Lonza - Carnipure - L-Carnitine

Carnipure is a special grade of the L-Carnitine health ingredient produced by Lonza, a Switzerland-based life sciences company.

L-Carnitine is a natural nutrient that helps to metabolize fat and produce energy.

It is usually synthesized in the liver but may not be produced in sufficient amounts by babies, adolescents and adults with certain diets or health issues.

The health ingredient may be helpful in weight management, intense exercise programs, pregnancy and cardiovascular health.

Carnipure comes in several different versions and can be used in food and pharmaceutical applications.

Properties

Carnipure L-Carnitine has numerous health benefits for end consumers. It is produced using a process based on fermentation and is kosher-certified.

It works by shuttling long chain fatty acids into the so-called furnace of the cell, the mitochondrion, within which the acids are burned to produce energy.

For food products, Carnipure comes in three main versions: crystalline, tartrate and ALC.

Carnipure crystalline is described as being highly hygroscopic, meaning that it can be used in liquid products.

The tartrate version of Carnipure is the most popular version of the health ingredient and contains L-Carnitine and natural GRAS L-tartaric acid. As it has a citric taste and is non-hygroscopic, it is suitable for use in a range of solid items.

Carnipure ALC represents the acetyl derivative of L-Carnitine and can cross the blood-brain barrier to become a source of acetyl groups when it comes to the synthesis of acetylcholine.

In terms of pharmaceutical applications, there are three further products - EP pharma, USP pharma and L-tartrate pharma.

Ingredient applications

Carnipure crystalline can be used in liquids such as:

Sport drinks
Syrups
Whey drinks
Infant formula
Ampoules
Clinical drinks

Carnipure tartrate, meanwhile, is suitable for use in solids like:

Powder mixtures
Chewable products
Capsules
Bars and tablets
Carnipure ALC is most suited to so-called brain foods.

For pharmaceutical applications, Carnipure EP pharma, USP pharma and L-tartrate pharma are used as APIs.

History

V S Gulevich and R Krimberg first discovered L-Carnitine in muscle extracts in 1905. Its chemical structure was confirmed in 1927, but it was not until the 1950s that Gottfried Samuel Fraenkel discovered the role of the substance in fat oxidization.

He isolated L-Carnitine from the liver and named it vitamin BT. It eventually became commercially available in the 1980s.

Lonza patented a method for producing the ingredient in 1983.

L-Carnitine became independently certified as a safe dietary supplement in 1993 and the US Food and Drug Administration inspected and approved Lonza's production facilities for the substance seven years later.

The following years saw much research carried out into the energy metabolism and other functions of the health ingredient.

Recent studies have focused on the benefits of L-Carnitine for pregnant women.

Company information

Basel-based Lonza is one of the biggest suppliers of products to the pharmaceutical, healthcare and life sciences industries in the world.

The organisation was founded in 1897 as Lonza AG Electricity Works in Gampel, Valais, when it used its energy to produce calcium carbide and acetylene and eventually moved into the manufacture of B-group vitamin niacin in the 1950s.

Lonza then expanded into the US in 1969 and began to exclusively produce substances for pharmaceutical and agrochemical companies in 1982. It has since grown both organically and through acquisitions.

Its current specialisms include large and small molecules, niche bioproducts, peptides and amino acids.

The company is also involved with endotoxin detection, cell-based research and cell therapy manufacturing and additionally operates in the nutrition, hygiene, personal care, preservation and agro sectors.

Lonza has three main divisions: Custom Manufacturing APIs, Life Science Ingredients and Bioscience. Its biggest geographical market is North America, followed by the European Union.

It is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the ticker symbol LONN.

L-Carnitine For Fat Reduction

One of my favorite fat loss weapons is the amino acid L-Carnitine.

Carnitine is found in red meat, chicken, fish, and even vegetables. The highest naturally occurring concentrations of carnitine are in meats, while relatively low doses are found in vegetables. This makes carnitine supplementation even more important for vegetarians and those who avoid eating red meat, specifically.

Carnitine is a “conditionally essential” amino acid. This means that your body can manufacture it on its own, but under high levels of stress (i.e. working out, your job, your kids, etc.) carnitine cannot be made in sufficient quantities and therefore must be supplemented. Some of the benefits of supplementing with carnitine are:

· Improved energy production
· Body Fat Reduction
· Helps keep heard earned muscle
· Muscles become more resistant to fatigue
· Elevates Heart Performance
· Non-Stimulant Weight Loss

Carnitine works by transporting fatty acids from adipose tissue into the bloodstream, which is then transported into the mitochondria of cells, where it is then burned as energy. In short, carnitine makes your body use fat as energy and this leads to fat loss. Using fat for energy helps to spare hard earned muscle while dieting, it also preserves muscle glycogen so you can power through grueling training sessions and have more energy throughout the day.

There are some guidelines you must follow when using l-carnitine for fat loss. Studies show that a minimum daily dose of 1000mg to 1200mg of supplemental carnitine will help with fat loss.

Second, L-carnitine breaks down very rapidly in water. If you take a tablet of carnitine and place it on the table overnight, when you get it the next morning it will look brittle and crumbly. The carnitine molecules degraded extremely fast from this exposure, and eventually this will render the carnitine ineffective. If that is just from one night of exposure to moisture in the air, imagine what happens if your carnitine is sitting in water for days or weeks!

Using a carnitine supplement, like TwinLab’s Mega L-carnitine or Beverly International’s Energy Reserve, in combination with thermogenic products such as Green Stinger by Schwartz Labs or Redline by VPX, is an awesome two-pronged fat attack. You are getting the increase in calorie burning from the thermogenic, which is elevating your metabolism, but then you have the benefit of carnitine, which is shifting your body’s fuel source to fat. With this combo, you are sparing your lean muscle all while cutting down on ugly body fat. It’s a win-win situation!

If you happen to come across acetyl L-carnitine, do not confuse this form with its L-carnitine form. Acetyl L-carnitine is not nearly as effective as L-carnitine for fat loss. The acetyl form is ideal for mental clarity and focus because of its own specific attributes. So if you’re looking for a carnitine supplement for help with fat loss, then acetyl L-carnitine is not the route you want to go down.

L-Carnitine is by far one of the best stimulant free fat loss supplements (and an overall favorite nutritional supplement). Whether you are looking to lose fat, retain your lean muscle, or even keep your heart functioning at its top level, L-Carnitine is a convenient, healthy and safe, supplement that will help you reach your goals.