Acetyl L-carnitine is a substance, made from amino acids, which helps your body burn fat for energy. Taking a carnitine supplement could potentially help promote weight loss and improve your exercise performance. Before you start taking acetyl L-carnitine, however, consult your doctor to discuss the proper dosage and possible side effects.
Function
Acetyl L-carnitine works to convert fat into energy in your body and is used in many parts of your body, particularly your muscle tissues, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Carnitine is found in dairy products and meats, but your body manufactures all it needs from methionine and lysine. In some people, carnitine production is inhibited, creating a deficiency. People who have certain genetic conditions, diabetes, liver cirrhosis and heart conditions all tend to have carnitine deficiencies, explains the University of Michigan Health System.
Effects
Acetyl L-carnitine could help you lose weight by improving your fat-to-muscle ratio, or body composition, says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Carnitine supplements are also sometimes used to improve athletic or exercise performance. Carnitine might potentially help to reduce your body's fat mass and increase muscle mass, as well as reduce fatigue, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. However, although acetyl L-carnitine is sometimes marketed as a weight-loss or sports performance-enhancing supplement, no conclusive medical research supports the use of carnitine for these purposes.
Dosage
The most common dosage range for acetyl L-carnitine is 1 to 3 grams daily, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Alternatively, carnitine is sometimes taken at a dosage rate of 500 to 1,000 milligrams three times per day, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. These dosage rates apply to acetyl L-carnitine, but they're also the same for the other available forms, L-carnitine and propionyl L-carnitine. Ask your physician about the dosage that's right for you before you begin taking any form of carnitine for weight loss.
Other Uses
In addition to promoting weight loss and improving exercise performance, acetyl L-carnitine is sometimes also used to help treat cardiovascular conditions such as angina, heart failure, heart attack and peripheral vascular disease, according to UMMC. Carnitine supplementation could possibly help in treating symptoms of hyperthyroidism and preventing or treating a carnitine deficiency while undergoing kidney dialysis, as well as treating Peyronie's disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, infertility in men, erectile dysfunction, Alzheimer's disease and diabetic neuropathy. Taking carnitine supplements may provide some health benefits if you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD; intermittent claudication; celiac disease; depression; diabetes; fibromyalgia; HIV/AIDS; liver cirrhosis; and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Other uses for acetyl L-carnitine include helping to treat thalassemia, high cholesterol or triglycerides, sickle cell anemia, genetic cardiomyopathy in children, Raynaud's disease and mitral valve prolapse, notes the University of Michigan Health System. Talk with your physician before taking acetyl L-carnitine for any medical purpose.
Warning
Acetyl L-carnitine may be unsafe for people with low thyroid-hormone levels, people undergoing dialysis, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and those with liver or kidney disease, warns the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. You should also talk with your doctor before taking carnitine if you have high blood pressure, liver cirrhosis, diabetes or peripheral vascular disease, cautions UMMC. Carnitine supplements can interfere with thyroid medications as well.
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