As compared with other supplement forms of carnitine (such as carnitine powder, liquid, capsule or tablet), L carnitine injections are not exactly easy to take—not all people are comfortable with sticking a needle into one’s body. Besides, administering injections takes some amount of skill, which means it is not for everybody—especially those that are afraid of syringes.

There are specific situations, however, where L carnitine injections are most needed or useful. Obviously, if you need to have the supplement in your body as quickly as possible and as readily assimilated into your blood, the injection route is the way to go—it bypasses the gastric or digestive canal and goes straight to the blood stream. And if you’re taking acetyl carnitine—the form of carnitine that passes the blood-brain barrier—then using a syringe is the quickest way to have the substance do its work in your body.

L carnitine injections are also most useful in administering the substance on animals, such as dogs. In fact, majority of injectable carnitine products are meant for our canine pets. It is more convenient than tablets or capsules and, as mentioned above, is obtained by the body faster than one would have with, say, carnitine capsules.

As this form of L carnitine administration is also more expensive than carnitine capsules or tablets, it is not actually the most popular carnitine supplement. However, it does have its merits in terms of quick assimilation and (when administered on animals) convenience. The bottom line is that choose only L carnitine injections of it is really the form you need and if your situation falls under the types mentioned above. Otherwise, in our opinion, carnitine powder or liquid is sufficient for most general needs and purposes.

As we have discussed in several occasions, carnitine is good (especially acetyl carnitine), but one should not treat it as the end all and be all of human health. The same thing should be said of arginine—despite the several “astounding” claims about its health benefits (with the person who discovered its role and function even winning a Nobel Prize in 1998)—it is still just part of the big picture, and the big picture is a good non-abusive healthy lifestyle.

Taking carnitine or arginine in the context of achieving certain health benefits should not gloss over the fact of a person’s overall habits, such as diet, smoking or engaging in the ingestion of particular drugs.

Having said that, however, there is no denying that arginine and carnitine—especially when taken to compliment each other—can do wonders to health. Both can lower blood pressure and help the body regain its former functions that are otherwise damaged through aging.

It is important to note, however, that generally, most people do not even need supplementation of either arginine or carnitine. Eat enough well-balanced diet—and by well-balanced we mean cruciferous veggies and fruits, red meat, and certain nuts—and you can bet you are already receiving sufficient amounts of these substances on a daily basis. But of course, one may lead a busy lifestyle that leaves one with little choice regarding the management of the food one eats—daily situations may often force us to just have the easy way out and eat food from a can or a box of cereals. So therefore, such should warrant carnitine or arginine supplementation.

Moreover, if you have an underlying medical conditions, such as if you’re suffering from trauma or infection, then your body needs carnitine or arginine (or both) supplements to help your body recover and achieve a stable health.

Ribose benefits are closely similar to those of acetyl L-carnitine in the sense that both substances enable the body to quickly “bounce back” after a workout. In fact, you can most often find ribose as one of the ingredients of many so-called “energy drinks” favored by athletes such as marathon runners or triathlon participants—ribose quickly replenishes the needs of exhausted cells and enable them to be “ready” to process more energy in a short time. Often, one only needs a few minutes to give the body some time to assimilate the sugar and immediately one is ready again and seemingly “full of energy.”

While the benefits of carnitine (acetyl L-carnitine) can be long term (proper supplementation of carnitine before middle age can significantly repair and resuscitate damaged mitochondria—such damage is responsible for the feebleness or weakness one undergoes as one ages), the benefits of ribose are more for short-term purposes, specifically to aid one’s weight loss goals. The point, of course, in any workout is to be able to sustain it as long as possible—if you’re not very fit, you tend to “give up” so soon even before your body reaches that performance peak. If you can stay on your weight loss program as intended by your schedule (usually 1 and a half hours a day), then the more successful you will be in achieving your weight loss goals. In this context, therefore, both ribose and acetyl L-carnitine are powerful forces that can help you attain just that.

The bottom line, as we often say here, is that both ribose and carnitine (acetyl L-carnitine) have their proper place in one’s weight loss program, so using them or taking them should always be complimentary in nature. You should not even think of ingesting more supplements just to “speed up” and get to your goal as fast as possible, because doing so might do more harm than good.

First off, carnitine is readily available in most types of food you eat. So most often, you do not need acetyl L-carnitine supplements to compliment your weight loss campaign. Just try to eat a well-balanced diet as much as possible—some red meat, beans, cruciferous vegetables, fruits, nuts, even soy-based dishes. If you maintain such a diet, there would be little to no need at all to take carnitine.

However, in the same way that we take multivitamin capsules or syrups, we sometimes need the benefits of popping an acetyl L-carnitine pill or two. This may happen in cases when we are unable to eat a balanced meal on a consistent basis. So although carnitine can be consumed by eating certain plants and animals, we may actually end up consuming very little amounts of it that could be detrimental in the long term.

There are certain research studies that seem to show that acetyl L-carnitine is one of the best, if not the best, form of carnitine. This is due to the supposed greater bioavailability of acetyl L-carnitine—it is more readily absorbed by the body to be used by the cells, especially for the proper functioning of the cell’s power plant called the mitochondria. Getter bioavailability also means it performs better in utilizing fatty acids (or simply “fat”) and converting such fats into energy. That is why taking acetyl L-carnitine supplements not only serves as a great compliment to your weight loss activities, it also allows you to endure more of the rigorous physical training—you stay longer on the treadmill, which in turn means you burn more fat.

So what, then, is the deal with carnitine side effects? So far, we have not seen anything significant, except the “thinning” effect the supplementation might have on one’s pockets. Like other supplements, it should be used only for the right purposes. And when you’re talking about carnitine (especially its better form of acetyl l-carnitine), you’re talking about a substance that has a wide margin of safety. Nevertheless, however, there have been few reported carnitine side effects, and it is the mission of this website to always make sure to post a full disclosure.

So far, among the most common carnitine side effects include the usual stuff: headache, vomiting, nausea, restlessness, diarrhea. Serious side effects would involve a fast heartbeat or even fever. Those who undergo the dialysis process are not advised to take carnitine.

Apart from these abovementioned carnitine side effects, however, there is none that can be considered life threatening. In fact, such side effects only occur very rarely and almost always have something to do with the specific physical make-up of the person involved. For instance, if you’re already undergoing dialysis, what business do you have taking carnitine supplements?

As you probably know, carnitine is no “novel substance”—it has been with us since the dawn of our species. Carnitine is readily available in most of the foods we eat, although admittedly much of the carnitine in normal food gets destroyed in the body’s normal process and does not reach the intended target. Having said that, however, it is still advisable to compliment carnitine supplementation with the right kind of diet and a healthy lifestyle. Be careful and rigorously observe the precautions and you’ll never have to worry about carnitine side effects.

One of the major reasons why people consume carnitine supplements is to help them achieve their weight loss goals: as stated in research studies, carnitine aids the body by enhancing metabolism (and thereby speeding up the burning of fat). Such an overall effect is already good for people who normally lead generally sedentary lives (such as those who work at an office cubicle), but imagine how carnitine benefits exponentially grows when you use the supplement to compliment an already well-designed exercise regimen. The positive health effect can be astounding.

Recently, a couple of friends tried out this whole carnitine fad. One is a real estate agent who is often running around town speaking with clients or real estate sellers. The other is an accountant who spends her days crunching numbers and typing data into the computer. Both are middle-aged women. Upon learning about carnitine benefits to health and as an aid in losing weight, these two begin taking capsules of the more expensive form of carnitine, which is acetyl carnitine. After a few months, the real estate agent significantly lost about 30 pounds, and she attributes this achievement to the carnitine supplementation. The other one, however, almost did not lose any and at times even gained a pound or two. So where is the rub?

The fact is, carnitine is not an active cure-all—it merely exists to help us out. As we have always said in the past, taking or ingesting the substance in supplement form by itself is only winning half the battle—the other half means you will still have to work on it. And you have to work on it hard. Like most things in life, success in this area excludes the taking of a short cut.

The problem, however, is that health shops or those who sell carnitine do not actually quiz you or screen you concerning your use of the substance. They’re just too happy to make the sale, and for good reason: while the normal or more popular form of carnitine (L carnitine) is fairly average in cost, the acetylated (and presumably better absorbed) form (acetyl carnitine) costs more. And of course you are not making a one-time purchase—this is something you will have to consume for months in order to have any significant positive effect. Therefore, each sale is supposedly the beginning of repeat sales.

Therefore, the next time you rap on the counter to purchase a bottle of carnitine, make sure you understand completely what you are getting into.

If you have been working out and wondering why, despite your sincere efforts, your body seems to be very slow in responding to the exercises, then you may need the assistance of carnitine supplements. Carnitine, as shown in research studies, has been demonstrated to work very well as a compliment to a well-designed work-out regimen. To put it simply, it helps you to get the most weight loss benefits from your existing workout, assuming of course that such a workout is scientifically designed in the first place.

Carnitine and carnitine benefits are so popular these days for a reason: the whole thing is efficacious. It is no magic substance—just something that the human body uses very well in terms of maintaining one’s health.

There’s a caveat, though: if you’re thinking of ingesting huge amounts of carnitine to “speed up” your weight loss campaign, then you better think again. The human body has a limit in terms of its usage of supplements like carnitine, and there’s no amount of consuming mega-doses of this substance to give you your desired short cut. Similarly, for instance, consuming megadoses of vitamin C would only leave you producing “very healthful urine.” Moreover, consuming excessive amounts of the fat-soluble vitamin E would only damage certain vital organs and would actually produce a result that can be deleterious to your health. Therefore, consuming huge amounts of carnitine would not only be utterly wasteful, it will also be very expensive for you—you will only end up making your bodily waste (sweat and urine) “expensive” carnitine-laden excretions.

The point, of course, is that while carnitine per se delivers all the promised health benefits, you must remember that it doesn’t pay to try to find a “short cut.” Also, taking carnitine should not serve as a reason or an excuse for you to skip the “physical workout” part of your weight loss campaign. Carnitine, when left to its own devices, would only succumb to the natural wasteful processes of your body and would leave your frustrated.

We always tell our friends—especially the health-conscious ones—that while supplements like carnitine are as effective as advertised (especially its acetylated, more readily absorbed form, called acetyl carnitine), ingesting this “wonder substance” requires some complimentary effort in our part. We cannot just act lazy just because we have “help.” Think of it as a good friend helping you help yourself: keep that proactive thing in mind and you’ll never lose sight of your weight loss goals.

Carnitine—at least in the form that the bodies of human beings can effectively use—is not very easy to produce, especially with conventional synthetic methods. However, there are certain companies that have succeeded in doing so, and this handful of companies are responsible for the current global supply of synthetically produce viable carnitine to a horde of manufacturers of food supplements. It is also important to note that carnitine has also become a major product category in terms of juices and power or energy drinks containing the substance.

Carnitine, as one of the most important substances for the efficient functioning of the human body, has many incredible uses. It even seems that the more one conducts research studies on the substance (especially its acetylated form called acetyl carnitine), the more one discovers its amazing properties. At the heart and core of carnitine’s usefulness is its role in the efficient functioning of the cell’s power plant, the mitochondria. As we know, the more we age, the less the mitochondria fulfills its intended role (which is to produce overall energy). That is why the older we get, the more enfeebled we become. With the mitochondria—the main source of the human body’s power—failing and dying from aging, we lose a lot of the things we used to enjoy—like endurance and stamina in performing menial tasks. This could even have an effect on more important human activities that we enjoy, like sex.

Carnitine saves us from ourselves by “stopping” the mitochondria from dying. At least as what researchers have seen with acetyl carnitine, this substance slips past the cell’s barriers to go directly to the mitochondria and perform its magic. With the mitochondria saved (or in some cases—depending on what age you have started taking carnitine supplements—rehabilitated), our body regains its old youthful vigor. The most obvious manifestation of this is the better performance during exercise or workouts—without carnitine, the middle-aged or aging body tends to “give up,”; but with carnitine, there is an apparent increase in endurance and stamina that can be easily measured by normal tests. At this point, however, it is important to note that one should begin taking carnitine while one is still in their 30s—certain studies showed that when taken late in life (say, in your 60s), there would not be much mitochondria to be saved—in that age, the mitochondria would be so damaged that no amount of carnitine supplementation can resuscitate it.

Therefore, while carnitine may not be the God-given panacea we’ve all been dreaming of, it is still an amazing and wonderful substance. Carnitine benefits are also long lasting, and when taken according the careful instructions, can deliver the promised health-giving effects.

There is no denying that carnitine benefits to human health are real—as real as the red meat you might be enjoying right now. However, one important aspect of the whole health supplement concept is that you should not forget that carnitine can also (and most naturally) be ingested through the usual foods we eat. With the pervasiveness of so many different carnitine supplement brands you see in the media these days, you might end up getting the impression that carnitine benefits are accessible only in supplement form and not through anything else, which is very, very misleading. When you try to buy a bottle or orange juice, for instance, you are conflicted by the choice between a bottle of juice with L carnitine and another one without carnitine—and this can be utterly laughable, because in their natural form, fruits actually contain carnitine in them.

There are schools of thought, however, that seem to assert that the acetylated form of carnitine—acetyl carnitine—is more readily absorbed (and therefore quicker and more effective in doing its health-giving job) than the usual form of carnitine, specifically L carnitine. This may have something to do with acetylation—which enables the carnitine molecule to go direct to its target, such as the cell’s mitochondria, to revive it and do its magic. The problem with other forms of carnitine, it seems, is that carnitine benefits are negated by the body’s digestion process, with a lot of the said substance ending up in the waste.

So the Shakespearean question may be: is acetyl carnitine actually the best form of carnitine? The jury is still out on the matter. But if you have money to burn, it probably doesn’t hurt to buy a bottle of acetyl carnitine to compliment a healthy lifestyle. And we emphasize “healthy lifestyle” here, as no amount of carnitine supplements can work if you heavily smoke or drink or basically lead a self-abusive style of living.

1. Don’t starve yourself; eat healthy.

We usually hear about some girl who starved herself to quickly lose weight, just to attend an important event or function. Maybe the prom. Maybe let’s call that teenager girl Aubrey. She wanted to lose more than 20 pounds in less than six weeks to attend the prom, and she wanted to stand out among her friends, perhaps get the attention of a boy.

Aside from eating healthy, incorporate proven fat-burning health supplements in your diet, such as carnitine supplements. L carnitine is naturally produced by the body and helps transfer fat directly into the cell’s powerhouse, the mitochondria. L carnitine therefore ensures you keep a fast, healthy metabolism. Taking carnitine supplements will make sure whatever you eat are fully assimilated and turned into energy, not fat.

2. Healthy Eating is Better Than “Dieting”

The primary reason why adults experience weight problems and eventually become ill is due to them undertaking drastic measures or unhealthy weight loss diets during their teenage years. Teen diets should not be considered until their physical growth has been completed. This completion in teenagers usually occurs around 18 years of age.

Until that time, teenage weight loss should not be considered without consulting your doctor. He will recommend a dietitian who would be able to recommend a safe and healthy diet. A diet that would permit healthy growth and weight loss control.

3. Dieting Can Give Teenagers Real Health Problems

The wrong kind of dieting can give young people aged health problems later in life. During the period of 12-17 years, about 90% of your body frame and bone mass is laid down, so this period isn’t the time to deprive yourself of vital nutrition. Essential vitamins are terribly needed, such as calcium, and vitamins C and D. The danger is that even if you engage in a brief “strict dieting,” that could already lead to a low bone density level, and this could weaken your bones in your later years. Having low-density bones means they are fragile and vulnerable to fractures and breakage.

Teen Dieting can also lead to low levels of folic acid and iron, both of which may prevent you from becoming anemic. An anemic individual tends to be constantly tired, and their intellectual performance also suffers or gets impaired.

4. What Does Healthy Eating Really Mean?

Teens, as long as you eat a variety of foods, from the 5 major food groups (fruits, vegetables, grains [rice, pasta, oats etc] lean meats, dairy, low fats) in the right portions you should get all the nutrition you need.

5. Are There Foods You Must Not Even Touch?

Contrary to popular belief, there are no “off limits” foods. Eating healthy doesn’t mean banning certain foods from your diet, like ice cream, burgers, or pizza. But the key word is moderation.

6. For Snacks, Choose Fruit, Not Chips

Even snacks matter: instead of the usual “junk foods” like potato chips and things like that, eat freshly sliced fruits instead. Nuts are good, too, as they are rich in antioxidants, like almonds and walnuts.

7. Always Eat Well. And By Eating Well, I Mean A Balanced Diet

Always try to ensure half of your food plate is vegetables, and the other half consists of equal portions of protein (meat, eggs, soybeans) and carbohydrates (rice, pasta).