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L-Acetyl Carnitine & Cholesterol

Oct 12, 2011 | By Bonnie Singleton
L-Acetyl Carnitine & Cholesterol
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One in every six adults has high cholesterol, a condition linked to heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Scientists researching the effects of diet and supplements on cholesterol are turning to compounds such as L-carnitine. Carnitine is a supplement popular with athletes for increasing lean muscle and among students for its ability to promote mental focus, but its benefits also show promise for improving cholesterol numbers.

Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol is a waxy substance in the outer coating of cells and is also needed to produce the bile acids used for digestion and to assist your body in making vitamin D and hormones. One-quarter of the cholesterol your body needs comes from food, and the rest your body manufactures on its own. Cholesterol has two main types: HDL, or "good" cholesterol, which helps keep the LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, from lodging in your artery walls and causing a blockage. Tests measure total cholesterol, with a desirable level being anything lower than 200 mg/dL.

Carnitine Benefits

Carnitine is also known as acetyl-l-carnitine or L-carnitine and is a derivative of the amino acid, lysine. Your body produces carnitine in the liver and kidneys and stores it in your muscles, heart, brain and in sperm. Carnitine is important to help convert fat into energy and to reduce oxidative stress, which occurs when harmful free radicals damage cell walls and the DNA in cells. Carnitine deficiencies are rare, even in vegetarians, and if you're healthy, your body will likely synthesize enough L-carnitine without the need for supplements.

Scientific Research

Researchers at Johns Hopkins tested 1 g per day of carnitine for 15 weeks in healthy male subjects. The results, published in the "Johns Hopkins Medical Journal" in 1982, showed that the supplements significantly raised levels of the beneficial HDL cholesterol and decreased triglycerides, a harmful type of fatty substance in blood. Diabetic patients often suffer from elevated levels of harmful LDL cholesterol. A study published in the December 2008 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" found that diabetic patients taking 2 g carnitine per day had marked improvements in LDL and triglycerides.

Considerations

The long-term effects of taking carnitine supplements aren't known, but high doses of 5 g or more of carnitine per day in the short term can cause diarrhea, rashes and a fishy body odor. Carnitine supplements are often packaged with other ingredients such as alpha lipoic acid, and these combinations may not have been studied for their combined effects on cholesterol. If you have any medical condition, including heart disease, check with your doctor before taking carnitine supplements.

References

Article reviewed by William H Last updated on: Oct 12, 2011

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