L-Carnitine, to live to A Cool 100

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For years, it was considered a long-shot…something only a handful of people

ever did. But now, living to 100 is a real possibility for a lot of us.

 

And if you're determined to blow out that many candles, L-carnitine will help

you go the distance.

 

L-carnitine is an amino acid that plays a key role in these vital functions:

 

Reducing oxidative stress

Reducing triglycerides

Metabolizing carbohydrates

Delivering omega-3 fatty

acids to mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cells

Boosting cellular energy

Protecting cells from

damage, especially heart and brain cells

Maintaining muscle strength

 

 

To test the effects of L-carnitine on some longevity

champs, researchers at the University

of Catania in Italy

recruited 66 subjects who had all passed their 100th birthday. The subjects

had one other thing in common: they all experienced fatigue after slight

physical activity.

 

Divided into two groups, half the subjects received two grams of L-carnitine

daily and half received a placebo. After six months, tests revealed these

remarkable results:

 

Physical fatigue after

exercise was significantly lower in the

L-carnitine group

Mental fatigue was

significantly lower in the L-carnitine group

In a 30-point test to

assess cognitive sharpness, subjects in the

L-carnitine group scored more than four points higher on average than

subjects in the placebo group

Total muscle mass was

significantly higher in the L-carnitine group

Total fat mass was

significantly lower in the L-carnitine group

 

Unfortunately, keeping

L-carnitine levels high is a challenge. Your body produces a natural supply

of L-carnitine, but that supply decreases as we age. And while food sources

of L-carnitine are easy to come by (avocados, fish, chicken, beef, and dairy

products), the body only absorbs about a quarter of L-carnitine supplied by food.

 

 

Which brings us to the two things you need to know before adding L-carnitine

supplements to your daily regimen: 1) High doses (five grams or more daily)

can prompt diarrhea, increased appetite, or rash. And 2) HSI Panelist Allan

Spreen, M.D., has this recommendation for anyone who uses any type of amino

acid supplement: Don't take it with a high-protein meal.

 

Dr. Spreen: " There are a limited number of receptors for protein

substances (protein foods are composed of amino acids), so the supplement you

paid good money for will be 'diluted' by the presence of other proteinaceous

substances in the digestive neighborhood. That is not true of most other

supplements, which should be taken with food. "

 

Take L-carnitine, but don't take too much, and don't take it with food: Three

easy steps to help you reach 100.