Overview

There is one nutrient which could help you lose weight, increase energy,lower cholesterol, and promote heart health. Carnitine, also know as L-carntine does all that by promoting fat burning. Carnitine is the only nutrient that can transport fat to the part of the cell that burns it off: the mitochondria. Discovered in 1905, L-carnitine is a nitrogen-containing, short-chain carboxylic acid—technically, it is not an amino acid. It is a water-soluble, vitamin-like compound that is readily synthesized in the body from lysine and methionine.

L-carnitine, an amino acid derivative, is found in nearly all cells of the body. L-carnitine transports long-chain fatty acids across the inner mitochondrial membranes in the mitochondria, where they are processed by beta-oxidation to produce biological energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate or ATP. It is available in several different forms including propionyl-L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine

L-carnitine is synthesized in the human body, chiefly in the liver and kidneys, from the essential amino acids L-lysine and L-methionine. Niacin, vitamins B6 and C, and iron are involved in its biosynthesis.

L-carnitine can be easily obtained in a number of foods. The best source is meat, particularly beef, sheep, and lamb. Other animal foods such as milk, cheese, and poultry contain somewhat less carnitine, while fruits and vegetables have negligible amounts, except the avocado.