Carnipure™ is the premium grade of L-carnitine manufactured by the Swiss life-science company Lonza. The Carnipure™ brand and quality seal stand for expertise and high reputation in the production of quality nutrition products. L-carnitine, which plays an important role in energy metabolism, is essential for transporting long-chain fatty acids across the mitochondrial membrane for subsequent fat breakdown and energy generation^1,2.

More than 25 years of science demonstrates L-carnitine’s ability to help support the body in a number of ways³. Once inside the mitochondria, Carnipure™ L-carnitine releases fatty acids, which are broken down through a process called beta-oxidation for the production of ATP, or energy. Therefore, the role of Carnipure™ L-carnitine fat metabolism can be easily summarized: it turns fat into energy.

Recovery after Exercise
Carnipure™ L-carnitine plays a critical role in converting your body’s fat into the fuel you need. An increasing body of research shows that Carnipure™ L-carnitine aids exercise performance. For recovery, daily Carnipure™ L-carnitine consumption prior to high-intensity exercise can reduce muscle pain/damage⁴. Carnipure™ L-carnitine may improve blood flow during and following exercise⁵. Therefore, it helps reduce the hypoxic or damaging effects created during exercise⁵.

Weight Management
As Carnipure™ supplementation can optimize fatty acid oxidation, it helps stimulate a return to healthy body weight. Research has demonstrated the ability of Carnipure™ tartrate to encourage weight loss, BMI and body fat in obese adolescents as part of a weight management program⁶. It is well documented that in order to lose weight, energy expenditure has to be greater than energy intake. As fatty acids enter the mitochondria to be processed, they are transported via L-carnitine. Without
L-carnitine, long-chain fatty acids are not broken down by the mitochondria for energy expenditure. Therefore, Carnipure™ L-carnitine can play an important role as part of a weight-loss program that includes energy restriction and exercise⁶.

Cardiovascular Health
Proper heart function relies on high efficiency of energy conversion, in which L-carnitine is directly involved. Because the heart has a small capacity for both the synthesis and storage of fatty acids, it relies mainly on fatty acid supply from the blood for proper function. Before the breakdown of these long-chain fatty acids takes place inside the mitochondria, they have to be transported across the mitochondrial membrane. This is where L-carnitine comes into play due to its function of carrying these fatty acids across the mitochondria membrane for beta-oxidation and ultimately ATP generation.

About Carnipure™ L-carnitine
The proprietary and fully backward-integrated Carnipure™ production process was invented by Lonza scientists in Switzerland. It directly produces the L-isomer of carnitine, the form found in nature.

Under the Carnipure™ brand, Lonza offers the following products:
• Carnipure™ crystalline
• Carnipure™ tartrate

Carnipure™ crystalline is pure L-carnitine, whereas Carnipure™ tartrate is a salt of 68% L-carnitine and 32% L-tartaric acid, which is the highest L-carnitine concentration of any currently commercially available non-hygroscopic salt form.

Carnipure™ products are bright white, pH- and heat stable, highly water soluble and form­ colorless solutions. They can be used in dietary supplements in the form of tablets, capsules, powders, effervescents, as well as in beverages, bars, dairy and other food products.

Carnipure™ crystalline and Carnipure™ tartrate are self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe). Carnipure™ tartrate is considered safe for daily consumption by the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) and approved by the Japanese MHLW (Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare).

Carnipure™ crystalline and Carnipure™ tartrate are:
• ISO 9001:2008 and FSSC 22000:2010 certified
• Kosher and Halal certified
• Allergen free
• Fully traceable

The Carnipure™ Quality Seal signifies:
• Unique production process.
• Outstanding quality control.
• Evidenced-based ingredients.

References
1. Müller DM, Seim H et al.: Effects of oral L-Carnitine supplementation on in vivo long-chain fatty acid oxidation in healthy adults. Metabolism 2002;51(11):1389-1391
2. Wutzke KD, Lorenz H: The effect of L-Carnitine on fat oxidation, protein turnover, and body composition in slightly overweight subjects. Metabolism 2004;53(8):1002-1006
3. Rotzsch W: Carnitine: Historical overview. In: Seim H & Löster H (Hrsg): Carnitine – Pathobiochemical Basics and Clinical Applications. Ponte Press, Bochum 1996
4. Spiering BA et al. (2007). J Strength Cond Res 21(1):259–264
5. Volek JS et al. (2008). Am J Cardiol 102:1413–1417
6. Kaats GR et al. (1992). Curr Ther Res 51(2):261-274

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, September 2014