Acetyl-L-carnitine:
Master Brain Protector and Energizer
by Robert Crayhon, M.S., C.N.
Giving cells energy is a wonderful
thing. When a cell has enough
energy, it can do what it wants and
develop itself to the fullest. When a cell lacks
energy, it dies. This is particularly bad when
it comes to brain cells, because when they
die, they are nearly impossible to replace.
You and I can take a nap. A brain cell out of
energy has no choice but to cease to exist.
That is why keeping our brain cells energized
with nutrients like acetyl-L-carnitine
(ALC) is so important.
Acetyl-L-carnitine Slows Brain Aging
ALC is a special form of carnitine that has the
particular ability to optimize brain function.
Acetyl-L-carnitine is able to cross into the
brain more effectively than regular carnitine.
It therefore enhances brain cell function
much better than regular carnitine. As we
age, ALC levels in our brains go down and for
optimal brain function, supplements of
acetyl-L-carnitine become mandatory.
Particularly for those over 40, ALC is the preferred
form of carnitine.
The research on acetyl-L-carnitine is
nothing short of extraordinary. Although
most of it has been done in animals, there are
a handful of human studies as well. ALC prevents
the deterioration of the brain during
stress and it helps the aging brain function
better. ALC also helps prevent damage that
can occur to nerve cells when there is a lack of
oxygen in the brain. It is therefore of no surprise
that ALC is very helpful for stoke victims,
who have been found to recover better
on 1500 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine per day.
Acetyl-L-carnitine acts in many ways to
prevent the deterioration of brain cells that
normally happens with age. It does this in
many ways. It acts as a powerful antioxidant,
provides the brain with healing energy and
increases levels of a very important messenger
molecule called acetylcholine. It is
acetylcholine which becomes deficient in the
brains of Alzheimer’s patients and that is
why these patients have such poor memory
function. So by increasing levels of acetylcholine,
ALC helps the memory work better
and may help prevent Alzheimer’s as well.
Acetyl-L-carnitine Benefits the Entire Body
ALC has been found to be an important
nutrient for sperm health. It may also be
important for the health of the offspring
because ALC protects the valuable genetic
material in sperm from free radical damage.
Acetyl-L-carnitine has been found useful in
the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. There
is also mounting evidence that ALC plays a
key role in immune defense. This is because
immune cells require ALC to remain energetic
when they defend the body and fight
off pathogens. Acetyl-L-carnitine helps the
immune cells stay healthy and strong. It has
also been found useful in the treatment of
depression. This again, is through its role in
helping brain cells communicate more effectively.
A social brain—one where nerve cells
can communicate effectively—is a happy
one. I have found that ALC, along with phosphatidylserine,
B complex and EPA/DHA, can
virtually eliminate winter depression (seasonal
affective disorder), especially when
combined with a healthy diet.
Carnitine, the Powerhouse Nutrient
As I lecture across the country I get more
and more feedback about how carnitine is
changing lives. Improved weight loss, better
mental function, eliminated cravings,
increased energy, relieved PMS and even
better sleep quality are just some of the
things I am hearing from folks who take carnitine
in amounts of 1–3 grams per day.
Why? Carnitine is central to the body’s ability to turn food into energy, especially fat.
When you increase energy and decrease fat
levels in the body at the same time, which
carnitine does, a lot of things go right. The
liver, one of the most central organs in the
body, works better. Circulation improves,
because there is less fat in the arteries. Body
defenses are higher. The list of benefits goes
on and on. (See top ten list.)
What we are seeing in the acceptance of
nutrients like carnitine by more and more
Americans is the realization that energizing
nutrients like carnitine are some of the most
important we can take. Energy is the most
important thing we need to have to keep the
body from aging. Energy at the cellular level
enhances the immune function, increases the
body’s ability to remove toxic and potentially
disease-causing compounds and helps cells
live longer.
Carnitine is found predominantly in
meat and animal products. Red meat is the
best source. Chicken and turkey also contain
carnitine, though not as much as is found in
red meat. Carnitine is also found to a lesser
extent in milk and dairy products.
We consume about 50 mg of carnitine per
day in our diet. Those who eat many servings
of red meat per day get more. Strict vegetarians
get little or no carnitine. Fruits, vegetables
and grains contain virtually no carnitine.
We can make small amounts of carnitine
in our body. To do so we need the amino
acids lysine and methionine, vitamins such
as niacin, B6, vitamin C and iron. But the
amounts we make in our body and the
amounts we get through food are not enough
to give the optimal supply of this remarkable
nutrient that we need to get all of its benefits.
Carnitine in a dose of 1–3 grams gives our
cells the optimal energy needed and energy is
the greatest anti-aging force there is. The
more energy our cells have, the slower they
age, and body levels of carnitine—our premier
energizing nutrient—decline as we get
older. Carnitine prevents cells from self-destructing
when faced with environmental
toxins like free radicals. As we age we are less
able to protect our body from free radicals.
Carnitine, and especially the brainenhancing
form of carnitine known as acetyl-
L-carnitine, powerfully protect us from such
free radicals. Carnitine also keeps the
immune system strong, especially as we age.
If you have never experienced the increase
in natural energy and overall enhanced wellbeing
of carnitine, I hope you soon will.
Increasing your cellular energy with carnitine
and its companion nutrients CoQ10, lipoic
acid, flaxseed oil, magnesium and the B vitamins
will give your cells all the fuel they need.
The result will be maximal energy, reduced
risk to many diseases and optimal health. TH
Top Ten Reasons to
Take Carnitine and Acetyl-L-carnitine
- Carnitine slows the aging process. Every cell in your body, whether it is brain cell, immune cell,
heart cell, works better when it has optimal energy
available to it. By providing optimal energy to cells,
carnitine helps cells live longer and is therefore an
important nutrient for a long, healthy life.
- Carnitine keeps triglycerides low and raises HDL
cholesterol, thus helping prevent heart disease.
- Carnitine also helps prevent heart disease by
enhancing the overall health of the heart and by
helping to prevent cardiac arrhythmias, the cause of
one third of all heart attack deaths.
- Carnitine helps promote weight loss, especially
when combined with a low carbohydrate diet.
- Carnitine increases energy levels naturally, without
harm to the body and without causing side effects or
burnout like highly concentrated ephedra supplements.
This increases the ability of the body to exercise
and helps protect tissues from damage when they
lack sufficient oxygen.
- Carnitine enhances sports performance and
endurance and reduces the damage to the body that
can occur during exercise.
- Carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine both enhance
immune function.
- Acetyl-L-carnitine protects nerve cells from stress
and deterioration and may prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
- Acetyl-L-carnitine naturally increases mental
energy and helps relieve depression.
- Carnitine enhances liver function. Without
optimal liver function, optimal health is not possible.
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