Objective: L-carnitine is an ergogenic aid, which helps to transport free fatty acid into mitochondria in membrane of muscle cells, increases the metabolic rate of fatty acid, and leads to produce energy rapidly. Therefore, the aim of present study was to investigate the effect of L-carnitine supplementation on male soccer players' exercise performance and biochemical parameters after training. Methods: A double blind, random design was used. Male soccer players would be divided into L-carnitine or placebo group. Subjects received 3,200 mg L-carnitine or placebo orally per day for 3 weeks. The measurements included of exercise performance (twelve minutes run-walk test), and blood sampling of soccer players after training were analyzed for biochemical parameters, including of glucose, ammonia, lactic acid, free fatty acid, creatine kinase. Within-group variations for each variable were tested using Student's paired t test. Student's independent t test was used for differences detected among two groups. The level of significance was set at p<.05. Results: The results showed that exercise performance of L-carnitine group before supplement was significantly better than after supplement (p<.05), but caused no significant difference between two groups. The biochemical parameters after training showed that no significant difference was between L-carnitine group and placebo group in plasma glucose, ammonia, lactate, free fatty acid and serum creatine kinase. Conclusions: L-carnitine supplementation may not affecting exercise performance and other biochemical parameters of male soccer players.
Objective: L-carnitine is an ergogenic aid, which helps to transport free fatty acid into mitochondria in membrane of muscle cells, increases the metabolic rate of fatty acid, and leads to produce energy rapidly. Therefore, the aim of present study was to investigate the effect of L-carnitine supplementation on male soccer players' exercise performance and biochemical parameters after training. Methods: A double blind, random design was used. Male soccer players would be divided into L-carnitine or placebo group. Subjects received 3,200 mg L-carnitine or placebo orally per day for 3 weeks. The measurements included of exercise performance (twelve minutes run-walk test), and blood sampling of soccer players after training were analyzed for biochemical parameters, including of glucose, ammonia, lactic acid, free fatty acid, creatine kinase. Within-group variations for each variable were tested using Student's paired t test. Student's independent t test was used for differences detected among two groups. The level of significance was set at p<.05. Results: The results showed that exercise performance of L-carnitine group before supplement was significantly better than after supplement (p<.05), but caused no significant difference between two groups. The biochemical parameters after training showed that no significant difference was between L-carnitine group and placebo group in plasma glucose, ammonia, lactate, free fatty acid and serum creatine kinase. Conclusions: L-carnitine supplementation may not affecting exercise performance and other biochemical parameters of male soccer players.