Carnitine is important in human body because it produces energy to support all bodily functions.
L- carnitine is an active form of carnitine and is an amino acid that is synthesized within the body and is absorbed from certain foods. It is beneficial to the body from increasing exercise endurance, to slowing the mental decline associated with Alzheimer’s.
The main function of carnitine is the metabolism of fats. Some reports says that L-carnitine increases the body’s energy supply by burning triglycerides for fuel. This helps the body burn fat and increase stamina. L-carnitine is available both in supplements as well as in many food sources. There is no recommended dietary allowance for L-carnitine but daily intake of 2 to 4 grams to be safe.
Carnitine are found in food sources such as red meat, cod fish, poultry, chicken breast, beef steak, and dairy products, nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, legumes or pulses (such as beans, peas, lentils, peanuts), vegetables (such as artichokes, asparagus, beet greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, garlic, mustard greens, okra, parsley, kale), fruits ( such as apricots, bananas), cereals (buckwheat, corn, millet, oatmeal, rice bran, rye, whole wheat, wheat bran, wheat germ), ice cream, whole-wheat bread, and other “health” foods ( such as bee pollen, brewer’s yeast, carob).
If these foods are not included in your diet, there would be a chances of carnitine deficiency in your body. To get rid of these problems eat a balanced diet so that you will not get any problems caused by the carnitine deficiency. Mostly, vegetarians have the deficiency of carnitine because this vitamin is present in darker meats.