L-Carnitine L-tartrate supplementation favorably affects markers of recovery from exercise stress

• Published in: American journal of physiology: endocrinology and metabolism Vol. 282; no. 2; p. E474
• Main Authors: Volek, Jeff S, Kraemer, William J, Rubin, Martyn R, Gómez, Ana L, Ratamess, Nicholas A, Gaynor, Paula
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-02-2002
• Subjects: Adult; Biomarkers; Carnitine - blood; Cross-Over Studies; Cytosol - metabolism; Double-Blind Method; Exercise - physiology; Free Radicals - metabolism; Humans; Lactic Acid - blood; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Muscle, Skeletal - pathology; Muscle, Skeletal - physiopathology; Pain - physiopathology; Proteins - metabolism; Purines - metabolism; Stress, Physiological - etiology; Stress, Physiological - metabolism; Stress, Physiological - physiopathology; Tartrates - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0193-1849
• DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00277.2001

We examined the influence of L-carnitine L-tartrate (LCLT) on markers of purine catabolism, free radical formation, and muscle tissue disruption after squat exercise. With the use of a balanced, crossover design (1 wk washout), 10 resistance-trained men consumed a placebo or LCLT supplement (2 g L-carnitine/day) for 3 wk before obtaining blood samples on six consecutive days (D1 to D6). Blood was also sampled before and after a squat protocol (5 sets, 15-20 repetitions) on D2. Muscle tissue disruption at the midthigh was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before exercise and on D3 and D6. Exercise-induced increases in plasma markers of purine catabolism (hypoxanthine, xanthine oxidase, and serum uric acid) and circulating cytosolic proteins (myoglobin, fatty acid-binding protein, and creatine kinase) were significantly (P < or = 0.05) attenuated by LCLT. Exercise-induced increases in plasma malondialdehyde returned to resting values sooner during LCLT compared with placebo. The amount of muscle disruption from MRI scans during LCLT was 41-45% of the placebo area. These data indicate that LCLT supplementation is effective in assisting recovery from high-repetition squat exercise.