- Essential to fatty acid transport
- Supports cardiovascular health
- Promotes sperm motility
Carnitine is made in the body from the amino acids lysine and methionine. Carnitine is often called an amino acid because of its chemical makeup, however it is actually a vitamin-like nutrient, related in structure to the B vitamins. It plays an essential role in transporting fatty acids into the muscles for energy, and is needed to transport these substances into the heart muscle. Nearly 60% of the energy for the heart muscle is supplied by fatty acids. It is also one of the two amino acids which promote sperm motility.