Today, an increasing number of overweight people are choosing healthy weight loss methods that combine proper nutrition and a regimen of active training. But how to speed up this process without harming the body? The answer is striking in its simplicity: since the mid-2000s, the new generation of fat-burning supplements, L-Carnitine, has become popular in the fitness world, which can double or even triple the efforts of athletes to lose weight.
But you need to know how to take L-Carnitine for weight loss, because the wrong dosage of a food supplement and errors in understanding the mechanism of its effect on the body can nullify all attempts to reduce body volume. People who are far from fitness training and any physical exertion may be disappointed in the “magic pill”, while other losing weight managed to achieve impressive results of figure correction, become graceful, slim with its help.
What is L-carnitine? Description
Before taking L-Carnitine for weight loss, you need to find out what this dietary supplement is and how it works. A substance called “L-carnitine” (or another common name - levocarnitine) is nothing more than vitamin B11 or BT. Under normal conditions, it is synthesized in the liver, but if at the same time a person adheres to a balanced diet rich in high-quality animal protein. The natural metabolic compound (levocarnitine) is designed to naturally improve and accelerate lipid metabolism, maintain the normal functioning of muscles and tissue regeneration processes. The human need for l-carnitine, which is contained in the drugs of the same name, is 250-500 mg per day, while the liver manages to synthesize only 10 percent of this amount.
It is no secret that significant physical activity is required to reduce weight, so the body needs additional l-carnitine. How to take for weight loss? Reviews of fitness trainers and nutritionists advise in this case to increase the intake of
vitamin B11 to 1200-1500 mg per day. This amount of L-Carnitine is considered sufficient for girls weighing 50-60 kg, who want to lose weight and are engaged in aerobic sports. For strength training and ladies of more magnificent forms will require an increase in the amount of vitamin B11 consumed to 2000-3000 mg per day. It is irrational to multiply the dose of levocarnitine irrationally, since our body is able to process no more than 2000-3000 mg per day, and it removes excess vitamin in a natural way.
Mechanism of action
The essence of the functioning of L-carnitine is very simple: it delivers oxygen to the cells of our body, accelerates the transport of fats (fatty acids) from the depot through the cell membranes to the mitochondria, where they break down, and then removes the products of thermolipolysis from the energy base of the cells, cleansing them. As a result, during training, it helps a person turn fat cells into energy and enhances perspiration. The main advantage of a vitamin-like substance is its anti-catabolic effect, which manifests itself in the ability to inhibit the breakdown of proteins and carbohydrates, causing the body to “melt” fats for energy. But how to take L-Carnitine for weight loss if you ignore regular exercise? In the absence of physical exertion from cardio workouts or manual labor, taking vitamin B11 does not help in weight loss, as it stimulates appetite, and the body simply utilizes its excess. In large dosages, this substance is not toxic, unlike thermogenics, does not have a negative effect on blood vessels. In the days when there is no training, it is also useful for losing weight people to use L-Carnitine.
How much can you take for weight loss of this dietary supplement on lazy days? It is necessary to drink 1500 mg of carnitine in the morning on an empty stomach (in liquid or tablet form) and go for a walk, the duration of which should be at least 1-1.5 hours. It should be noted that the same period of time after exercise, free fatty acids circulate in the bloodstream: if you want to have a bite during these minutes, then food will help the body return them to the fat depot.
Properties of L-Carnitine
Of the useful functions of carnitine for the human body, experts note: assistance in accelerating the processing of existing fat reserves, preventing the deposition of newly received lipids from food, normalizing the level of "tight" cholesterol in the blood, enriching the blood with oxygen and increasing efficiency, as well as reducing the period of muscle recovery. Levocarnitine deficiency, which most often affects athletes, people who adhere to mono-diets, as well as vegetarians, is manifested by a decrease in the immune response, metabolic disorders and fatigue, problems with the cardiovascular system. If, against the background of intense training or a strict diet, a person feels unwell or other symptoms of vitamin B11 deficiency, then in this case it is advisable to obtain confirmation from the attending physician about the need for his additional intake.
Indications and form of release
“L-Carnitine”, which is involved in the metabolic processes of the body, can be prescribed in complex therapy to patients suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system, liver or pancreas, endocrine organs, as well as children or adults with reduced appetite, elderly people (for improve memory and concentration). It is also useful for healthy overweight people for body shaping. For vegetarians, the drug is recommended to supplement vitamin B11 deficiency due to the rejection of meat foods, athletes - to maintain endurance and increase efficiency during training, as well as to accelerate the process of muscle building.
Often, fitness trainers advise using levocarnitine to dry the body. To effectively reduce body weight, people who control their weight also use it. Depending on the form of release (in the form of tablets, capsules, powder or liquid (including syrup)), you can independently choose the way how to take “L-Carnitine” for weight loss. The dosage of levocarnitine in tablets, capsules or liquid will be preserved, but they must be consumed separately from food intake, otherwise this will lead to a deterioration in the absorption process of the vitamin-like food supplement and a significant decrease in its effect on the body.
Contraindications
Fortifying vitamin B11 is quite safe. However, women should be discontinued during pregnancy when taking levocarnitine, since the use of this dietary supplement for weight loss during this period is undesirable. And only in special cases, depending on the individual clinical situation, it is allowed to take ladies in an "interesting position" and nursing mothers in complex therapy, but strictly under the supervision of a physician. In addition, doctors also recommend excluding carnitine from the weight correction program for people who have increased irritability, insomnia, or individual intolerance to this food supplement.
How to make levocarnitine work efficiently? Reception Secrets
The main difference between the various forms of release of this product is in their convenience. For example, tablets or capsules are easy to take at home or at work, and carnitine powder, concentrate or syrup is comfortably dissolved for drinking during exercise. Levocarnitine is wonderful combined with any vitamin preparations, thermogenics, BCAA, as well as drinks (tea or coffee). However, it must be remembered that this vitamin-like substance noticeably increases the psychomotor activity of a person, therefore, it is impractical, along with taking levocarnitine, to excessively get involved in caffeinated drinks, especially in the afternoon. How to take "L-Carnitine" for weight loss? You can get advice on the dosage for losing weight from a trainer or pick it yourself. It is better for girls to start taking this dietary supplement with a small dose (1-1.5 g), gradually increasing it to 2 g. This will reveal the required amount of L-carnitine, which allows for a surge of energy and perspiration during training. In men, this indicator is higher: they should start with 2 g, bringing the amount of levocarnitine to 3 g.
A good effect of drying the body is given by the scheme when a girl drinks 1-1.5 (or 2) grams of “L-Carnitine” in tablets 40 minutes before training, and then dissolves the same amount of powder or syrup in a liquid, taking it in small sips during thirst time with cardio loads (on a treadmill, bicycle or orbiter).
L-carnitine tablets or capsules
What are good pills or capsules whose main component is l-carnitine? How to take slimming capsules that have no taste or smell? For each manufacturer, the concentration of vitamin-like substance and the number of tablets or capsules are different, but on average 1-1.5 g per serving. For oral administration, levocarnitine should not be chewed or crushed tablets, pour the powder from the capsules. They are swallowed whole, washed down with water, 40 minutes before training or an active walk. They are taken in courses, taking into account the advice of the coach and the opinion of the doctor. Long-term use of L-Carnitine (more than 6 months) is undesirable.
Levocarnitine liquid and powder
One of the most convenient forms of the release of vitamin-like supplements - “L-Carnitine” - is considered a liquid (syrup, concentrate, ampoules). Unlike capsules and tablets, it begins to act much faster, since the beneficial substance from the liquid enters the blood much earlier.
How to take L-Carnitine Slimming Liquid? It can be drunk without diluting with water and without combining with meals, as well as making a training solution to quench your thirst (at the rate of 1.5 g of levocarnitine per 0.5-0.75 l of water). The liquid with levocarnitine from the ampoule is drunk immediately before cardiac loading, and after 5-10 minutes the concentration of the substance in the blood rises, the person feels a surge of strength, which makes the training as effective as possible. L-Carnitine (powder) is also suitable for dissolution in water. How to take this kind of sports nutrition for weight loss? Although this form of levocarnitine is absorbed more slowly than the liquid analogue, it is much faster than the tablet version. In addition, it is the powder that allows you to get the most accurate dosage of carnitine. You can take it both in its pure form, washed down with water, and prepare a healthy cocktail from it to quench your thirst during training.
Various reviews and comments
Most opinions about the drug from athletes and people who carefully monitor their weight are positive. At the same time, many of them note that to get rid of extra pounds you need not only to use “L-Carnitine”. How to take for weight loss? Reviews recommend this drug be sure to combine with physical activity. A set of “lean mass” of muscles and maximum burning of fat reserves thanks to the intake of “L-Carnitine” helps to change the body structure and make the figure more elegant. In addition, when using the drug on the background of the diet, many feel better, endurance increases during aerobic exercise (walking, running, and others), as well as strength training.
“L-Carnitine” helps to quickly restore muscle after anaerobic exercise and eliminate pain from intense muscular work. Almost all users note the uselessness of the drug with a passive lifestyle and even its harm, since it has a stimulating effect on appetite. Accelerating the processes of fat metabolism, levocarnitine increases the craving for food, for which sometimes it receives negative reviews. But in the presence of physical activity, the food supplement is harmless, since it is spent on the restoration of muscle tissue.
The cost of the drug "L-carnitine." How to take for weight loss
The price of various analogues based on this vitamin-like substance and their composition differ significantly from each other, depending on the manufacturer. The instructions for the preparations indicate a set of components, how to take them for weight loss, as well as other information about these sports nutrition products. In addition, the compositions of the supplements themselves, including additional vitamins and minerals for better absorption of the main component, can be very different. But the so-called pure levocarnitine is also produced: “Carniton” - 20 ml solution and 1 g tablets (Russia), domestic L-Carnitine solution (50 ml) of the middle price category (250-350 rubles), tablets (20 pcs.) "Carnitone" worth about 300 rubles, ampoules (7 pcs.) - About 700-800 rubles, or 20 ampoules - from 2000 rubles and above. BIOTECH USA for the tablets of 500 mg (60 pcs. Or 30 servings) in terms of Russian currency has determined the price of 885 rubles, and a package of 20 effervescent tablets - 300 rubles. The American leader in the production of dietary supplements, Solgar, introduced to the market a package of 30 L-Carnitine tablets worth about 2,000 rubles. A bottle of liquid levocarnitine of the same manufacturer (473 ml) will cost the buyer about 3,500 rubles.