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L-carnitine 98% powder
What is L-carnitine?
L-carnitine, also known as vitamin BT, has a chemical formula of C7H15NO3 and a chemical name of (R)-3-carboxy-2-hydroxy-N,N,N-trimethylpropyl ammonium hydroxide inner salt. It is an amino acid-like substance that promotes the conversion of fat into energy. The pure product is white lens or white transparent fine powder. It is easily soluble in water, ethanol, and methanol, slightly soluble in acetone, and insoluble in ether, benzene, chloroform, and ethyl acetate. ester. L-carnitine easily absorbs moisture, has good water solubility and water absorption, and can withstand high temperatures above 200°C. It has no toxic side effects on the human body. Red meat is the main source of L-carnitine. The human body can also synthesize it to meet physiological needs. Not a real vitamin, just a vitamin-like substance. It has various physiological functions such as fat oxidation and decomposition, weight loss, and anti-fatigue. As a food additive, it is widely used in infant food, weight loss food, athlete food, nutritional supplements for middle-aged and elderly people, nutritional fortifiers for vegetarians, and animal feed. Additives etc.
Chemical Properties and Metabolism
L-carnitine, also known as L-carnitine, has a chemical structure similar to choline and is similar to amino acids, but it is not an amino acid and cannot participate in protein biosynthesis. Since L-carnitine can be synthesized by humans and most animals in their own bodies to meet physiological needs, it is not a vitamin in the true sense, but a vitamin-like substance.
L-carnitine is very soluble in water, and carnitine taken from meals can be completely absorbed by the body. It is known that the site of L-carnitine absorption in the body is the small intestine, but the exact absorption process and site of absorption of carnitine (free or esterified) through the intestinal mucosa are not yet clear. In addition to exogenous L-carnitine ingested from food, humans can also synthesize endogenous carnitine themselves. The liver and kidneys are the main organs for the biosynthesis of carnitine in the body. It starts from lysine through ε-trimethyl-βhydroxylysine, and generates γ-butylbetaine under the action of aldolase and aldehyde oxidase. , and then converted into L-carnitine by hydroxylase. In addition to lysine, the biosynthesis of L-carnitine in the body also requires methionine, vitamin C, niacin, vitamin B6 and other substances.
What are the benefits
Research in recent years has shown that L-carnitine also has a certain promoting effect in ketone body utilization, nitrogen metabolism and other aspects.
1. Promote the transportation and oxidation of fatty acids
Beta-oxidation of fatty acids is carried out in the mitochondria of liver and other tissue cells. It is known that neither free fatty acids nor fatty acyl-CoA can penetrate the inner mitochondrial membrane, but fatty acylcarnitine can quickly pass through this membrane, thus confirming that L-carnitine removes fatty acids from the mitochondrial membrane in the form of fatty acyl groups. Carrier transported from outside to inside the membrane. The detailed mechanism of this transport is unclear, but it is certain that carnitineacyl-CoAtransferase is the key enzyme in this process. Some people believe that L-carnitine can also participate in the transport and excretion of other acyl groups, so it can prevent the body's metabolic poisoning caused by the accumulation of acyl groups or facilitate the normal metabolism of some branched-chain amino acids.
2. Accelerate sperm maturation and improve motility
L-carnitine is an energy substance for sperm maturation and has the function of increasing sperm number and motility. A survey of 30 adult men showed that sperm number and motility are directly proportional to the supply of L-carnitine in the diet within a certain range, and the L-carnitine content in sperm is also positively correlated with the L-carnitine content in the diet.
3. Improve the body’s tolerance
Studies have found that L-carnitine can improve the tolerance of patients with diseases during exercise. Indicators such as exercise time, maximum oxygen absorption, lactate threshold, and oxygen absorption threshold will all be improved to varying degrees after the body is supplemented with L-carnitine; Oral administration of L-carnitine can also increase muscle tolerance by 80% during maximum oxygen absorption, shorten the recovery period after strenuous exercise, and reduce the tension and fatigue caused by exercise. In 1986, a study found that L-carnitine could increase the growth rate of hatchery-cultured seabass and reduce the cholesterol and triglyceride content in fish tissues. It was reported in Germany that athletes' body fat content was significantly reduced after taking L-carnitine for 3 weeks, and the proportion of protein was increased, but their weight was not affected.
Can L-carnitine help you lose weight?
M-carnitine is not a weight loss drug; its main function is to burn fat. If you want to use L-carnitine to lose weight, in addition to burning fat, a lot of exercise is still the key to losing weight, and carnitine only plays a supporting role. If the amount of exercise is not large, such as just dieting to lose weight, taking L-carnitine will have no effect on weight loss.
Applications and prospects
As a new type of nutritional fortifier, L-carnitine is currently widely used in functional foods, especially as an additive in infant formula foods, athlete foods, and weight loss and bodybuilding foods. L-carnitine as a commercial product is mainly its hydrochloride, tartrate and magnesium citrate salts.
1.Application in infant formula food
L-carnitine plays an important role in the metabolic process of infants using fat as an energy source. Since the biosynthetic ability of L-carnitine in infants is weak and cannot meet their normal metabolic needs, exogenous L-carnitine must be ingested. The alkali ensures that the fat in the body is in the best oxidation state and provides enough energy to maintain the baby's normal body temperature. In addition, L-carnitine also has certain promoting effects on the growth and development of infants and young children, and improves metabolic balance. my country's L-carnitine limit for infant formula is 70 to 90 mg/kg. Currently, L-carnitine-fortified infant formula is on the market in my country.
2. Application in athletes’ food
According to DecombazJ. et al., the concentration of free carnitine in human muscle tissue will decrease by 20% after strenuous exercise. They believe that supplementing carnitine can improve the body's fatigue, because L-carnitine can promote fat oxidation in the body and provide the body with Sufficient energy is conducive to improving exercise endurance and explosive power. If octacosanol and L-carnitine are used together, they will have a synergistic effect on enhancing physical strength, which is manifested in the relaxation of the whole body muscles, the improvement of explosive power and endurance, the increase of basal metabolic rate, and the improvement of the nutritional status of the myocardium. A common method is to add L-carnitine to athletes' drinks for fortification.
3. Application in weight loss and bodybuilding foods
As early as the 1970s, there were patent reports on the use of DL-carnitine to prevent and treat obesity. Later, DL-carnitine was replaced by L-carnitine due to its negative effects. Practice has proven that L-carnitine-fortified foods have a good effect on fat metabolism disorders caused by carnitine deficiency in the body, and can prevent obesity, fatty liver and other diseases caused by the accumulation of lipids in muscle fibers and liver. By ingesting L-carnitine, excess fat in the body can be effectively converted into energy and released, thereby preventing and treating obesity. Therefore, lipid-lowering foods with L-carnitine as the main ingredient are quite popular in the European market.
