L-Carnitine: Thoughts and recommendations?

I am looking to drop about 5 to 10 pounds. Honestly, neither exercise nor cutting back on calories seems to be doing the trick lately.

How do fat burners actually work, and are there any that are truly effective? I know there are those half-liter drinks loaded with L-carnitine, but I have no idea if they are worth the hype.

Also, I am concerned about whether these supplements could pose any risks to my health.

thanks

L-carnitine is an amino acid that speeds up fat burning while you're working out. I’d definitely recommend it, provided you’re actually hitting the cardio and watching your calories. It isn't harmful.

Try separating your carbs from your proteins. Steak with a side salad—no starch—for dinner. Then hit the potatoes, rice, or pasta with a salad for lunch.

And for heaven's sake, watch the sugar during the holiday season. 🙂

good luck !

The truth is, those supplements will help you drop weight, but once you stop taking them, it all comes right back... You’ve got to focus on working out. If you hit your goal through exercise, that's how you'll actually keep it off.

I wouldn't suggest supplements; I'd suggest changing what you eat. Try focusing on foods that kickstart your metabolism, like yogurt or high-fiber options.

But look, if you absolutely need to lose weight fast for some specific reason, then you might have to go the supplement route. The natural way takes months, maybe even years...

Unless you're dealing with obesity, a healthy person can shed a few pounds quite easily. To gain weight, you obviously have to overeat. To lose it, just cut back on portions and get moving. You don't need a fancy gym membership for this. Just a brisk 30 to 45-minute walk a few times a week does the trick. If the winter weather keeps you indoors, find some stairs and just walk up and down them. It’s a reliable, lifelong approach that doesn't require any "natural" detox shakes or gimmicky supplements.

Losing five pounds is the easy part; the real challenge is maintaining that weight long-term. That's why doctors suggest the methods I mentioned above.

👋 👋

A friend of mine who runs alongside me has been taking L-carnitine lately, and I've noticed he seems to be sweating twice as much as usual; could it be that he's actually shedding that extra weight? It really seems like the results are becoming quite visible to everyone 🙂

cry wolf said:I want to drop about 5 to 10 pounds. I've been hitting the gym, but nothing is working. Even cutting back on food isn't making a dent.

Something isn't adding up here. You're exercising and eating less, yet the scale won't budge. You're doing something wrong. Period.

How do fat burners actually work, and which one is the best? I know there are those half-liter drinks containing L-carnitine, but I have no idea if they actually do anything.

Also, I'm wondering if these supplements can be harmful to your health.

Thanks.

First off, L-carnitine isn't even a fat burner. Second, I know plenty of people who tried carnitine and realized it was just a complete waste of money. In my opinion, you should either look into an actual fat burner—like something based on ma huang, which you can find at most supplement shops—and/or fix your diet and start adding more aerobic training.

Look, if you're young and healthy, you don't need any of those "fat burner" scams. Save your money.

When my son turned 13, I quit smoking just to set a good example for him. That was 17 years ago, and he’s never picked up a cigarette.

I’ve dealt with back surgery and constant sciatica flare-ups. After I quit smoking, I actually gained 20 pounds, even though I was pulling 12 to 14-hour shifts.

So, I started watching what I ate and began walking to work.3.1 miles I’d shower in the morning, get to work, and then after the shift, head 3.1 miles home for a beer. I started jogging slowly, just between telephone poles at first. Before long, I was jogging all the way to work. Soon, my son and I were hitting local track meets, and I was jogging with groups of 5 or 7 people.6.3 miles...I’ll be honest, I was usually bringing up the rear. My son was a state champion in the 1,500 meters.

Despite the sciatica attacks and the pain—which sometimes sidelined me from running for two or three weeks—I eventually finished a half marathon. It took me about two hours. Time didn't matter; I was just proud to be wearing that disability awareness shirt.

I dropped 20 pounds and kept it off until a major illness hit. Now, I'm mostly immobile. I can only walk about 200 yards before I have to stop and sit down.

That running is still my favorite memory.
My only regret is that I wanted to run a full marathon. I trained hard and made it to 23 miles; I truly believe I could have done it if it weren't for my health issues...
But I’ve definitely run more half marathons than my younger son.

Forget the burners and the liquid supplements. I'll probably start a thread soon about how bad those products actually are.

Nowadays, doctors recommend brisk walking for everyone, regardless of age. My 67-year-old wife used to walk every single day3.1 miles for 30 to 45 minutes.

👋 👋

hmmm...

So, what’s my move here? I’ve finally scraped together some cash, so now I can actually afford to look into supplements or whatever else is out there.

The goal is to drop a decent amount of weight and actually look decent by the time summer rolls around.

What should I be looking at right now?

thanks,
Roger Smith6

Roger Smith6 said:Hmm...

So, what’s my move here? I’ve saved up some cash, so maybe I can afford to get into "supplements" or something similar.

I want to drop a few pounds and look decent by summer.

What should I start taking?

Thanks,
Roger Smith6

You don't need any "supplements" to achieve that goal....
What is wrong with you young people?
If you eat more than you burn, just get on the scale!
Fix your diet and stay active—that's really all there is to it. There are no excuses about the weather or needing a fancy gym membership... that's nonsense. Just take the stairs in your apartment building five times a day. It burns energy, guarantees you'll be healthier and leaner, and it doesn't cost a single cent. Start slow until you get used to it.

👋 👋

Roger Smith6 said:hmmm...

what am I supposed to do now: make some cash so I can afford the "supplements" (gear, foods, whatever)...

I want to drop a few pounds and look decent by summer.

what should I take right now?

thanks
Roger Smith6

Out of all those supplements, honestly, all you really need is some pure whey protein and maybe a bit of maltodextrin (but only if you're actually hitting the gym, then drink it after your workout). Otherwise, just spend your money on something more useful. Diet is everything! Cut back on carbs, bump up your protein, and start doing some cardio (either a quick 16-minute HIIT session or something a little lighter for about 30-40 minutes). If you switch to eating 6-7 smaller meals a day, you'll definitely see results. But again, diet is king. You have to stay in a calorie deficit every single day.

Can women who are breastfeeding take L-carnitine before hitting the gym?

L-carnitine is essentially a dipeptide that facilitates the transport of fatty acids into the mitochondria.
Now, don't get me wrong—supplementing with L-carnitine can definitely yield some improvements—but one really ought to be careful here. If you go overboard and shift the entire balance of fatty acid breakdown toward the mitochondria, you risk negatively impacting the microsomal pathway of fatty acid degradation. It’s a delicate equilibrium, much like most things in life, I suppose.

So, my take? You certainly can, but moderation is the name of the game.

Sure, you can take it, but it’s honestly unnecessary since it doesn't actually help with fat loss. A daily calorie deficit is the only real solution. There is NO MAGIC PILL FOR LOSING WEIGHT!

Dennis Carter39 said:[B...it was a 16-minute HIIT session...

Increase your meal frequency to 6 or 7 times a day (smaller portions, obviously) and success is practically guaranteed.[/B]

What kind of workout are we even talking about?

Anyway, please explain to me how I'm supposed to cram in six meals a day when I have to commute to New York City for college? I mean, sure, I could prep something at home, but then what? I highly doubt a bunch of sandwiches is going to get me where I need to be...
Candy bars are even worse. And I can't exactly run to the campus dining hall every three or four hours...

cry wolf said:I want to drop about 5-10 pounds. Honestly, working out alone isn't doing it, and even cutting back on food hasn't moved the needle.

How do fat burners actually work? And which one is actually worth the money? I know there's those half-liter shots packed with L-carnitine, but I have no idea if they actually do anything.

Also, obviously, I'm wondering if this stuff is going to mess up my health.

Thanks

I just joined this forum today 🙂 so I’m only just seeing this thread. Assuming you still need some info... here goes nothing.
L-carnitine is just a substance found naturally in animal products. Here's a quick breakdown of how much you get per 100g: Pork has 30mg, lamb has 80mg, rabbit has 20mg, chicken has 7.5mg, mutton has 210mg (!), beef has 60mg, while eggs only have 0.8mg, wheat germ has 1mg, milk has 2mg, bread has 0.2mg, and things like potatoes, kale, or spinach don't have any at all. To give you an idea of what athletes aim for, they usually target 1-3 grams! Just imagine how much meat you'd have to eat to hit that.🙄
Keep in mind, L-carnitine is just a supplement. You aren't going to see any results if your diet is trash... if you're constantly shoving greasy fast food down your throat, it won't matter.
Personally, I used the L-carnitine from MusclePharm—those 1000mg liquid ampoules. You take one at least thirty minutes before a workout for 4-6 weeks, then take a 4-week break.
It isn't harmful... honestly, it's very similar to vitamins and doesn't really cause side effects. It can only help. It helps you lose fat because L-carnitine essentially transports that fat to your cells, allowing your body to burn it for energy during physical activity.
That's the short version. Hopefully, that helps a little. Good luck with the weight loss! 🙂