Carnitine helps with weight loss.  It’s not a myth.  Studies have shown that lots of people have had success with carnitine for weight loss.  The efficicacy of carnitine on weight loss has been shown most dramatically in doses of carnitine of at least 1000mg a day.  Some people find that weight loss speeds up dramatically once they begin taking up to 2000mg of carnitine a day.

Using carnitine for weight loss should be approached with caution and the guidance of your own medical provider, but no studies so far have shown that it is possible to overdose on carnitine, and there have been no reports of toxicity from carnitine overdosage.  However, large doses of carnitine might cause slight odor and diarrhea.

Carnitine is converted into acetyl-l-carnitine via enzymes that absorb excess acetyl-CoA in the body.  The process helps carry long-chain fatty acids across mitochondrial membranes and into the “fat furnaces” where they are burned for energy.  If you follow a diet high in carbohydrates and do not also exercise, you are likely to not notice any benefit from taking carnitine.  In order to lose weight with carnitine, you also need to be eating right and moderately exercising.

Carnitine is better for weight loss in certain people rather than others.  If you are very overweight, and are carnitine deficient, it should help greatly.  If you are only moderately overweight and your body is already making its own carnitine with no problem, you may not see as much of a difference – or you may just need to take larger quantities of carnitine.