Jak działa acetylo-L karnityna

Lepsza sprawność umysłowa i utrata wagi w tej samej butelce. To atrakcyjna propozycja, którą zwolennicy acetylo-L-karnityny robią regularnie. To, czy te twierdzenia mają jakiekolwiek znaczenie, jest bardziej mętnym problemem.

Zacznijmy od tego, co wiemy. Acetylo-L-karnityna jest jedną z kilku form karnityny, która działa w Twoim organizmie. Karnityny przenoszą pewne kwasy tłuszczowe do mitochondriów, gdzie są spalane jako paliwo. Zabierają również produkty uboczne tego procesu. W zdrowym organizmie nerki regulują poziom karnityny – jeśli masz jej za dużo, pozbywają się tego, czego nie potrzebujesz. Jeśli twoja dieta jest uboga w karnitynę, nerki trzymają się tego, co masz [źródło: NIH ].

All carnitines are antioxidants, and because you can manufacture them yourself, they're classed as nonessential nutrients. Certain people do have carnitine deficiencies -- either genetic or induced by medication -- that stem from the inability to process certain dietary nutrients. Supplements can often help these patients. (You'll probably know if you are such a patient -- carnitine deficiency usually accompanies a more severe problem, such as kidney failure or cancer [source: NIH].)

The carnitines work in different but related ways. Some are more closely tied to cardiac health, some to metabolism and some to neurological health. Because some studies implicate mitochondrial decay as a cause of aging, some people speculate that using carnitine to maintain mitochondrial function could stave off symptoms of aging -- in particular, the frightening mental declines that accompany age-related illnesses such as Alzheimer's [source: NIH].

The way acetyl-L-carnitine works with your mitochondria helps your body metabolize fat. That makes it an appealing prospect for weight loss as well as for mental function, since the nervous system relies on certain fats. So far, though, claims about acetyl-L-carnitine and weight loss have had more style than substance.

This article will tell you a bit more about acetyl-L-carnitine including what we know and what we don't know. You'll also find out about the possible benefits and risks of taking it and its role in weight loss and cognitive function.

1. Acetyl-L Carnitine at Work in Your Body
2. Acetyl-L Carnitine Benefits
3. Acetyl-L Carnitine Side Effects
4. Acetyl-L Carnitine and Weight Loss
5. Acetyl-L Carnitine and OCD

Without acetyl-L-carnitine, the mitochondria can't absorb and metabolize fatty acids. This process has led to the claim that acetyl-L-carnitine can aid in weight loss.

There is little actual proof to support that claim, or the claim that acetyl-L-carnitine can lead to a better fat-to-muscle ratio. The supplement may improve the endurance of patients with emphysema (also known as COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), and relieve the fatigue associated with fibromyalgia and celiac disease [source: NAT]. If you're already adhering to a substantial exercise program, though, there's no proof that acetyl-L carnitine will make a difference in your results.

It is somewhat more promising as a treatment for certain neural disorders. Acetyl-L-carnitine contains an acetyl group that is essential for the production of a key neurotransmitter [source: UMHS]. The nervous system depends on fat metabolism. Fat is a major component of the myelin sheath that coats each nerve cell. The chemical composition of the myelin sheath is what allows impulses to jump across synapses (the spaces between nerve cells) and travel through the body to turn into actions, sensations, ideas or feelings. The breakdown of the myelin sheath can prevent the nervous system from being able to communicate effectively with itself. That's what happens in diseases such as multiple sclerosis. A myelin sheath with a high fat content performs more effectively, insulating the nerve and allowing the impulse to travel faster [source: Nagel].

Because of the way acetyl-L-carnitine seems to aid in fat metabolism, some doctors believe it shows promise as a treatment for certain nervous and cognitive disorders. Among these disorders are dysthymia (mild depression), attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Alzheimer's disease, the neural degeneration associated with cirrhosis and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) [sources: Arnold, NAT]. Acetyl-L-carnitine has been studied as a way to reduce the hyperactivity associated with fragile X syndrome, a serious genetic disorder, but results are inconclusive [source: NAT].

Some complications of diabetes also impair the nerves. Certain doctors consider acetyl-L-carnitine a promising candidate for repairing the damage wrought by diabetic neuropathy, a harrowing complication that erodes nervous function in the arms and legs -- and sometimes in the heart -- leading to pain and numbness. But clinical proof is lacking, and at least one study indicates that carnitine supplements might actually hurt diabetics by increasing blood triglyceride levels (the amount of fat in the circulatory system) [source: NAT].

What do we definitely know about the benefits of acetyl-L-carnitine? Read on.

Nerve Cells and Fat Metabolism

How closely tied are nerve cells and fat? Doctors recently discovered that they might be able to use stem cells from a patient's fat to regrow nerves that have been damaged in injuries. A team in Manchester, England, has had some success working with rats' fat tissue and are hopeful that the therapy could become standard in the next decade [source: Nordkvist].

Although much more study is needed, and several existing studies have been significantly flawed, acetyl-L-carnitine does seem to have promise in enhancing quality of life for people with cognitive problems and nerve damage, especially when those problems are the side effects of disease or other drug therapies [source: UMHS].

For example, some AIDS and HIV treatments cause muscular wasting and impair nervous function. There's a possibility that acetyl-L-carnitine could restore some of that function.

Likewise, alcohol abuse can gradually impair nervous function, partly because the liver loses its ability to process fat. In severe cases, it leads to a condition called hepatic encephalopathy. Acetyl-L-carnitine might help restore the balance. However, severe, long-term alcoholism has many cognitive effects that go beyond fat metabolism.

In a study, the drug also seemed to help a group of seniors with mild Alzheimer's disease, the progressive (and irreversible) neurological disorder that gradually destroys a person's memory, independence, motor functions and sense of self. Some patients who took supplements of acetyl-L-carnitine had reduced symptoms of dementia [source: NAT]. Later studies, though, were unable to duplicate this success [source: Hudson].

Another group of seniors with mild depression saw significant improvement following regular acetyl-L-carnitine supplements [source: NAT]. Some cases of depression are related to chemical imbalances in the brain and nervous system, so it's hypothesized that acetyl-L-carnitine would treat depression by improving the overall chemical function of the nervous system.

Of course, happy senior citizens and recovering alcoholics are not nearly as alluring as the image of you with bodybuilder muscles and increased sexual function, so those tend to be the aspects of acetyl-L-carnitine that the pill industry touts. Ironically, these are the claims with the least scientific evidence to back them up [source: UMMC]. Acetyl-L-carnitine may aid in the treatment of Peyronie's disease, which can affect male sexual function [source: NAT]. But it's probably not going to become the new Viagra any time soon.

What are the risks of taking acetyl-L carnitine? Read on.

Doctors and Acetyl-L Carnitine

With such potentially life-enhancing benefits, you might assume that doctors would prescribe acetyl-L carnitine the same way they do multivitamins and glucosamine -- just another way to be on the safe side. However, the benefits of acetyl-L-carnitine have not been clearly established, and the supplement isn't in routine clinical use [source: Hudson].

Acetyl-L-carnitine seems to be safe in general. Clinical trials have included children, with no marked side effects [source: Arnold].

There is some evidence that its usage may lead to mild symptoms. Some of them are not surprising, given that the supplement may affect metabolic processes. They include nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, skin rash, agitation, increased appetite and altered or unpleasant body odor [sources: UMMC, UMHS]

One doctor has reported that a bipolar patient who began taking acetyl-L-carnitine had a psychotic episode that might have been triggered by the supplement [source: Evcimen]. Since acetyl-L-carnitine is often recommended for cognitive problems, which can be accompanied by mood disorders, patients with histories of mood imbalances should talk to their doctors before trying the supplement.

People taking certain drugs should probably avoid acetyl-L-carnitine. Some drugs reduce its effectiveness. Others can actually react with acetyl-L-carnitine to cause negative side effects. These drugs include:

Acetyl-L-carnitine may be contraindicated for patients on dialysis or patients with high blood lipids. And although it may help patients with diabetes, heart disease, vascular disease and complications of alcoholism, it's especially critical that these patients talk to their doctors before beginning a course of acetyl-L-carnitine supplements. All these conditions affect the body's ability to handle waste products, so drugs may have unusual effects. Since acetyl-L-carnitine can alter the effects of other drugs, it may also interfere with the patients' existing therapies [source: UMMC].

Other drug regimens -- including AZT, Accutane and some anticonvulsants and cancer meds -- may inhibit your body's ability to produce its own acetyl-L-carnitine [source: UMMC]. The supplemental regimen may be a good counterpart to these therapies, but again, check with your doctor first.

Safe Dosage

Dosage of acetyl-L-carnitine varies greatly, depending on who's taking it and what that person is trying to accomplish. In some cases (such as pediatric uses), dosage is tied to the patient's body weight. In cases of chronic fatigue, heart disease or male infertility, the dose might be around 500 mg. In most other uses, a typical dose is between one and three grams a day [source: UMMC].

Perhaps nothing reveals our collective longing for a weight-loss wonder drug so much as the ever-more-fantastic claims of the supplement industry, or the Photoshopped before-and-after pics of sagging guts and rock-hard abs.

Plenty of supplement sellers tout acetyl-L-carnitine's effects on fat metabolism. You'll actually start getting thinner at the mitochondrial level! Every cell in your body will get more efficient! You've never exercised like this before!

These claims might come from small, limited studies that link acetyl-L-carnitine to a balanced thyroid function, which certainly has an effect on your metabolism. But these studies dealt with the correction of an actual medical condition -- hyperthyroidism -- and results were not conclusive [source: UMMC].

The Atkins Diet listed acetyl-L-carnitine as a supplement that could help low-carb dieters with weight loss. Of course, the problem with that claim is that the Atkins plan, far from having widespread medical acceptance, is considered a fad diet that may actually have detrimental health effects (notably on blood lipids and cholesterol) [source: WebMD].

Unfortunately, there's just no proof that acetyl-L carnitine can help the Average Joe (or Jane) turn into Joe (or Jane) Six-Pack [sources: UMMC, NAT]. In fact, thanks to the kidneys' intervention, athletes who take acetyl-L carnitine supplements don't even show elevated levels of the chemical [source: NIH]. You're probably better off with the standard regimen of exercise, proper diet and sleep.

As for the necessity of taking a supplement, you're probably already getting enough acetyl-L-carnitine from dietary sources such as these:

Acetyl-L-carnitine might actually help in treating some cognitive problems. We'll take a look at one on the next page.

Antioxidants and Weight Loss

Has any nutrient received more recent attention than antioxidants? These miracle molecules (whose numbers include acetyl-L-carnitine) help your body get rid of fats, process nutrients more efficiently and fight signs of aging. Recent attention has tended to focus on nutrients at the expense of their sources, but it's probably no coincidence that a diet of fruits and vegetables, the one most clearly linked to weight loss, supplies a lot of antioxidants [source: Hitti].

Zaburzenie obsesyjno-kompulsywne lub OCD może być okaleczającym upośledzeniem funkcji poznawczych. Jest klasyfikowany jako zaburzenie lękowe, podobne do zespołu stresu pourazowego i pewnych fobii społecznych. Pacjenci często są narażeni na irracjonalne i niekontrolowane impulsy i tiki, takie jak włączanie i wyłączanie światła 40 razy przed opuszczeniem pokoju. Tiki mogą być związane z silnymi przesądami: „Wszyscy w mojej rodzinie umrą, jeśli trzy razy nie dotknę klamki”. Pacjenci mogą być świadomi irracjonalnej natury impulsów i upokarzani publicznym pojawieniem się objawów, ale bezsilni w kontrolowaniu impulsów. Konsekwencje społeczne mogą być poważne, a rytuały związane z OCD mogą zniszczyć produktywność i koncentrację pacjentów, a nawet zagrażać ich zdolności do ukończenia studiów lub utrzymania pracy [źródło:].

Najwyraźniej ludzie cierpiący na OCD tęsknią za skuteczną terapią. Leczenie obejmuje grupy wsparcia i techniki radzenia sobie ze stresem, takie jak medytacja. Ze strony medycznej przepisywane są zarówno leki przeciwlękowe, jak i antydepresanty. Niektóre z nich mają znajome nazwy: Paxil, Zoloft i Prozac. Nazywają się SSRI lub selektywnymi inhibitorami wychwytu zwrotnego serotoniny. Regulują sposób, w jaki mózg przetwarza tajemniczy neuroprzekaźnik zwany serotoniną [źródło: NIMH ].

SSRI mają różne efekty w zależności od pacjenta. Niektóre z tych leków mogą powodować zwiększoną tolerancję i uzależnienie w organizmie, prowadząc do objawów odstawienia i innych powikłań, jeśli pacjent próbuje zmienić terapie. Skutki uboczne leków, takie jak zmniejszone libido, mogą same w sobie być źródłem depresji, a także poważniejszych problemów medycznych, takich jak zaburzenia krzepnięcia krwi [źródło: Harvard Health ]. Jeśli acetylo-L-karnityna pomaga zwiększyć działanie tych leków, może pozwolić pacjentom na obniżenie ich dawek, zmniejszając częstość występowania niektórych skutków ubocznych.

Centrum Odzyskiwania OCD wymienia acetylo-L-karnitynę jako suplement leczniczy (to znaczy nie centralną terapię, ale terapię, która może wzmocnić inną terapię), powołując się na badanie, które wykazało, że acetylo-L-karnityna ma korzyści w poprawie wzroku pamięć i pamięć krótkotrwała. Efekty te mogą pomóc pacjentom z OCD odzyskać część koncentracji.

Jak w przypadku praktycznie każdego badania dotyczącego acetylo-L-karnityny, potrzebne są dalsze badania. Pacjenci z OCD powinni skonsultować się z lekarzem przed rozpoczęciem leczenia acetylo-L-karnityną, a ci, którzy rozpoczynają cykl suplementacji, powinni uważnie monitorować dawkowanie i objawy.

Jaki jest wynik końcowy dotyczący acetylo-L-karnityny? Prawdopodobnie jest to ważniejsze dla osób z problemami poznawczymi niż dla usprawnienia wysiłków związanych z odchudzaniem.

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Leczenie zaburzeń nastroju

Naukowcy prowadzą obecnie próbę acetylo-L-karnityny jako suplementu dla pacjentów z chorobą afektywną dwubiegunową, u których poprzednie terapie były nieskuteczne [źródło: NIH ]. Wydaje się, że myślenie jest takie, że ponieważ acetylo-L-karnityna wspomaga funkcje metaboliczne, może pomóc organizmowi w efektywnym wchłanianiu i używaniu innych leków.

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