A really efficient supplement:

Acetyl-L-Carnitine

By John Mathis

The aspect of bodybuilding that has undergone the most evolution in the last twenty years is undoubtedly supplementation. Vitamin complexes, brewer’s yeast, desiccated liver tablets and protein isolates were sold in the 50s by Joe Weider and Bob Hoffman. After the soy protein boom there was a time of milk and eggs, then whey had its heyday. Steroids were the business in the late 70s and early 80s and supplements seemed to fall by the wayside until the advertising machine, by then almost exclusively controlled by Weider, hyped those formidable “megapacks” as even better than steroids. Next it was the era of herbs and glands as well as, of course, natural anabolics.
At this time, companies emerged that realized the way forward was through scientific research and evidence of true effectiveness. Creatine was one of the first supplements proved to really work and people also became aware of the effectiveness of and correct way to use glutamine and BCAAs. Furthermore, protein isolates were developed that proved very helpful.
The overall evolution in supplements has resulted in a range of truly valuable products being available to bodybuilders. Steroids still lurk around. Though prohibited, anyone who wants them can still get them. But those who don’t want to play Russian roulette now have safe and powerful alternatives available in the sophisticated new array of supplements. 

Scientists tend to focus on two key goals in their never-ending quest to develop even better sport supplements: how to speed up recovery after training and how to keep the body in an anabolic state.
Improving recovery means the body can handle even more stimulus, hence providing more opportunity to prod muscles into adapting to the new demands by growing. When the body is unable to adapt, for instance if it has faced too great a strain for too long, it sends out the signals we have learned to associate with the dreaded overtraining, hence hopefully resulting in some respite from the stimulus. If you persist despite these warning signs then an injury or serious illness are likely consequences. So, apart from getting the balance right so as to provoke adaptation but not provide too much stimulus, the other important aspect is to allow for optimal recovery.
Remembering that anabolism is the state in which the body efficiently assimilates protein and that catabolism, its opposite, involves muscle breakdown, it is obvious why so many bodybuilders want to spend as much time as possible in an anabolic, not catabolic, state.
Actually, these two states are the most notorious effects attributed to steroids and something they are equally efficient in. Sure, those who use steroids stand to benefit from increased anabolism, but they also risk undesirable effects on their health. I’m not here to try to convince you not to take drugs. However, what I would like to do is remind those of you who work hard day after day to achieve a better physique, that there is another way. Steroids are not the only way to promote anabolism in your body. (I’ll understand if those of you who don’t want to hear that turn the page to something you find more palatable!)
Now, the alternatives to steroids may not work as fast nor have as obvious an impact in the short term, but they are much safer and their effects last longer. The latter is backed up convincingly by scientific research in the last few years in the field of sport nutrition. 

The dreaded cortisol
The control of cortisol is another key factor to bear in mind when trying to keep the body in an anabolic state for longer. This scourge of bodybuilders doesn’t take long to put in an appearance if you fail to rest enough, if your protein intake is lower than it should be, or you train too much. Even frequent bad moods have been shown to be associated with a rise in cortisol levels.
Cortisol is nothing but a catabolic hormone that destroys muscle tissue. Among the different hormones that the adrenal glands secrete are the glycocorticoids. These are important for the formation of glycogen but they also catabolyze fat and protein. Cortisol is one of these corticoids and it could be said that its ‘speciality’ is the breakdown of muscle tissue. These hormones are secreted when the body experiences stress, such as from a gruelling training session, and needs rapid energy no matter the cost to any tissue.
The adrenal glands also secrete a testosterone precursor, progesterone, which is hampered in its function if cortisol is present. Cortisol dominates much of the progesterone, leaving very little available for conversion to testosterone. Hence, there are two reasons cortisol is detrimental to bodybuilding: it breaks down muscle tissue and impedes increases of testosterone.
The body usually produces cortisol at the rate of 6-18 ug/dl, but any physical exercise or stress causes these levels to shoot up. For example, people with a serious health problem, such as those suffering from burns, have cortisol levels as high as 39-133 ug/dl.
In view of what has been said, it seems as if the best way to keep cortisol production low is to avoid all physical stress, which is naturally out of the question for anyone involved in sport. Vitamin C and salicylates, such as aspirin, have proven ability to reduce cortisol levels, but substances such as phosphatidylserine and acetyl-L-carnitine have been shown to be much more powerful in the battle against the dreaded cortisol.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine
Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALC) is an acetylated derivative of L-Carnitine. This substance, which is found in the central nervous system (CNS), boosts acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA). This enzyme increases the level of acetylcholine in the striated cortex, giving away an acetyl group to another enzyme called carnitine-acetyltransferase, which at the same time gives away an acetyl group to a choline molecule to form acetylcholine. The latter is an important neurotransmitter for CNS, as it helps control hormone secretion. When cerebral levels of acetylcholine are optimum, cortisol production is reduced to the minimum. In 1991, in studies carried out on animals, Tagliatella et al found that ALC supplementation dramatically reduced the amount of cortisol produced in the face of stress. Lowering the cortisol level prolonged the anabolic state and reduced the recovery time needed between training sessions. The reduction in the effects of cortisol increased the anabolic impact of testosterone, insulin, GH and IGF-1.
The production of energetic reactions is another of ALC’s benefits, as well as its capacity for removing lactic acid, improving performance capacity, increasing muscle stamina and muscle oxygen volume. Some of these properties are due to ALC’s ability to raise the levels of dopamine in the brain, a key substance for hormone regulation.
Another characteristic of ALC is that it is capable of penetrating the blood-brain barrier, which is why some refer to it as ‘brain food’. Indeed, some investigations suggest that ALC improves mental alertness and concentration. This could be very useful in sports where concentration and mental clarity are crucial.
ALC has also been shown to protect against and repair neurological degeneration, even reversing some of the brain damage associated with aging, Alzheimer’s Disease and other mental problems. ALC has this beneficial effect because it stimulates release of two neurotransmitter exciters, the aforementioned acetylcholine and dopamine. It’s unwise to take an ALC supplement before bed as high levels of acetylcholine can affect serotonin, which is responsible for producing sleepiness.
It has also been shown that ALC increases the level of free testosterone in the body, something important for bodybuilders (and sportsplayers in general) as it is now known that only free (unbound) testosterone is anabolic. This means that taking ALC supplements allows the bound (inactive) testosterone to be liberated more easily.
Kisnonovic’s study of ALC’s effects on the body found that hypothalamic culture cells covered in ALC had a higher level of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH).
Taking into account that LHRH makes the body release more luteinizing hormone (LH), the level of testosterone can therefore be influenced by means of this LH increment, thanks to using ALC supplements. In men, once the LH level rises in the hypothalamus, it then travels to the male testicles to tell the Leydig cells to produce more testosterone. Luteinizing hormone is needed to convert cholesterol into pregnolone, the first hormone to play a role in the steroid biosynthesis pathway. Without LH, conversion is impossible, which is why it gets called the speed controller in relation to the formation of steroid hormones in the body. That’s not the only effect of LH, it also up-regulates production of steroidogenic enzymes. Because of this, the DNA will boost production of the enzymes cytochrome P-450, 17-beta-hidroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 3-beta-hidroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Higher quantities of these enzymes cause the conversion of the different hormones into testosterone. Three of these hormones are DHEA, androstenedione and androstenediol. In addition to enhancing the activity of the LHRH cells, ALC also stimulates the development of the cells which secrete LHRH and the sensitivity of the pathways, which then increases the secretion of LHRH.
A definite link has also been discovered between LH and improved sperm mobility, and similarly between ALC and stable levels of testosterone and spermatogenesis. This has led some scientists to believe that ALC could help improve male fertility. Nothing to do with any sporting spin-offs but worth knowing, right?

Who can benefit from ALC supplementation?
Products often hit the market amid much fanfare and it’s natural to be cynical about whether they will live up to all the hype. But bear in mind that ALC has been on sale for quite some time now and every year there are more companies selling some form of it. That should tell you something about its effectiveness.
Indeed, as we saw earlier, regular supplementation with ALC reduces the level of cortisol, stimulates production of LHRH and LH, frees bound (inactive) testosterone, preventing the drop in level of testosterone produced by physical exercise, boosts mental alertness, enhances neuromuscular co-ordination and helps reduce neurodegeneration. Any sports person can obtain benefits from regular use of an ALC supplement. And for senior citizens, this marvellous supplement can help offset the effects of aging.
With reference to bodybuilders, the answer could not be simpler - it would be well worth including ALC in your supplement programme. For those of us who work out with weights, the rise in testosterone and inhibition of cortisol accompanied by use of ALC promotes that state we most desire for optimal muscle gain – anabolism. And let’s not forget the positive impact that a high blood level of testosterone has on recovery. The latter naturally allows more intensive, more productive workouts. Naturally all of this would also be of great interest not only to weight lifters but any sportsplayer desiring to improve their neuromuscular response.
Research suggests that the minimum dose still allowing these positive results to be enjoyed is 1g a day, but the optimal, for people weighing 70-80kg, seems to be round 2.5g daily. However, in tests where 5g a day was given, no side effects were observed. (Such a dose is not necessary, however, to obtain tangible results, except for people with a body weight of more than 100kg.
For sports people, the best time to take an ALC supplement is before training, with a view to ensuring the desired rise in testosterone. However, taking it straight after training helps restore testosterone levels. If not working out, ALC is best taken before bed. Regardless, if you opt to take a total of 2-3 grams a day, it is best split over several doses, as another good time to take it is upon waking.

ALC supplements
Various companies sell supplements containing Acetyl-L-Carnitine, including Weider, Muscle Tech, World Gym and Twinlab. World Gym is the only one selling a product solely consisting of ALC. This product, unsurprisingly, is called ALC, and is available in lots of 60 tablets of 1250mg each. Taking two of these tablets every day would be an appropriate dose for someone weighing 70-80kg. For those over 85kg, I would recommend two tablets before training and another one at bedtime in order to ensure ALC’s full benefits.
Another alternative is Whey RX 55, also from World Gym, which has a high content of Acetyl-L-Carnitine. Whey RX 55 is one of the best post-training supplements on the market. Every 100g contains 57g of hydrolysed whey protein, 19g of carbs, 5g of L-Glutamine, 2g of L-Alanine, 5g of creatine, 1g of Acetyl-L-Carnitine, plus branched chain amino acids and multivitamins. (As we have already seen, 1g daily is the minimum dose of ALC which, according to research, will deliver the desired results.)
Of course, not many people are going to take 100g of a product like Whey RX 55 after training, but those who regularly take 50g (the average dose for protein shakes) will benefit greatly from the half a gram of this marvellous nutrient, ALC, plus the formidable supply of protein, creatine and L-glutamine. This would guarantee the best possible recovery from training.

Conclusion
Despite going into some depth here, we haven’t even covered all of Acetyl-L-Carnitine’s benefits. And anyway, I’m sure even more will be discovered as there is much ongoing research on this interesting substance. In the meantime, remember that ALC is not a steroid, neither does it function like one, but it is a truly effective supplement that can be found on the shelves of just about any shop selling dietary products.