L-Carnitine: Does it burn fat?

Recently, a client of mine asked me about "L-Carnitine", a supplement that people believe burns fat. My explanation was brief to her. Here is a comprehensive explanation from the book, "Nutrient Timing--The Right Food, the Right Time, the Right Results", by Heidi Skolnik, MS, CDN, FACSM and Andrea Chernus, MS, RD, CDN.

Myth and Truth About Carnitine

"It is a common myth that Carnitine, taken in supplement form, will help fat burning. People think this because carnitine carries fatty acids inside the cells to be burned for energy.

Truth: Carnitine is plentiful in the body. It is found in meats, but is also made inside the body from 2 amino acids. Our bodies are adept at recycling Carnitine, so healthy people have a good supply, even vegetarians. Because using fat for fuel is a multi-step process, adding one component, such as Carnitine, will not speed up or enhance the fat-burning process (it is rate limited). Carnitine itself does not limit the amount of fatty acids that can be brought into muscle tissue, so taking more will not increase the transfer of fat into the muscle to be used."