L-Carnitine is a supplement that has been on the market for decades, typically sold as a “metabolic aid” or “stimulant free fat burner.”
Usually, L-Carnitine is sold in liquid form, but you can also find in powder forms, such as Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR), L-Carnitine L-Tartrate (LCLT), or Glycine Propionyl-L-Carnitine (GLPC).
While each of these forms offer unique benefits, the “core” function of each ingredient (carnitine) remains the same.
Today, we’ll take a deep dive into L-carnitine as well as compare it to fat burners, and which (if either) you may want to use for your specific goals.
Let’s start with the basics.
What is L-Carnitine?
Carnitine is an amino acid metabolite naturally made in the body. It can also be found in animal foods, including red meat, dairy, and poultry.
Within our bodies, carnitine is synthesized in the liver and kidneys from the essential amino acids (EAAs) lysine and methionine. The vast majority (~98%) is found in the heart and skeletal muscles, where it plays an essential role in energy production. Smaller concentrations of carnitine also reside in the brain.
On average, our bodies contain 20–25 grams of L-carnitine, and we get between 100–300 mg from our diet (not including supplements).[1]
What Does Carnitine Do?
As we mentioned above, carnitine plays an essential role in healthy metabolism. More specifically, it works as a sort of “metabolic taxi” that helps to transport long-chain fatty acids into our cells’ mitochondria where it can be oxidized (“burned”) for energy.
Deficiencies in carnitine disrupt several metabolic pathways, including amino acid metabolism, beta-oxidation (fat burning) and the Kreb’s cycle. Fatty acids released from adipose tissues can also accumulate in various organs, leading to severe health consequences.[2,3]
Fortunately, L-carnitine supplements offer a convenient option for individuals who may not get enough carnitine in their diets and want to support their needs. 1UP L-Carnitine supplies a robust 3,000mg L-Carnitine per serving and is available in a wide variety of delicious and refreshing flavors.
L-Carnitine vs Fat Burner: Which is Best for You?
Given L-Carnitine’s role in burning fat for fuel, it seems like a great supplement for those who want to lose weight. And, it is!
In fact, a meta-analysis of 37 clinical trials confirms that L-carnitine does have a “modest reducing effect on body weight, BMI and fat mass, especially among adults with overweight/obesity.”[4]
Does this mean that L-Carnitine is better than other supplements on the market that are labeled as “fat burners” or weight loss aids?
Not necessarily.
You see, not all fat loss supplements are the same. By that, we mean they “flip” different metabolic switches and act in different ways that L-Carnitine.
For instance, Make Her Lean Max and Pro Ripped Max include ingredients like Citrus Aurantium, Paradoxine, and CapsiMax which also support fat loss. But they help the weight loss process in different ways.
Citrus aurantium (bitter orange) extract includes bioactives that help to increase energy expenditure (calorie burning) and free up stored fatty acids so that carnitine can help shuttle them into the mitochondria to be burned for energy.
Paradoxine (a special grains of paradise extract) stimulates brown fat thermogenesis which also ramps up energy expenditure.
Capsimax (a unique cayenne pepper extract) helps reduce appetite and increase energy expenditure.
Basically, all of these supplements help support weight loss goals, but the way in which they do that is different.
Something else to consider is that both Make Her Lean Max and Pro Ripped Max contain caffeine, which is helpful for reducing appetite and increasing energy expenditure as well as workout performance). However, some individuals are caffeine-sensitive and consuming it too late in the day can disrupt sleep.
What that means is that if you’re looking for a PM weight loss aid, conventional stimulant-based options are a no-go. L-carnitine is non-stimulant and can be taken anytime of day to support weight loss and body recomposition. It can even be stacked with our nighttime relaxation and recomposition aids, Beauty Dream PM and Recharge PM.
The Bottom Line on L-Carnitine vs Fat Burners
L-Carnitine is an essential compound in the body that is derived from the amino acids lysine and methionine. It plays a key role in fat metabolism, energy production and overall health/well-being.
It can be used on its own or stacked with other fat burning supplements to enhance calorie burning, improve workout performance, and support weight loss goals.
1UP L-Carnitine supplies a full 3,000mg L-Carnitine to support healthy metabolism, aid fat burning and promote cardiometabolic health.
References
- Walter, & Schaffhauser. (2000). L-Carnitine, a “Vitamin-like Substance” for functional food. Proceedings Of the symposium on L-carnitine, april 28 to may 1, 2000, zermatt, switzerland. Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism, 44(2), 75–96. https://doi.org/10.1159/000012825
- Adeva-Andany MM, Calvo-Castro I, Fernández-Fernández C, Donapetry-García C, Pedre-Piñeiro AM.Significance of l-carnitine for human health. IUBMB Life. 2017 Aug;69(8):578-594
- Longo N, Frigeni M, Pasquali M. Carnitine transport and fatty acid oxidation. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2016 Oct;1863(10):2422-35
- Talenezhad N, Mohammadi M, Ramezani-Jolfaie N, Mozaffari-Khosravi H, Salehi-Abargouei A. Effects of l-carnitine supplementation on weight loss and body composition: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 37 randomized controlled clinical trials with dose-response analysis. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2020 Jun;37:9-23. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2020.03.008. Epub 2020 Apr 18. PMID: 32359762.
