Losing weight is a cherished dream of many people. And we are talking not only about obese, but also about those whose weight is slightly above normal. Very often, problems with excess weight develop against the background of the fact that a person does not want to follow certain rules and take care of himself. Such people are in constant search of a miraculous pill that can save them from extra pounds without any effort.
In such cases, special medications are often purchased, such as L-Carnitine. Reviews how to take this tool for weight loss and will be discussed in this article. Also, we will consider in detail the instructions for use and the composition of the drug. And of course, do not forget to mention the reviews of doctors about “L-Carnitine” for weight loss. Are they negative or positive? Learn about it below.
What is the drug?
In short, “L-Carnitine” is a dietary supplement, the main component of which is levocarnitine. What is this substance?
This is a natural amino acid, which is related to vitamins B1, B6, B12. How is this substance used for weight loss? The doctors' comments about “L-Carnitine” in this case are full of contradictions. There is no doubt that the main component of the dietary supplement is natural and beneficial. However, whether it really helps to lose those extra pounds is rather doubtful. Let's find out why.
The main component of the tool
The fact is that levocarnitine is not a direct stimulant for weight loss. Negative reviews of doctors about L-Carnitine are mostly based on such a simple factor. That is, the substance does not directly contribute to losing weight. Moreover, if it is used incorrectly, then completely opposite results can be achieved.
What is remarkable levocarnitine? First of all, by what is present in the human body and can be synthesized by the kidneys and liver. In order for the substance to be produced, you need a complete balanced diet rich in proteins. If levocarnitine is not enough for a person, then heart problems and overweight can develop.
Drug action
How to take “L-Carnitine" for weight loss? From the reviews of people who have personally tried this tool, it is clear that before using it, it is important to find out how the main component of the drug works, and only then you need to decide how to use it.
So, in most cases, levocarnitine is used in order to build muscle instead of fat. Therefore, dietary supplements are actively used among athletes or fitness enthusiasts.
According to slimming reviews, “L-Carnitine” helps to get rid of excess weight at the cellular level. The active component of the drug improves metabolism, releasing the energy necessary for active life from fatty deposits. Therefore, the tool is an indispensable dietary supplement for intense physical exertion, burns excess fats and kilograms, as well as unpleasant centimeters at the waist.
Moreover, dietary supplements increase endurance and reduce fatigue during training. Due to this, fatty tissue breaks down and muscles become stronger.
What other positive reviews about L-Carnitine can be found? For weight loss, the drug is used by many sports fans, since it has quite a few positive properties.
How the drug will help
According to reviews of losing weight, “L-Carnitine” has such a beneficial effect on the human body:
- activates various metabolism;
- speeds up the process of burning fat;
- is a prevention in the appearance of fat folds;
- lowers cholesterol;
- increases human performance and endurance;
- saturates with oxygen various cells of the body;
- enhances natural immunity;
- protects muscle tissue from possible damage during training (for example, sprains).
And what about the effect of a biologically active supplement on the vital organs of the human body? Levocarnitine has a positive effect on the human brain, contributing to better absorption of information and other intellectual stress. Moreover, this active ingredient has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system of the body, as it improves the nutrition of the heart muscle, lowers high blood pressure and prevents the development of such a serious ailment as atherosclerosis. This information is contained in the instructions for “L-Carnitine”. Customer reviews mostly confirm manufacturers' assurances.
When to take the drug
Since the supplement has an extensive spectrum of action, it can be taken not only by those who want to lose extra pounds, but also people suffering from serious diseases, such as:
- some types of diabetes;
- heart failure;
- various pathologies of the liver;
- AIDS (as a complex treatment due to a lack of levocarnitine);
- thrombosis.
Naturally, with such diseases it is impossible to prescribe treatment for yourself even with the help of seemingly harmless biologically active additives. Therefore, only the attending physician can prescribe the use of the drug. He must paint an individual schedule of administration and dosage of the drug.
Of course, this drug has serious contraindications. We will talk about them below.
When you can not use the tool
First of all, it should be understood that dietary supplement is not only useless, but also harmful if the necessary amount of levocarnitine is produced in your body.
Also, the drug can not be used for people with epilepsy, as well as suffering from insulin-dependent diabetes, thyroid ailments and kidney pathologies. Pregnancy and lactation are also a contraindication to the use of the drug.
Negative manifestations
According to reviews of losing weight, “L-Carnitine” is able to cause unpleasant adverse reactions of the body. This can be expressed in headaches, constipation, sleep problems, swelling of the nasopharynx, fever, heart palpitations, nervousness. Most often, this occurs against the background of individual intolerance to the main components of the drug.
How is the active substance released?
Levocarnitine is produced by the manufacturer in several forms:
- liquid (syrup, ampoules);
- tableted (capsules, tablets);
- powder for cooking.
Inexperienced consumers are quite difficult to figure out what is better. What do the reviews say? Which L-Carnitine is more effective? Let's find out. However, first we discuss the most common dietary supplements, where the main active ingredient is levocarnitine.
Variety of dietary supplements
It is very easy to get lost among the presence of a variety of dietary supplements. How to choose the best “L-Carnitine”? Customer reviews show that it is important to carefully read the annotation for each tool that interests you.
For example, “L-Carnitine” without additives (or 100% levocarnitine), according to the recommendations of specialists and doctors, is best used by professional athletes. Since the substance is highly bioavailable, it easily eliminates any metabolic problems and is used for the complex treatment of obesity and anorexia.
“L-Carnitine Tartrate” is prescribed most often to those who are overweight, since the drug has the most active effect. After the main component enters the digestive tract, it is split there not only into a pure substance, but also into useful trace elements.
“Acetyl L-Carnitine” is another form of release, considered one of the most effective means for losing weight.
Thanks to the substances from the acetyl group, which are part of the dietary supplement, the drug has a beneficial effect on the brain. According to reviews, “Acetyl L-Carnitine” is able to not only burn fats and eliminate excess centimeters at the waist, but also enhance brain activity.
“Propionyl L-Carnitine” is also a widely used drug. It is prescribed by specialists not only for weight loss, but also for the correction of some health problems. For example, glycine and carnitine ester has a positive effect on the synthesis of nitric oxide, due to which the dietary supplement has a vasoconstrictor and antioxidant effect. According to the assurances of some experts, the drug is able to overcome chronic fatigue syndrome, and also reduces the emission of lactic acid into muscle tissue during training.
“L-Carnitine Fumarate” is another excellent remedy with a therapeutic effect, which contains fumaric acid. Due to its composition, the bioadditive has a general strengthening effect on the cardiovascular system.
The optimal spectrum of action on the body of a losing weight is also exerted by the drug of a domestic manufacturer - “L-Carnitine” from “Evalar”. Reviews about this tool are relatively positive.
The manufacturer assures that the dietary supplement is able not only to remove fat folds and accelerate metabolic processes, but also to increase endurance, relieve fatigue, strengthen the whole body. The manufacturer produces levocarnitine in a dosage of nine hundred and a half thousand milligrams, as well as in combination with additional useful trace elements and vitamins.
There is another dietary supplement that you must pay attention to - “L-Carnitine 3000". According to reviews, this liquid drug is an indispensable assistant for bodybuilders.
It not only burns fat, but also builds muscle mass, increases endurance even during the most intense workouts, positively affects the athlete’s mood and much more. Supplements are a powerful concentration of levocarnitine in liquid form. The composition, in addition to the active component, includes water, lemon juice, green tea, flavors and preservatives. According to reviews, liquid “L-Carnitine” has a variety of flavors (from vanilla and banana to chocolate), so any athlete can choose the most suitable taste for himself.
So, we discussed the main forms of release of levocarnitine. However, the question remains how to take L-Carnitine. The reviews of experts and those who have already used this tool will help us determine the most optimal schedule for taking and dosage of the drug.
How to use tablet formulations
Naturally, in the framework of this article it is impossible to discuss all the subtleties and nuances of the use of drugs based on levocarnitine. Therefore, before using the dietary supplement, be sure to read the annotation to the drug, consult your trainer, and consult your doctor.
However, there are universal rules according to which manufacturers recommend the use of levocarnitine. In the form of capsules and tablets, a dietary supplement can be used at the rate of five to seven milligrams per day. A more accurate dosage depends on the person’s body weight and the intensity of his training.
How much dietary supplement should be taken at a time? The daily dose should be divided into two doses. The first is carried out in the morning on an empty stomach or an hour and a half after breakfast. The second portion of the product must be taken in the afternoon, before training. For professional athletes, a single dosage of the drug varies between 500 and 1500 milligrams per dose. Those who engage in sports at the amateur level, need to use levocarnitine no more than 250-500 milligrams.
Regarding sports training, it is necessary to mention that it is best to use “L-Carnitine” half an hour before the start of classes. This will help the body prepare for intensive pastime in order to burn harmful fatty deposits. If you set yourself the goal of only losing weight, and not building muscle, it is best to use dietary supplements immediately after sports. However, in this case, it is recommended not to eat at least one and a half to two hours.
The recommended course of taking the drug is from two months to six months. However, it is also necessary to be careful here, because, according to doctors, prolonged use of a dietary supplement can cause disruptions in the production of your own levocarnitine by the body. To prevent such an unpleasant situation, experts recommend taking two-week breaks in the use of the drug.
How to take liquid funds
Such dietary supplements are available in small ampoules, in bottles or in powder form for the preparation of a solution. How to take liquid “L-Carnitine” for weight loss? The reviews of those who have already used the tool show that it must be used strictly in accordance with the instructions.
The daily dose of liquid dietary supplement is not more than 1200 milligrams per day. It must be divided into three or five receptions.
Liquid dietary supplements are absorbed faster and more efficiently by the body. However, there are also disadvantages - such products are filled with all kinds of dyes and flavors, which negatively affects the digestive system.
Levocarnitine and small patients
In some cases, doctors may prescribe a dietary supplement for children. Babies up to a year are recommended to give from eight to twenty drops at a time two or three times a day. If we are talking about older children (under the age of six years), then they are prescribed a drug in the amount of 20 or 28 drops at a time. Children up to twelve years of age can use tableted preparations three times a day, 2.5 milligrams each.
Joint use with other means
According to studies, the parallel use of “L-Carnitine” together with drugs of the anabolic spectrum of action or based on lipoic acid enhances the effect of levocarnitine in the human body. It is also necessary to know that glucocorticosteroids contribute to the active accumulation of levocarnitine in some tissues.
Is it possible to drink alcohol in conjunction with the use of dietary supplements? Experts did not find one hundred percent incompatibility of these substances, however, during the use of levocarnitine, it is best to refrain from drinking or to minimize its use.
Storage Tips
According to the instructions, the dietary supplement should be stored for one and a half years at a temperature not exceeding 25 degrees with a plus mark. If the bottle is opened (this applies to the liquid form of dietary supplements), then you can use the drug for fifteen days.
Cost and nuances of the acquisition
How much does L-Carnitine cost? The price of the drug depends not only on the pharmacy network and the manufacturer, but also on the form of release, and the dosage of the drug. For example, tablets can be purchased from three hundred rubles per package, while capsules will cost about a thousand rubles. The liquid form of levocarnitine is also quite expensive. You can buy fifty milliliters of the drug for three hundred rubles.
This dietary supplement is available over the counter. The tool is actively sold in pharmacies, stores specializing in sports nutrition, and even in gyms.
What experts say
The reviews of doctors, trainers and the people themselves are losing weight are quite contradictory. Some praise the dietary supplement, calling it the best assistant in the fight against overweight. Others complain about its inefficiency, coupled with a lot of side effects. So where is the truth?
But the truth is that L-Carnitine is not a fat burner. That is, if you are looking for just a miracle pill, then this dietary supplement will not suit you. It is prescribed only to those who intensively go in for sports and follow a diet. If you lie on the couch and eat all kinds of goodies, then it is unlikely to lose weight, even if you use a large amount of levocarnitine. In this case, it will not only not help, but also harm.
Moreover, many doctors claim that this biologically active supplement has a large number of contraindications, therefore it must be used carefully and only after consultation with your doctor.
Therefore, experts often advise not to use dietary supplements “L-Carnitine” for weight loss, but the substance levocarnitine in its natural form. How can I do that?
Natural Levocarnitine
This substance, as mentioned above, is synthesized from animal proteins. Thus, some foods are sources of beneficial levocarnitine. If you follow a balanced diet and at the same time lead a mobile lifestyle, then you can achieve the best possible results in the fight against overweight and extra centimeters at the waist, regardless of age, gender and physical condition of losing weight.
What foods contain natural levocarnitine?
First of all, in beef and pork meat, as well as in cod, chicken and whole milk. Interestingly, products such as white bread, rice, asparagus, eggs, pasta, and even oranges are also rich in this substance (the amount of levocarnitine in one hundred grams of these products ranges from 0.0019 to 0.195 milligrams).
However, it is important to take into account the fact that during heat treatment the amount of the substance of interest to us can drop sharply. That is why professional athletes are recommended to use dietary supplements based on levocarnitine.
What buyers say
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As you can see, this drug is not a miracle pill in the fight against excess weight. It improves lipid metabolism, affects well-being and mood, but does not act as an independent means for losing weight.
Therefore, if you are ready to declare your merciless pounds a merciless war by actively visiting the gym and following a strict diet, then the L-Carnitine dietary supplement will become your indispensable assistant in achieving this good goal. It is important only to correctly calculate the dosage of the drug, paying attention to your physical data, and establish the optimal schedule for admission. And for this you need to consult a specialist, for example, visit your doctor and nutritionist, consult a sports trainer or fitness instructor. It is equally important to have a positive attitude and self-discipline in order to strictly follow all the recommendations of specialists. And then you are sure to get rid of extra pounds in the shortest possible time.