L-Carnitine Bodybuilding Dosage, Benefits, Side Effects
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Carnitine Bodybuilding Supplements (l-carnitine, acetyl l-carnitine, l carnitine l-tartrate) are gaining popularity because of their many benefits.
L-Carnitine Dosage: 1-3 g at breakfast, before training, after training, and with bedtime meal. Take with food, preferably fast burning carbs.
Bodybuilding Benefit: Carnitine has been shown in studies to enhance muscle building by increasing androgen receptors in muscle cells. This promotes growth by allowing more testosterone to be used.
Carnitine also benefits bodybuilding by removing body fat by promoting fat utilization and enhancing carb storage.
Bodybuilding Rating:***
Category: Carnitine supports Fat Burning, Muscle Building and Enhanced brain function
Explanation: Carnitine is a type of non-essential amino acid, that transports fatty acids into the energy producing parts of cells.
L-Carnitine Side Effects: As with any supplement, always check with your doctor before taking Carnitine. Most people will experience no side effacts when taking the prescribed Carnitine dosage, but those with medical conditions may experience difficulty sleeping, nausea, vomiting, increased heart rate, and other symptoms.
Carnitine supplement is one of the top 10 bodybuilding supplements recommended by experts. It is so powerful because it helps in the two most important areas for a bodybuilder, fat burning and muscle growth.
What is L-Carnitine?
Carnitine is known as an amino acid-like/vitamin-like supplement. This is kind of an unusual categorization, because although carnitine is formed from amino acids, it is actually more complicated than that. It is formed in the liver and kidneys from the amino acids lysine and methionine. The B vitamins and vitamin C also play an important role in forming carnitine. After it is formed in the liver and kidneys is stored primarily in muscle tissue, the brain, and even in sperm. This is why most scientists refer to carnitine as an amino acid like/vitamin like substance.
There are actually two types of carnitine: D-Carnitine and L-Carnitine. We are interested only in the L form, as this is the one that is found in nature and performs biological functions. The D form on the other hand, is inactive and actually can have negative effects on the body. But don't worry about that, because the L form is the only one that is available for sale in the United States.
Carnitine is primarily marketed as a fat burning supplement, which it is, but we now know that it has several other benefits as well. These benefits include the support of muscle tissue growth and improving brain function.
Fat burning supplement
Carnitine supplement's primary function is as a fat burner. It is necessary for fat to be transported into the mitochondria of cells to be burned as fuel. If carnitine levels in the body are low, such as when on a low carb diet, fat is not efficiently burned during workouts, and the rate of fat loss is diminished.Carbohydrate storage
Carnitine also aids in the proper storage of glycogen, which is the main muscle fuel during intense workouts. When muscles contain adequate glycogen, they become full and large, and have enough energy for the next workout.Muscle growth supplement
There is evidence that carnitine can improve oxygen, hormone and energy delivery to muscles by boosting nitric oxide levels which is desired in bodybuilding. In addition, research done at the University of Connecticut, determined that carnitine increases the amount of testosterone receptors inside muscle cells. These are known as androgen receptors an the more of these you have in your cells, the more testosterone can be used to stimulate muscle growth.Brain function enhancement
Carnitine has also been shown to provide mental benefits.
Acetyl-L-carnitine especially helps produce energy throughout the central nervous system. Because of this, research has shown that acetyl-L-carnitine helps to protect against aging and neurodegeneration. These properties can help to retain memory more effectively and improve general brain function.
Carnitine supplement dosage
To get the most benefit from carnitine supplementation, try taking 1-3 g with breakfast, pre workout, post workout and with your last meal of the day.
There are several types of carnitine supplements available, including L-carnitine, Acetyl-L-carnitine, L-carnitine L-tartrate and propionyl-L-carnitine.
L-carnitine is the simplest, least expensive and most
common form of the supplement. This is the form to use if fat loss is your primary goal.
Acetyl-L-carnitine has acetic acid attached which helps it to get into the brain due to the fact that it passes more freely across cell membranes. This type of carnitine supplement is much more expensive than standard l-carnitine. Propionyl L-carnitine is L-carnitine with the propionate group attached. This helps carnitine get absorbed by muscle tissue and provides energy.
Although different tests were done in with different forms of carnitine supplements, the basic L-carnitine supplement should provide most of the same benefits, such as fat burning, higher nitric oxide levels, etc.
Is best to take l-carnitine supplements with food, as it has been shown that carbohydrates help the absorb it more efficiently.
Buying bodybuilding supplements:
When I buy supplements on line, I generally order from 3 different web sites, depending on which has the best overall price on the supplements I want, including shipping cost.
Bodybuilding.com probably has the best selection, and will likely have anything you need, and their shipping is the fastest I have seen. Their shipping price is more than fair. They have 2 warehouses, one in the west and one in the east, which is why I always get my stuff the next day.
All Star Health also has a good selection, but don't always carry the specific item I want. Their prices are better than Bodybuilding.com on a lot of things, and they have a flat rate shipping charge of $5.95.
Amazon
Check out all 3 and compare!
I have spent alot of time looking for better prices, but you really won't find anything better than one of these three. If you do, send me an email at dave@rocksolidbodybuilding.com!
