Carnitine Benefits
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Carnitine's benefits include:
- Carnitine improves efficiency of certain antioxidants
Carnitine improves the efficiency and function of certain antioxidants (increasing their potency) - namely vitamin C and vitamin E. - Carnitine may help people with certain illnesses (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lupus, Fibromyalgia)
Carnitine's effect on the muscles (building them up and preventing fatigue and lethargy) could be important for people with diseases such as lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia who often have problems with fatigue and muscle weakness and pain. - Carnitine prevents fatty liver
Carnitine is vital to ensure that there is not fatty tissue build up around organs such as the liver (fatty liver), muscles and the heart, ensuring they are healthy and functioning properly. Insufficient amounts of carnitine in the diet prevent fatty acids from metabolising correctly and eventually result in wearing down of body tissues.
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- Carnitine may help people on kidney dialysis
A recent media release by the University of South Australia, based on studies in North America and in Europe has shown that some patients on dialysis for chronic kidney failure benefited enormously when L-Carnitine was administered, by reducing muscle cramping and weakness, which improves muscle strength and function; reducing the incidence of anaemia, which gives them much more energy – overall resulting in fewer complications associated with haemodialysis. - Carnitine may help detoxify the effects of certain medications
A recent scientific review was conducted to determine if L-carnitine could detoxify the body from the side effects of Valproic acid (VPA), which is a broad-spectrum antiepileptic medication. While this drug is well tolerated by most people, it can cause rare and serious side effects in some people, including "pancreatitis, bone marrow suppression, VPA-induced hepatoxicity (VHT) and VPA-induced hyperammonaemic encephalopathy (VHE)". The review stated that some scientific literature suggested that some of these side effects were due to a carnitine deficiency. The study concluded that L-carnitine was extremely beneficial in detoxifying the effects of Valproic acid medication. - Carnitine has a beneficial effect on the heart
Many studies show that carnitine is important in providing fatty acids for energy for the heart - about 60% of the energy supplied to the heart comes from fatty acids, which means that a deficiency in carnitine could be associated with heart disease. Studies have shown that L-carnitine supplementation prevents muscle function impairment associated with heart disease. Other studies have shown that L-carnitine helps to regulate heartbeat, improve tolerance to exercise and significantly reduces heart cell death in heart attack patients, decreases risk of heart failure and reduces the number of deaths from people who have inflammation of the heart muscle.
References
- Osieki H. The Nutrient Bible. Everything You Need to Know About Vitamins, Minerals, Amino Acids, Enzymes - Even Toxic Metals. BioConcepts Publishing QLD. 2002