L-Carnitine vs. GPLC GLycine Propionyl L-Carnitine.

[Sperwer]

Any views on the relative advantages and disadvantages of these? The latter is about 3 times the price of the former. Worth it?

[Cobalt]

I personally swear by GPLC. I honestly can't back up my opinion with any facts outside of the fact that L-Carnitine didn't do a lot, but GPLC would give amazing pumps.
Pricey, but worth it. Prescription Nutrition has it cheaper than anyone else, may want to check them out.

[Sperwer]

Thanks. It was because i was looking at PN that I asked. I've used L-carnitine mainly as part of the stubborn fat protocol a la Lyle MacDonald. It seems to work in that regard, but i'd be hard/pressed to give it a rank order in the laundry list of stuff i use for thermogenic impact. Problem is it makes me smell like the creature from the black lagoon, and my family has said No Mas. If the Gpcl eliminates that problem alone,et alone adding to the pump, i'm sold, even at a highr price


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[Cobalt]

I have no idea about fat burning abilities, but it can give me skin ripping pumps. It doesn't make me smell, but neither does regular L-Car.

[Infamy]

I would use caution if using L-carnitine for fat loss. Although initially you might get some benefit, the fact is that carnitine reduces thyroid function. See this:



Effects of carnitine on thyroid hormone action.

Benvenga S, Amato A, Calvani M, Trimarchi F.
Source
Sezione di Endocrinologia, Dipartimento Clinico Sperimentale di Medicina e Farmacologia, University of Messina School of Medicine, 98125 Messina, Italy. s.benvenga@me.nettuno.it

Abstract

By experiments on cells (neurons, hepatocytes, and fibroblasts) that are targets for thyroid hormones and a randomized clinical trial on iatrogenic hyperthyroidism, we validated the concept that L-carnitine is a peripheral antagonist of thyroid hormone action. In particular, L-carnitine inhibits both triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) entry into the cell nuclei. This is relevant because thyroid hormone action is mainly mediated by specific nuclear receptors. In the randomized trial, we showed that 2 and 4 grams per day of oral L-carnitine are capable of reversing hyperthyroid symptoms (and biochemical changes in the hyperthyroid direction) as well as preventing (or minimizing) the appearance of hyperthyroid symptoms (or biochemical changes in the hyperthyroid direction). It is noteworthy that some biochemical parameters (thyrotropin and urine hydroxyproline) were refractory to the L-carnitine inhibition of thyroid hormone action, while osteocalcin changed in the hyperthyroid direction, but with a beneficial end result on bone. A very recent clinical observation proved the usefulness of L-carnitine in the most serious form of hyperthyroidism: thyroid storm. Since hyperthyroidism impoverishes the tissue deposits of carnitine, there is a rationale for using L-carnitine at least in certain clinical settings.

Note that the bit in bold is important as it means that the thyroid hormones arent able to exhibit their effects. If they cant do that then you are likely to gain fat easily.

In fact carnitine is even used for hyperthyroid patients to return their thyroid function to normal!