DESCRIPTION
Douglas Laboratories L-Carnitine supplements
supply pure, natural L-carnitine in capsule form.

FUNCTIONS
L-carnitine is necessary for fatty acid metabolism andenergy production in cardiac and skeletal muscle. It isinvolved in fatty acid oxidation as part of thecarnitine shuttle. L-carnitine shuttles fatty acids fromthe cytosol the cell fluid into the mitochondria thecells powerhouses for oxidation and energyproduction.
L-carnitine is necessary in musclewhenever fat is utilized as an energy source. Heartmuscle always uses fat for its continuous energydemands. Skeletal muscle begins using fat only afterits glycogen reserves are exhausted. This happensafter about one hour of continuous, strenuousexercise, e.g., long-distance running, bicycling,swimming, or mountain climbing.
Widely distributed in foods from animal, but notplant sources, L-carnitine is also synthesized by theliver and kidney from two essential amino acidslysine and methionine. Human skeletal and cardiacmuscles contain relatively high L-carnitineconcentrations which they receive from plasma, sincethemselves. About 95 % of the bodys L-carnitinestores are located in skeletal and heart muscle.
L-carnitine is considered a conditionally essentialnutrient. In healthy people, plasma L-carnitine levelsare adequately maintained by the bodys ownsynthesis and dietary sources. However, low Lcarnitineplasma levels can be caused by hereditary primary L-carnitine deficiency syndrome, or bysecondary L-carnitine deficiency. Patients with heartfailure excrete large amounts of L-carnitine in theirurine.

Oral L-carnitine is readily absorbed across theintestinal mucosa and into the bloodstream. It is thentaken up from the portal vein into the liver andsubsequently released into the systemic circulation.Most cells have a specific carnitine transporter.

Dietary L-carnitine comes mainly from animal foods.Average non-vegetarian diets provide about 100 to300 mg of L-carnitine per day. Vegetarian diets oftenprovide only trace amounts, since vegetables, fruits,and cereals are negligible sources of L-carnitine.

INDICATIONS
L-carnitine may be a useful nutritional adjunct forindividuals who wish to support heart musclefunction or skeletal muscle performance.