How does Carnitine work?
Carnitine’s primary job is in the regulation of cellular metabolism, and it closely interacts with coenzyme A in a variety of reactions. It is required for fatty acid oxidation, and this is the primary theoretical reason for improved exercise performance, as improved fatty acid oxidation will preserve muscle glycogen and improve ATP production. It was recently confirmed that supplemental carnitine increases long-chain fatty acid oxidation in healthy individuals without carnitine deficiency, providing more evidence for an ergogenic benefit. Enhanced fatty acid oxidation and cellular metabolism is also the proposed mechanism of action for the nutrient partitioning benefits. Additionally, carnitine is a potent antioxidant (especially in combination with ALA) and there is evidence that it increases exercise performance for this reason. A Russian study found that both L-carnitine and ALCAR increased running speed and endurance in trained animals, and that the increase was proportional to th
