Oral L-carnitine supplementation and exercise metabolism

Citation

Galloway SD & Broad EM (2005) Oral L-carnitine supplementation and exercise metabolism. Monatshefte fur Chemie, 136 (8), pp. 1391-1410. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00706-005-0288-9

Abstract
Oral L-carnitine supplementation is frequently reported to have beneficial effects on exercise capacity in clinical populations and has been considered as a potential ergogenic aid for endurance athletes. However, this latter view is largely unsubstantiated possibly due to many experimental studies being poorly controlled or difficult to compare. The potential for oral L-carnitine supplementation to influence skeletal muscle carnitine content has been questioned and there are several key factors identified that may explain variations between study outcomes. Recent more well controlled research suggests some potential for L-carnitine to act as a key regulator of cellular stress, possibly through an impact on the integration of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, and this work should be followed up in future by well controlled studies in both athlete and clinical subject groups.

Keywords
Carbohydrates; Lipids; Calorimetry; L-Carnitine; Substrate metabolism

Journal
Monatshefte fur Chemie: Volume 136, Issue 8