Best L-Carnitine Supplements Reviewed & Rated
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Carnitine can be explained elementally as an ammonium compound that is involved in the metabolism of most animals. Carnitine exists in almost all cells in our body and they play a very important role in energy production, which is vital for work production.
The agent is an amino acid-like compound that is produced in the body by the two amino acids lysine and methionine (check out best amino acids supplements you can take). Furthermore, the compound is from the word “carnus” which means flesh, or meat if you want to put in a more appropriate setting.
Coincidentally, carnitine can be found plenty in red meat, but, that is not its only source. The compound is plenty in dairy products and can be found in plant products such as seeds, nuts, and various vegetables.
There are two forms in which the compound, carnitine exists: D-carnitine and L-carnitine, where the latter is one of the most important agents present in the human body. Although, both are just two forms of a single compound.
Our Top 3 Picks
- EBYSU
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Our rating - Great Value
- Price: See Here
- BioScience
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Our rating - Efficient
- Price: See Here
- EverPure
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Our rating - Vegetarian
- Price: See Here
What is L-carnitine?
Carnitine or L-carnitine to simply put it is a vehicle that transports fatty acids from the blood into the mitochondria, where breaking down of fat for the production of energy occurs. D-carnitine helpfully complements the functions of L-carnitine. Both are just two forms of the same agent, that is present in the body.
So, be you an athlete, a light fitness enthusiast, a body builder or even a simple man or woman, the need for L-carnitine can’t be rebuked.
Although, L-carnitine is perfect for some health conditions and in some cases, low L-carnitine levels due to a genetic disorder. The one common function of L-carnitine is that it can be used by a large variety of individuals, all with different needs.
The agent is referred to as an amino acid that is naturally produced in the body by everyone, though as mentioned, production efficiency might not be the same, since some individuals such as body builders use much more than the normal average Joe.
Nonetheless, the function of L-carnitine cannot be neglected by anyone, since without them, the ability to do work will be non-existent. Basically, L-carnitine is used by the brain, heart, muscles and various other organs in the body to properly function.
10 Best L- Carnitine Supplements
1. EBYSU
Unaltered and free from any unnecessary ingredient, the supplement is perfect for individuals with varying needs from bodybuilding to carnitine deficiency. The latter part is particularly true for proper muscle development in athletes and other fitness enthusiasts since if their body cannot properly burn the stored fat as energy, energy levels will be low.
Also, since it converts fat into energy, it makes this supplement perfect for people who want to efficiently burn fat without any side effects. And at 180 capsules per bottle, this is excellent value for money.
Easy to swallow
Efficient fat burner
Great value for money
None
2. BioScience Nutrition
The supplement is perfect for bodybuilders who are wanting to bulk up in terms of muscle while burning unnecessary fat. Ideally, if you want to burn fat, there will be an overall reduction in body mass and that includes the muscles too. Now, since the body naturally stores 98% of L-carnitine in the muscles, with some traces of it also present in the liver, it makes this L-carnitine supplement run more efficiently.
A healthy feedback of clean energy and clean oxygen being frequently supplied into your body to tackle all and any task you set your mind to is what this supplement promises and at 120 tablets in one bottle, it is excellent value for money without cutting back on functionality in any way or form.
Perfect for weight loss
Efficient energy renewal
Purely L-carnitine
Odd taste and smell
3. EverPure
The aid of this supplement is clear and simple. Its goal is just to help you burn your body fat as fuel in order to tackle tasks. It easily subdues the gradual build up of lactic acid which is one of the primary reasons why you're always so fatigued after a healthy bout of exercise, which in turn increases your muscle endurance.
The gain is easily visible upon consumption as your recovery after another session of exercise will be shorter, since fatigue levels will be low as a result of the supplement. The supplement is also free from all harmful additives that you can think of and is made from the highest grade of ingredients available, to form purely concentrated L-carnitine tablets for your consumption.
And at 180 capsules equalling 2 capsules per day, that is up to 3 months of usage in one bottle.
Suitable for vegetarians
Excellent bang for buck
High-grade ingredients to prevent allergies
Substance inside the capsule is known to solidify in time
4. Vitamorph Labs
The supplement can be taken anytime in the day to complement an athlete's body improving regime. It is suitable for steady loss of weight in individuals who want to shed that extra fat for even more energy.
We also recommend you use it after a meal or with a meal since it boosts the effects of the supplement. And with its vegetarian ingredients that induce the effects of antioxidants in the body for fast digestion and healthy brain support, this supplement is perfect for individuals who like fast action supplements.
Perfect for vegetarians
Helps with weight loss
Great fat burner
Weak for some people
5. Natural BioScience
This means that the supplement is perfect for all parts of the body. Increased oxygen through the heart is pumped through the blood for more work output through the muscles, and a steady dose of the supplement ensures improved brain activities. Also, liver functionality is enhanced with this item, which is a sign of its suitability to tackle other such problems in the body system.
The supplement contains 120 tablets, but unlike other supplements on this list, the value for money could slightly be better. Nonetheless, this supplement is suitable for post-exercise recovery and better work output.
Increases capacity to do work
Suitable as a to address some health conditions
Value for money could slightly be better
6. NutraChamps
The supplement is a companion/aid that is specially designed for working out. Its ability to decrease glycogen use while turning fat into fuel for the body to use has many benefits. One of which is its ability to burn fat on your part, while maintaining a lean muscle frame for you.
Also, the supplement is a perfect fit for vegetarians, and consequently, this ensures shorter digestion time on your part, with literally no adverse effects (100% natural ingredients). And with 200 capsules in one bottle, you can use the supplement for more than 3 months—which represents a perfect ratio of quality and quantity.
Very appealing price
Vegetarian ingredients ensures faster digestion
Capsules are filled unevenly
7. BRI Nutrition
The supplement is designed to fit all classes of individuals with various needs, through the movement of fat into the blood cells for them to be converted into fuel for the body's usage. This is its real function but it can also be used for numerous other reasons like improving kidney function and regulating all the other organs in the body since it's an energy provider. And without energy, work cannot be done by anything.
In summary, fat burning through L-carnitine supplement equals various benefits that even tackles some health related issues like carnitine deficiency. And with the supplement containing 180 capsules per bottle, you're definitely getting your money's worth, in terms of overall performance of the body.
Moves fat efficiently for use as energy
All natural ingredients
Good bang for buck
Ineffective for some people
8. NOW Foods
The supplement is left in its purest form in order to guarantee high potency and thus, high effects which will give gains like more energy and a lean muscled body to you. It does this by making proper use of all that additional unnecessary fat in your body, by burning it as fuel for more work to be done by you.
Although, all this come at a slight cost which is the pill size. Consuming the pill without using a pill cutter was rather hard as the size is almost too big for users (we included).
Provision of clean energy
Aids proper weight loss
Helps with some other health conditions like congestive heart failure
Pills are a bit too big
9. Source Naturals
Consequently, increased overall body performance with almost nil side effects is just one of the benefits of using the product. And coupling this with its ability to cut down on downtime, which makes for longer bouts of exercise, the supplement does remarkably well for a post-exercise recovery drug.
Good value for money
Provides clean energy
Too weak for some users
10. Doctor’s Best
The lack of L-carnitine in the body of some individuals leads to the inability to work, both in the muscles and brain. So, for a body to work mentally and physically in the most optimum state it can, the need to increase L-carnitine levels arises.
Boosts overall capabilities
Helps with some health conditions
Perfect for vegetarians
Weak for some people
Benefits of Using L-Carnitine Supplements
The benefits of using L-carnitine supplements or eating food that is rich in that compound is not only limited to physical capabilities. Mental health is another function it can boast of, as well as helping out with problems relating to the heart. Coincidentally, it just so happens that all the vital organs of the body need L-carnitine to function properly.
The above-mentioned are just some of the uses it has in conjunction with some vital parts of the body.
The Heart
There are different heart conditions that plague different individuals, all with severe effects on the person in question. And all these problems have one thing in common, which is the usage of L-carnitine supplement to alleviate some of the issues that are known with heart conditions.
Some of them are congestive heart failure, heart attack, and chest pain. Also, carnitine prevents cholesterol build up which is the precursor of some heart problems.
Carnitine Deficiency
L-carnitine supplements can be used by individuals who have insufficient levels of carnitine in their body, which may lead to fatigue, inability to work and think proper and various others. These individuals can be insufficient (carnitine levels wise) because of different reasons.
One is a genetic disorder where the body cannot convert fat and use it as energy instead of glycogen, where side effects such as encephalopathy, cardiomyopathy, muscle weakness and numerous others will plague the individual. Or the individual might be taking a drug like valproic acid to control seizures. Nonetheless, L-carnitine supplements can be used in these scenarios.
Improved Physical Prowess
This can be from shortened recovery time to longer bouts of exercise and even to weight loss, the uses of L-carnitine is solid in terms of use as a fitness companion. Its innate ability to move extra fat from storage into the mitochondria to be burned as fuel is the key to work.
Without this compound, work will be lost and that’s why athletes, bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts do the opposite and heavily depend on its usage because of the gains to be had.
Even aspiring fitness enthusiasts wanting to lose that additional fat can use the L-carnitine supplements on this list to shed fat and still maintain a lean muscle frame. Provision of clean energy to complement working ability is the primary function of carnitine and it does this almost too well.
Helps With Some Chronic Illnesses
Rett syndrome, AIDS, male infertility, anorexia, diabetes, Lyme disease and leg ulcers are just some of conditions that L-carnitine helps with. Rett syndrome, for example, inhibits the performance of a child (mostly girl) from a young age.
Inability to communicate and use their hands, abnormal growth, troubled breathing, muscle coordination and numerous others are just the symptoms of Rett syndrome.
So, the one thing all of them have in common is the consumption of L-carnitine as one of the drugs suitable for alleviating some symptoms they experience as a patient of the aforementioned illness.
Usage Recommendations
All L-carnitine supplement on this can be used under the following regime:
1000 mg of L-carnitine supplement per day can be used by bodybuilders, athletes or fitness enthusiast for energy provision, post-exercise recovery, weight loss etcetera. A lesser amount can be used if you notice that you do not require much carnitine to function. Also, usage schedule for some conditions will be iterated below for you to peruse.
- Adults with L-carnitine deficiency can use 990 mg of L-carnitine supplement two to three times daily.
- 1 gram of L-carnitine supplement should be used twice daily for chest pain and congestive heart failure.
- 50 to 100 mg/kg/day in three or four doses to a maximum of 3 g/day can be used by individuals who want to prevent side effects caused by valproic acid.
- 2 to 6 grams of L-carnitine should be used post heart attack.
- For symptoms of overactive thyroid, L-carnitine should be used twice daily between 1-2 grams.
- For male infertility, 2 grams of L-carnitine and 1 gram of L-acetyl-carnitine is recommended.
These schedules should be accurately followed by anyone experiencing any of the above-mentioned conditions, but on the off-chance that you’re uncertain as to the correct dosage you can take, then you should consult your personal doctor for a schedule to be created for you.
Precautions and General Information
General Information
Carnitine is naturally produced in the body and can task from dairy products, red meat and some plant products such as nuts, seeds, and vegetables. Generally, athletes/bodybuilders are the main users of L-carnitine supplement due to the various benefits it offers them, health-wise.
Fast recovery time post-exercise, lean muscle frame, weight loss, increased blood flow for muscle endurance and numerous others are the main reasons why carnitine supplements are popular choices for fitness enthusiasts. In summary, this compound is a perfect fitness companion.
Precautions
L-carnitine literally has no side effects, but like always, there are some conditions that do not permit its usage.
Hypothyroidism or otherwise known as underactive thyroid is a condition where individuals have a slow metabolism as a result of inadequate production of thyroid hormone. Do not use L-carnitine if you fall here.
L-carnitine can also increase seizures in people, especially if he or she has had past experiences with it.
Also, if you want to use carnitine with other medications, then you should check with your doctor since, for an example, it can interfere with drugs that lower blood sugar. So, kindly consult your doctor prior to any usage by your person.
L-carnitine should also not be used by pregnant women since we have not properly researched its pros and cons and thus, we cannot make any recommendations on it.
And like our usage recommendation section, we advise you avoid taking L-carnitine if you fall under the circumstances iterated above.
About L-Carnitine and weight loss
There’s been a lot of buzz in newspapers and online about the supplement L-carnitine and its ability to help overweight people lose extra pounds as part of their diet program. We are going to look at some of the evidence and see how much of this is hype, and how much of it is true.
What Does it Do?
The primary role of L-carnitine in the body is to transport long-chain fatty acids into the cells of the body. There the fat can be oxidized and used as fuel. L-carnitine does this when the body is working or at rest but is most active during periods of intense exercise. If it were not for L-carnitine, the dietary fats would not get into the mitochondria of the cells to be burned up as fuel. For people who have a deficiency in L-carnitine can suffer severe medical conditions as the body is unable to burn body fat. It can lead to stunted growth, muscle weakness, an enlarged liver, or other problems. L-carnitine is considered a conditionally essential nutrient, and should the body not produce enough of it your health can be significantly affected.
As a Fat Burner
It would be logical to assume that the more L-carnitine in the muscles, the more fat can be burned, and more energy provided for the body. However, typically the use of L-carnitine supplements do not increase the amount of carnitine in the muscles. An article in Obesity Reviews in 2011 looked at a number of studies into the use of L-carnitine supplements as a means of fat loss. The general consensus was that there was no increase in fat loss due to the L-carnitine supplements and that intense training for endurance better achieved the goal. The conclusion was that increased cardio exercise would give greater fat loss than the use of L-carnitine supplements.
For losing weight
The theory behind L-carnitine being useful in helping you lose weight comes from the thought that increasing muscle mass will, in turn, decrease the fat in the body. In other words, the L-carnitine will convert the fat into muscle, and thus has the potential to improve the results on a weight-loss diet.
However, research does not back up the theory as well as many suggest. A major animal study published in the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism in 2002 found there was no improvement in weight loss or more muscle added when L-carnitine was used with a reduced-calorie diet. Trent Stellingwerff of the Canadian Sports Institute Pacific puts it bluntly, “The evidence of L-carnitine increasing fat oxidation and weight loss is tenuous at best.” To get rid of fat and at the same time increase muscle mass it is recommended to follow a reduced-calorie diet, and regularly take part in cardio and strength training exercises. The exercise helps build muscle while helping you lose weight by burning more calories.
Getting carnitine to work in your body
Most studies show that if you want to increase the carnitine level in your body as a way of increasing muscle mass and losing weight, then it’s a long slow process. A 2011 study published in the Journal of Physiology reports that to get heightened carnitine levels in the body requires high carbohydrate consumption along with twice-daily doses of L-carnitine supplement for at least six months before any increase is noticeable. The increased carnitine in the muscles allows participants to exercise longer and work harder, which in turn has the potential to improve weight loss. However, in most people, the large quantities of carbohydrates are likely to mitigate any improvement in weight loss once the carnitine level in the body has been raised.
Natural carnitine intake
As we mentioned earlier, carnitine is found in a number of foods, which can be employed as part of a calorie-controlled diet. If you include foods such as low-fat dairy, skinless chicken, lean red meat, peanut butter, fish, avocados, asparagus, and whole wheat in your diet, there should be no need to take supplements. If these foods are included in your reduced-calorie diet along with a mix of fruit and vegetables, healthy fats and whole grains, so you reduce your food intake by 500-1000 calories per day, most people would see a typical weight loss of one to two pounds per week.
Criteria for Evaluation
We’ve gone through some process where after, we picked the best L-carnitine supplement that you can buy. The criteria for selection we used are listed below.
Price
All L-carnitine supplemenst on this list have been checked for pros and cons before they made it into this list, and even at that, we intricately checked if the quality each product represents was equal to its price. All the products on this, we’ve ensured that you’ll get the best value for money without compromising on any function, no matter how big it is.
Product Testing
It’s simple enough. We test all the products that you do not have the time or patience to test. We make sure all options pass our quality test and effectiveness, plus the fact that side effects must be nil, or as close to that point.
This is to ensure excellent user experience for all of you and also to test some features. An example is Doctor’s Best product and its vegetarian ingredients. We do all research and seek information whether or not it is suitable for vegetarians and as a bonus, vegetarian ingredients mean faster digestion, which will be very much appreciated by consumers.
User Reviews and Ratings
We recommend all these products to you because we’ve thoroughly gone through user reviews and ratings including our own. Rather than going through hundreds of reviews to see if the supplement won’t pose any risk/threat to you, health-wise, we’ve completed for that for you while at the same time, we’ve used our own tests to certify customer claims and ratings.
To elaborate, we take notice of all the pros and cons reported by different users, and after that, we add our information into the pool and then we make our selection of the best product that is guaranteed to work in tandem with your needs and wants.
Potential for Side Effects
Despite the fact that carnitine is naturally produced in our body, too much of anything can have adverse effects. An example is fat, which our body naturally stores to use as extra fuel, but what happens when we don’t burn it as fuel?
Complications arise as a result of that and conditions such as high cholesterol levels is just an example.
So, like most things, there are some potential risks to taking carnitine supplements. We’re are repeating this section because of its importance to people. You have to know where you stand before you start any plan with L-carnitine supplements.
Therefore, victims of underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) should avoid L-carnitine supplement since it makes symptoms worse.
Individuals who have had seizures in the past should also avoid consuming L-carnitine supplements since it increases seizures. While consuming DL-carnitine supplement seems to cause muscle weakness in individuals with kidney failure. Though, L-carnitine doesn’t have this effect on patients with kidney failure.
Also, we recommend you avoid consuming carnitine supplements if you’re pregnant because as of right now, we do not know how safe it is for pregnant women.
Manufacturers Reputation
Excellent reputation is another condition we look for in all the product we select. With all the different manufacturers that have started producing low-quality items that might pose a threat to your health, we ensure that you get the best by selecting products from top manufacturers with high credibility.
All the manufacturers of the carnitine supplements on this list are experienced in producing high-quality products for consumers.
They make a variety of supplements with different effects that completely satisfy consumer’s needs and wants.
Safety of the Supplement
As you know by now, carnitine is naturally produced in the body, so safety is not an issue. The issue is when carnitine levels are low, which can have some dire effects on the part of the victim.
Now, the purpose here is to use L-carnitine supplements to correct carnitine deficiency in some individuals as well as to promote mental and physical capabilities. The compound is innately built into our very blood cells, so the introduction of L-carnitine to the body is like returning an object to where it belongs, and coincidentally, it belongs as a catalyst that aids energy production in our bodies.
And for more information on this, you can visit your doctor to get a better picture of its pros and cons.
Ingredients and Their Effectiveness
Other than effects/potency boosting ingredients, manufacturers never include products into L-carnitine supplements. This is because—not all ingredients flow with each other, and to prevent ingredients canceling each other’s effects out, they try to keep it pure and simple.
The effects of this in the case of L-carnitine supplement are weight loss, correction of carnitine deficiency, enhanced vitality levels, and several others.
Another case is the use of ingredients from plants, which has benefits such as faster digestion time and suitability for consumption by vegetarians.
Also, some ingredients have certain side effects that we make sure to notice. These side effects can be due to allergies or might be because of the ingredient itself. Some ingredients are dangerous for consumption, thus we make sure to look through all the ingredients are used and then make selections based on our results.
All the L-carnitine supplements on this list are built to fit your needs, provided the supplements are meant for it.
FAQS
Q. Is it suitable for pregnancy?
No, it is not. Since a proper investigation has not been made on that front and as of now, we do not know the side effects of using L-carnitine supplements during pregnancy. Also, breast feeding mothers should consult their personal doctor before using L-carnitine supplements.
Q. What’re the best L-carnitine supplements?
All the supplements on this list are the best money can buy. Your part is to choose which one suits your needs, which should involve ingredients compatibility and others.
Q. In what forms are these supplements available?
All of them are available in the forms of tablets and capsules for consumption. Also, oral consumption is one of the safest consumption method available, which makes these supplements suitable for your needs.
Q. Are L-carnitine supplements suitable for weight loss?
Yes, carnitine supplements are very suitable for weight loss both in light fitness enthusiasts and bodybuilders/athletes. Also, it is used for increasing muscle mass while using fatty acids as fuel in the body.
Q. Where can I naturally get carnitine from?
You can get carnitine from sources such as red meat, dairy, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. Or if you want to use something simpler, any L-carnitine supplement on this list will suffice and give you much more than you can get from natural sources, since they are all high-quality carnitine in tablet/capsule form.
Q. What are the possible side effects?
Please visit our Precautions section for more information on this, to know your current standing pertaining to carnitine supplement consumption. And for more information, if you’re still uncertain, then kindly visit your personal doctor for further examinations and information.
Q. How much L-carnitine should I use daily?
Ideally, 1000 mg per day is the dosage you must follow, but due to some certain conditions, modifications must be made. Also, usage time varies, but using 500 mg in the morning and another 500 mg pre or post exercise is ideal for athletes/bodybuilders.
For other dosage schedules, kindly visit our Usage Recommendations section, or contact your personal doctor to create a personal schedule for you.
