[Effects of Carnitine] Gain Weight If You Don’t Have Enough of ‘This’? 3 Benefits of Carnitine

Dec 03, 2023KimSunhyo

[Effects of Carnitine] Gain Weight If You Don’t

Have Enough of ‘This’? 3 Benefits of Carnitine

Carnitine

If You Lack ‘This’ You Will Gain Weight

This content is health information about ingredients and not directly related to a specific product.

Effects of Carnitine

1. Reduces weight, BMI, waist and hip circumference and improvement in blood sugar control
2. Reduces blood triglyceride levels
3. Protects Heart

Hello, I am Jinny, a pharmacist.

Today I would like to introduce you to an ingredient called carnitine. Many of you may be hearing this for the first time. I think this ingredient will have great appeal for those who are concerned about managing their weight and body fat.

This is because carnitine helps ‘decompose fat.’ When carnitine, a type of amino acid, transports fatty acids to the cell's mitochondria, the mitochondria burn this fat to produce energy. In other words, if the body lacks carnitine, it not only makes it difficult to produce energy, but also accumulates fat, increasing the likelihood of obesity.

Thus, the ingredient ‘L-carnitine tartrate’, one of the forms of carnitine, has been recognized for its functionality in reducing body fat. Today, we will learn about the benefits that can be gained from oral intake of carnitine through reviewing research papers.

1. Reduces Weight, BMI, Waist and Hip Circumference and Improvement in Blood Sugar Control

The reason we need to be careful about obesity is not simply because of our desire for external beauty. Obesity is a clinical symptom and cause of various diseases. The more obese you are, the more vulnerable you are to adult diseases such as diabetes and hyperlipidemia, and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and some cancers also increases.

Accordingly, in 2016, a paper was published in CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY that reviewed the effects of oral intake of carnitine on overweight patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

“Overall, 12 weeks of carnitine in patients with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) showed beneficial effects on glycemic control and reductions in body weight, BMI, waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference (HC)."

Reference : Samimi, M., Jamilian, M., Ebrahimi, F.A., Rahimi, M., Tajbakhsh, B. and Asemi, Z. (2016). Oral carnitine supplementation reduces body weight and insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Clin Endocrinol, 84: 851-857

2. Reduces Blood Triglyceride Levels

We consume neutral fat through food or synthesize it in the liver using carbohydrates and fatty acids. When the level of triglycerides in the blood increases, it increases the risk of arteriosclerosis by helping the production of bad cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and promoting the breakdown of good cholesterol, HDL cholesterol. Above 500 mg/dL, the risk of acute pancreatitis increases rapidly. Therefore, it is necessary to manage neutral fat levels based on improving eating habits and exercise, and if necessary, concurrently with drug treatment.

In this regard, a study was conducted already in 1998 that investigated the effect of carnitine intake on lipid metabolism and body fat content.

“L-carnitine has been shown to have a significant effect in reducing waist-to-hip ratio and body fat percentage. It also lowered plasma triglycerides.”

Reference : Liang Y, Li Y, Shan J, Yu B, Ho Z. (1998). The effects of oral L-carnitine treatment on blood lipid metabolism and the body fat content in the diabetic patient. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 7(2): 192-5.

3. Protects Heart

Not only that. Carnitine has also been reported to have cardioprotective effects by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and necrosis in cardiac muscle cells. Therefore, L-carnitine, a type of carnitine, is used as a drug for myocardial metabolic disorders caused by heart diseases such as carnitine deficiency, angina, and acute myocardial infarction.

A review paper published in 2018 reported the effect of L-carnitine administration on factors related to cardiovascular disease as follows.

“Therefore, administration of exogenous carnitine via dietary and intravenous routes serves as an appropriate protective strategy against ventricular dysfunction, ischemia-reperfusion injury, cardiac arrhythmias, and toxic myocardial injury that prominently characterize CVD (cardiovascular disease). Additionally, carnitine reduces hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperglycemia, insulin-dependent diabetes, insulin resistance, and obesity, which enhance cardiovascular pathology.”

Reference : Zhong-Yu Wang, Ying-Yi Liu, Guo-Hui Liu, Hai-Bin Lu, Cui-Ying Mao. (2018). l-Carnitine and heart disease. Life Sciences, 194, 88-97.

Today, we looked at the effects of carnitine and the benefits of consuming it. In addition to the benefits mentioned above, it is an ingredient that has been reported to have various benefits, such as preventing muscle damage and improving fatigue and helplessness. Therefore, I think this is an ingredient worth trying if you want to try a healthy diet or if you want an energetic day.

I hope you have a healthy day both physically and mentally. This was Jinny.

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