Fuel Your Heart

Saturday, March 1, 2003

saleman will WAKE on Oy sale next Warde: uct nc VII apfon vi ancl ‘ace pach) “an bono] Por! they SS ea inex. ih “tay a 4d a rel hn aheey ‘wa Tracg Neale a &bea aed ih] ad bgof atGg neni “Soy acne Prt oe 4‘na Fuel Your Heart: Keep The Beat Strong With L-Carnitine by Wendy H. Weiss, MA, RD (NAPSA)—The heartbeat is essential to life because it pumps blood rich with oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Medical research is constantly looking at ways to keep the heart healthy and free from disease. Despite efforts, conditions like coronary heart disErp ease and congestive heart failure continue Wendy H.Weiss to affect nearly 18 milNien Americans. Nutrients in the food weeat are often investigated for possible preventive approaches to these cardiovascular conditions. For the heart to function properly, it needs to get a supplyof energy. The heart gets about 70 percent of its energy from the burningoffatty acids within ourcells. L-Carnitine (el-car-nih-teen) is the nutrient that helps get these fatty acids into the cells to be burned for “fuel.” New research shows that L-Carnitine, when used in conjunction with traditional medicine, may give the heart someof the energy it needs to fight disease in several ways and over time. For those people with exerciseinduced angina (chest pain), L-Carnitine may help increase tolerance to exercise—also wellknownto benefit heart health—by increasing the length of time people can exercise without chest pain hinderingtheir progress. L-Carnitine may also spare damagingeffects to the heart muscle in the days and monthsfollowing a heart attack. In a clinical study that looked at patients one year after a heart attack, those who had been given 4,000 milligrams (mg) of L-Carnitine per day for 12 months showed improvements in blood pressure and heart rate and reduced incidenceof chest pain and mortality. Benefits have also been shown in people who already have Nutrition may fuel the heart with energy. weakened hearts, such as those with congestive heart failure (CHF). CHFis a condition where the heart does not beat properly, and therefore can’t effectively pump blood throughout the body. Clinical research indicates that supplemental L-Carnitine has beneficial effects in the hearts of people with CHF. L-Carnitine is produced in the humanbody in small quantities (approximately 20 mg/day), but this amountis only 10 percent of the nutrient used daily by an average person, and only a fraction of the amount shown to benefit people with cardiac illness. L-Carnitine is available in food; two to three servings of lean meat such as lamb and beef can provide up to 300 mg of L-Carnitine. In order to reap the benefits of cardiac protection, however, supplemental L-Carnitine maybe helpful. Before incorporating any changes into your health regimen, check with your physician. For more information about L-Carnitine, visit the human nutrition center at www. carnitine.com. Wendy Weiss is a boardcertified Registered Dietitian working in New York City. With a master’s degree in health communication, Weiss discusses nutrition as it pertains to health, medicine andfitness with consumers across the country.

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