Disclaimer: This content has been produced purely for informational and educational purposes only and is never intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical guidelines including diagnosis, advice, and treatment.  

When it comes to looking for ways to lose weight naturally, people often talk about garcinia cambogia vs l-carnitine since both are promoted as effective weight-loss supplements. Although both supplements have quite similar effects, their mechanisms of function are different. Besides, each has many other potential health benefits as well. Wanna know how they work? Keep reading. 

In this article, we’ll be comparing the benefits of garcinia cambogia vs l-carnitine mainly in terms of their effects on weight loss. But before we get into how garcinia cambogia and l-carnitine can help with losing weight naturally, we need to learn the basics of these supplements first. So, let’s get started. 

Table of contents

• What is garcinia cambogia? 
• What is L Carnitine?
• Garcinia cambogia vs L carnitine: functions and benefits in weight loss 
• Garcinia cambogia vs L carnitine: other potential benefits 
• Can I take garcinia cambogia and L-carnitine together?
• Final words 

What is garcinia cambogia? 

Garcinia cambogia, also called cambooge, Malabar tamarind, or garcinia gummi-gotta, is a small tropical fruit that grows in India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and many other parts of southeastern Asia. it looks like a miniature pumpkin with a soft multilobe rind which seems to be responsible for its various culinary and medicinal usages. 

What is L-carnitine?

L-carnitine is a type of amino acid that gives building blocks to protein. But it is indeed more of a vitamin-like ingredient that plays important role in a wide range of bodily functions. It is naturally produced in the liver and kidneys and stored in the heart, brain, muscles, and sperm. 

Though the human body can usually produce enough of it, in some cases, people may have to get it through diets or supplements when their bodies fail to make the required amounts. This is the reason why l-carnitine is often considered a conditionally essential amino acid.  

Garcinia cambogia vs L-carnitine: functions and benefits in weight loss

Although both garcinia cambogia and l-carnitine have been found effective in aiding weight loss naturally, the ways they work in the body are quite different, as well as impressive. 

Garcinia cambogia contains a biologically active ingredient called hydroxycitric acid or HCA, which has been found to be effective in blocking an enzyme called citrate lyase, an enzyme that is responsible for fat production and storage in the body. In addition, it can suppress appetite by enhancing satiety (possibly by increasing flavor experience) from a meal and increase fat burning by enhancing metabolic rate. All these effects of garcinia and its active compound HCA have been found highly beneficial in reducing visceral fat and overall body weight. 

A 2018 study published in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies concluded that garcinia cambogia can reduce body weight by lowering fat mass, lipid, visceral fat, and blood glucose profiles and increasing BMR (basal metabolic rate) in people who are diagnosed with obesity or overweight.   

L-carnitine, on the other hand, can be hugely beneficial in enhancing fat metabolism in the body. It helps transport fatty acids (building blocks of fats) to cells and assists fatty acid oxidation, meaning fats are used to produce energy. Besides, it shows significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, all of which play an important role in inhibiting the pathways that cause weight gain and obesity. 

A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Clinical Nutrition ESPEN that analyzed 37 randomized controlled clinical trials concluded that supplementation of l-carnitine has a modest reducing effect on fat mass, body mass index (BMI), and body weight in adults with overweight or obesity. 

Garcinia cambogia vs L-carnitine: other potential benefits

In addition to weight loss benefits, garcinia cambogia and l-carnitine have a wide variety of other potential health benefits as well. Let’s take a look at some of the common benefits of these supplements other than weight loss:   

Other benefits of garcinia cambogia

• Helps lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglyceride levels 
• Helps enhance HDL (good cholesterol) levels
• Reduces risks of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes
• Enhances exercise endurance and sports performance 
• May help with easing joint pain 

Other benefits of L-carnitine 

• Improves heart health and reduces risks of various heart diseases such as heart attack, angina, congestive heart failure
• Improves symptoms of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Alleviates pain in the thigh and calf in people with intermittent claudication and increases walking performance 
• Helps improve disease severity in people with autism 
• Helps ease breathing in people with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• May help improve erectile dysfunction in elderly men 
• Enhances energy in people with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
• Reduces metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risks by improving various metabolic parameters including insulin sensitivity, blood glucose control, body weight, and lipid levels
• Improves thalassemia by protecting blood cells from free radical damage and reduces the requirement for blood transfusions   
• Helps increase athletic performance 

Can I take garcinia cambogia and L-carnitine together? 

There are many supplements available in the market that contain both garcinia cambogia and l-carnitine and no serious adverse effects have been reported so far. This indicates that garcinia cambogia and l-carnitine are safe to use together. 

But, every human body is unique and it’s important to check whether they are right for your specific health condition. Work with a professional naturopath to determine your safety and the best possible dose before using garcinia cambogia and l-carnitine supplements. 

Final words 

When we talk about garcinia cambogia vs l-carnitine in losing weight naturally, both supplements are found effective in weight loss and it depends on how the body responds to them. However, garcinia cambogia and l-carnitine can be also used together as well. Work with a professional naturopathic doctor to determine the safety and possible doses.

Here you can see Vorst’s pure and natural Garcinia Cambogia 500 mg Capsules 

Here you can see Vorst’s special L-Carnitine L-Tartrate Powder Coffee Flavor 

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