Does L-Carnitine Really Help in Weight Loss?
If you are going to look at some weight loss products in the market, you’d see a common ingredient called L-Carnitine. This word may be a jargon for many but for weight loss enthusiast, this is a familiar term.
Acetyl-L-Carnitine, is considered as a “wonder” ingredient for many weight loss products. Many manufacturers of weight loss supplements have added this ingredient to their products because of the claimed effects of L-carnitine on the metabolism of fats. These claims came from a small and limited studies linking L-carnitine and thyroid function. Apparently, thyroid function plays an important role in metabolism. However, these studies actually deal with the correction of hyperthyroidism and the results were also not conclusive of the benefits of L-carnitine.
The Atkins Diet also uses L-carnitine to promote weight loss but we are all aware that this is a fad diet. The Atkins Diet is not medically accepted and may actually cause more side effects to the body.
Apparently, there is no solid proof that L-carnitine is indeed beneficial for weight loss especially on regular individuals, or those who do not have any thyroid conditions.
On the other hand, for those who think they need a supplement of L-carnitine, it can be obtained from dietary sources like fish, dairy products, peanuts, poultry, wheat, avocados, and asparagus. L-carnitine may not be that beneficial to weight loss but it has other benefits, especially in the cognitive aspect.
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Congrats on your accomplishments! Let me expand on the term fad diet. Although some people use the term fad diet to describe a diet as one that doesn’t work. A fad diet is actually considered by most as any diet that becomes very popular within a short period of time and then tends to die off just as quickly. Therefore with the Atkins diet being around for so long (since the ’70s), and only recently becoming very popular among individuals is one reason why it falls under the “fad” diet category. Also note that due to variations in genetics and other health reasons, Atkins may not work for everyone. So it’s important to consult with a physician prior to taking on a new diet.
Atkins can also be considered a fad diet due to the fact that it requires you to severely restrict carbohydrates. With excessive carb-cutting, Atkins isn’t a balanced diet and while it may work fine for someone who is mostly sedentary, it might not be the best option for an active individual as carbs and fat are an important source of energy. With the absence of carbs the body will start burning it’s own muscle and fat stores for energy which can lead to weakening of the body’s natural support system. Vitamin deficiency is also something to consider when drastically cutting carbohydrates. According to MayoClinic.com long-term effects are unknown since studies have only been conducted for up to a year.
Atkins is a fad diet? Define “fad”, because Atkins diet has been around for over 30 years and is going strong. Millions of people have lost considerable weight on Atkins. Personally, I’ve followed the Atkins diet and lost 150 lbs in 17 months, no surgery required and feel wonderful. I lost 100 lbs on the diet while completely sedentary, and now feel so good that I work out over an hour per day and have lost an additional 50 lbs.
Additionally, recent credible long term studies show a low carb diet to be even more effective than low fat, and that a low carb diet is shown to reduce cholesterol over the long term. Low carb is also an easy diet to follow because it reduces blood sugar spikes and eventually eliminates cravings for sugar and processed carbs making it a self-perpetuating diet.