L-carnitine L-tatrate promotes muscle regeneration in middle-aged people

L-Carnitine L-Tatrate is a supplement popular with some endurance athletes and bodybuilders. L-carnitine is an important chemical found in the mitochondria - the powerhouses of cells - where it helps break down long-chain fatty acids and promotes oxygen consumption.

Intense training with weights restricts blood flow and oxygen supply, which impairs muscle cell function and damages cell membranes. In young adults, L-carnitine L-tatrate reduced chemical damage to tissues after exercise and promoted muscle repair and recovery.

Several studies have found that L-carnnitine L-tatrate promotes regeneration and prevents tissue damage caused by free radicals in intensively exercising young men. A sophisticated study conducted by the University of Connecticut under the direction of Bill Kraemer found similar results in middle-aged men. Muscle wasting in old age is a serious problem that reduces physical performance and quality of life and can lead to premature death. The study showed that L-carnitine L-tatrate supplements reduced markers of tissue breakdown, free radical formation and muscle soreness after exercise. However, they had no effect on physical performance.

(Metabolism Clinical and Experimental, 59: 1190-1199, 2010)