechanism makes l-carnitine optimal for energy and performance in people who exercise. Besides increasing energy levels and aerobic activity, l-carnitine also supports muscular health. Vanderbilt University research suggests that l-carnitine is vital for muscle contraction and regulation of proper protein balance that supports muscular maintenance.
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