Carnitine what it is used for and when to take it

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Let’s talk about carnitine sport, a winning combination, and the importance of taking a good carnitine supplement when needed

Have you often heard about Carnitine and its great properties but don’t know whether to start taking it or not? You think it can be an extremely useful substance for food and, specifically, diet, but you don’t think it can be useful for athletes? Nothing could be more wrong! Although Carnitine is often mentioned in TV advertisements as an aid in weight loss, maybe you don’t know that this substance finds great application in the world of sport, increasing performance. In this article, we will discuss what carnitine is used for and when it is good to incorporate it into your diet.

Carnitine (from the Latin ‘caro, carnis’, meaning ‘meat’) can be found in many food products of animal origin such as meat, but also in dairy products and vegetables (e.g. tempeh and avocado). It is included in the ‘Other nutrients and other substances with a nutritional or physiological effect’ list drawn up by the Ministry of Health and the maximum daily dose is 1000 mg.

With a balanced diet, we take in 60 to 180 mg per day; therefore when deficiencies occur or when we need it most, such as during a sports performance, it is important to integrate it through specific products.

Carnitine what it is used for

Before answering the question ‘what is Carnitine for’, it is necessary to understand what it is. L-Carnitine is an amino acid derivative naturally synthesised by the body in the liver and kidney produced by the interaction of two amino acids, Lysine and Methionine, with other substances such as iron, niacin, vitamin B6 and vitamin C.

Present in 90% of muscle cells, thanks to its many properties, Carnitine is included both in food supplements and dietary products, but especially in sports supplements. Its primary function is to transport long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondrial matrix where they are converted into energy.

At this point we can see what Carnitine is used for, both in food and sport:

in the diet/food sector, Carnitine is extremely useful in aiding weight loss, having an important role in fat metabolism, it is able to transform fat into energy, thus facilitating slimming;
in sports, Carnitine helps delay the onset of fatigue, increasing stamina and maintaining high energy levels during physical exertion.

Carnitine supplements

In the world of sport, there are many products that make use of Carnitine by exploiting its various properties: liquid supplements, powder, tablets or chewable gum, perfect for taking before, during and after training. Since, again returning to the initial question, Carnitine is used for what, it is important to say that it plays different and very important roles in all three phases:

before training provides immediate energy and promotes the metabolic processes that make the energy itself available to the muscles;
during training it delays the onset of fatigue and increases endurance through the production of nitric oxide and increased blood flow;
after training facilitates muscle recovery and tissue repair in the event of damage.

Sprintade® products to support athletes

Thanks to highly concentrated formulations, Sprintade® products support the metabolic cycle with high ATP and nitrate availability, guaranteeing increased energy stores even in the long term. With innovative, easy-to-carry formats, the Sprintade® product line was created to make food technology available to all athletes that was previously only available to professionals.

Among Carnitine supplements you can find:

ATP BOOSTER, a supplement in liquid form with a high Carnitine content and Fructose-1,6-diphosphatedesigned to provide immediate energy whenever needed
Energy Gum Plus,a ‘shocking mint’ flavoured chewing-gum that helps improve stamina

Available on the site in different packs and stock packs, Carnitine supplements from Sprintade® will support your performance by helping you respond to fatigue in order to exceed your limits