Health Benefits of L-Carnitine for Aging Male
Carnitine, a non-essential or conditionally-essential amino acid, is the generic term for several compounds, including L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine, and propionyl-L-carnitine. Carnitine is naturally present in many foods—especially foods of animal origin—and is available as a dietary supplement. Carnitine is also synthesized endogenously in the liver, kidneys, and brain from the amino acids, lysine and methionine. Carnitine helps the body break down fatty acids and turn them into energy to power the cells
Food Sources of Carnitine
Carnitine is present in animal products, especially red meat. Poultry, fish, and dairy foods also provide some carnitine, but vegetables, fruits, and grains provide negligible amounts.
Health Benefits of L-Carnitine:
Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
Carnitine might be conditionally essential in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease because it may support acetylcholine synthesis and help remove toxic compounds to alleviate mitochondrial dysfunction associated with extensive degeneration of brain.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD)
Carnitine plays a role in transporting long-chain fatty acids in the myocardial mitochondria, where they are metabolized via oxidation for energy. It is also involved in moderating oxidative stress [33,34] and might decrease markers of inflammation. During ischemic events, carnitine prevents fatty acid ester accumulation, which can lead to fatal ventricular arrhythmias.
Clinical trials examining the effects of carnitine supplements on CVD have had mixed results. A meta-analysis of 13 clinical trials included a total of 3,629 adults with acute myocardial infarction who took either L-carnitine (from 2.7 g/day for 5 days to 6 g/day for 12 months) or placebo. The study found that L-carnitine significantly reduced rates of all-cause mortality, ventricular arrhythmias, and new-onset angina but did not affect risk of heart failure or myocardial reinfarction.
Another meta-analysis of 17 clinical trials that included a total of 1,625 adults with chronic heart failure found that 1 g/day to 6 g/day for 7 days to 3 years L-carnitine supplements improved left ventricular ejection fraction by 4.14%, stroke volume by 8.21 mL, and cardiac output by 0.88 L/min compared to routine/conventional treatment.
Insulin resistance and diabetes
Insulin resistance plays an important role in the development of type 2 diabetes. Because insulin resistance may be associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and a defect in fatty-acid oxidation in muscle, carnitine supplementation has been studied for its possible effects on insulin resistance and diabetes.
A 2023 meta-analysis of 41 randomized clinical trials examined the effects of L-carnitine supplementation on glycemic markers in 2,900 men and women age 18 years and older. Most participants had health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, polycystic ovary syndrome, or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. L-carnitine supplements at doses of 0.25 to 4 g/day for 2 to 52 weeks reduced fasting blood glucose, insulin resistance, and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) but not serum insulin levels.
Male Infertility
Carnitine might play a role in sperm maturation, sperm motility, and spermatogenesis [49]. It might also reduce oxidative stress, which could improve oocyte growth and maturation. A systematic review and meta-analysis of three randomized clinical trials examined the effects of 1 g/day to 3 g/day L-carnitine or acetyl-L-carnitine for 2 to 6 months on sperm parameters in 201 men age 20 to 40 years who had infertility. Compared to placebo, supplemental carnitine improved sperm motility by 7.84% and morphology by 4.91% but did not affect sperm concentration.
Osteoarthritis
Some research suggests that carnitine reduces levels of C-reactive protein, a biomarker of systemic inflammation, and levels of malondialdehyde, a lipid peroxidation product that induces pain and disability in patients with osteoarthritis. For these reasons, investigators are studying whether L-carnitine supplements can relieve osteoarthritis symptoms, but study results have been mixed.
Athletic performance enhancement
Carnitine helps preserve muscle glycogen and promote fat oxidation. It also spares the use of amino acids as energy sources during exercise, making them potentially available for new protein synthesis, and decreases the accumulation of lactate, suggesting that supplementation with Carnitine may enhance athletic performance.
Weight loss
Because carnitine transports fatty acids into the mitochondria and acts as a cofactor for fatty acid oxidation, researchers have proposed using L-carnitine supplements to promote weight loss, often in conjunction with a low-calorie diet, exercise, or prescription weight-loss drugs.
Cancer treatment
At times, cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, may cause a person to become deficient in L-carnitine. In these cases, L-carnitine supplements may help reduce symptoms such as fatigue and weakness. Researchers are currently studying the compound as a possible way to prevent tissue damage due to chemotherapy, but this research is in the early stages.
Kidney or liver disease
As the kidneys and liver help create and use L-carnitine, disease in these organs or organ failure may lead to L-carnitine deficiency. Doctors may recommend L-carnitine supplementation in these cases to support the function of the kidneys and liver and prevent deficiency.
Sources:
https://ods.od.nih.gov/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.
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