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Looking for a new way to go the distance in endurance sports? Find out if L-carnitine can help to improve your stamina
Summary
1What is L-carnitine?
L-carnitine is an amino acid, which means it’s a ‘building block’ for protein. We produce it naturally in the liver and kidneys...
2Does L-carnitine reduce lactic acid?
For endurance athletes, one of the major benefits of L-carnitine is that it removes the waste produced by converting fat into energy from our cells...
3Can L-carnitine make you faster?
It might not make you faster generally, but it could help to enhance your performance and energy...
Do you love endurance sports like long-distance cycling, running or hiking? Then you’ve probably wondered – during those really hard yards – how you can help yourself to keep going just that little bit longer.
If that sounds like you, then help could be at hand from L-carnitine. Let's find out if it could help you reach the finish line.
What is L-carnitine?
L-carnitine is an amino acid, which means it’s a ‘building block’ for protein. We produce it naturally in the liver and kidneys, and store it in our muscles, sperm, brain and heart.1
Our bodies need L-carnitine to help convert fatty acids into energy. Its main job is to escort fat into each of our cells’ engines, or mitochondria. Once inside this power hub, fats are broken down and converted into energy, which can be used to fuel our muscles during exercise.1
According to some studies, L-carnitine supplements may:2
- reduce lactate levels and heart rate
- increase lipid metabolism, VO2max, oxygen consumption, and L-carnitine plasma concentrations
- improve performance
- hasten recovery
If you’d like to start being more active, check out these 11 ways to fit exercise into your daily routine.
Where can you find L-carnitine?
Our bodies make most of the L-carnitine we need, but you can also find it in small amounts in dairy foods, fish, meat and wholewheat foods.1
If you eat a balanced diet, you should get enough L-carnitine from your food alone.
Does L-carnitine reduce lactic acid?
For endurance athletes, one of the major benefits of L-carnitine is that it removes the waste produced by converting fat into energy from our cells. This waste is lactic acid.
It’s produced when you’re exercising so hard that you don’t breathe in enough oxygen. Removing lactic acid from our cells’ engines helps to delay feelings of tiredness and muscle soreness.3 However, muscle soreness is separate from DOMS, which is caused by micro tears. If you want to find out more about DOMS, check out our guide.
Can L-carnitine improve post-exercise recovery?
A study published in the journal Nutrition in 2004 found that L-carnitine supplements help prevent cell damage and speed up post-exercise recovery.4
Although the study was carried out on athletes, it could be beneficial for those training for an event or looking to increase the intensity of their exercise programme.
Can L-carnitine make you faster?
It might not make you faster generally, but it could help to enhance your performance and energy.
A trial by Florida Atlantic University in 2009 revealed that short-term supplementation of L-carnitine helped 24 fit men perform more powerful sprints on stationary bikes than the control group.5
The men were also reported to have produced significantly less lactic acid, helping them recover more quickly after exercise.
The final say
L-carnitine is naturally produced by the body, though it can be found in some foods too.
If you take part in endurance sports, then you may see the benefits of taking an L-carnitine supplement. However, if you eat a balanced diet, you should get enough L-carnitine from your food alone.
1. National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements - Carnitine [Internet]. Nih.gov. 2017. Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Carnitine-HealthProfessional/
2. Office of Dietary Supplements - Carnitine [Internet]. ods.od.nih.gov. Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/carnitine-HealthProfessional/#:~:text=L%2Dcarnitine%20supplements%20reduced%20lactatey
3. Stephens F, et al. New insights concerning the role of carnitine in the regulation of fuel metabolism in skeletal muscle. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2075186/
4. Karlic H, Lohninger A. Supplementation of L-carnitine in athletes: does it make sense? Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15212755
5. Jacobs P, et al. Glycine propionyl-L-carnitine produces enhanced anaerobic work capacity with reduced lactate accumulation in resistance trained males. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19341458
The advice in this article is for information only and should not replace medical care. Please check with your GP or healthcare professional before trying any supplements, treatments or remedies. Food supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
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