Carnitine And Choline Decreases Oxidative Stress
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Research & Development
Aug 18, 2007
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Exercise causes an increase in oxygen consumption and this results in an increase in oxidative stress. If not dealt with
appropriately by the body's defense systems, exercise-induced oxidative stress can cause a number of undesirable effects
on cell functioning that ultimately impair recovery from exercise and adaptations to training, as well as increase risk
for many chronic diseases. Consuming
antioxidants is one way to help the body defend against oxidative stress. A recent
study examined the independent and combined effects of
Carnitine and
Choline on markers of oxidative stress after
exercise. The study was 3 weeks in duration and subjects engaged in regular exercise 3-5 times per week. Blood was
taken at one week intervals to measure TBARS (a standard marker of oxidative stress). One group took choline (0.94 g/day)
for one week followed by addition of carnitine (0.7 g/day) for another two weeks. Another group took
Carnitine for one week followed by adding
Choline for another two weeks. Compared to placebo, both choline and carnitine resulted in
significantly lower TBARS at one week and the effect was maintained during the subsequent two weeks when the other
supplement was added. The results indicate that either carnitine and choline alone or in combination
favorably affect
oxidative stress in moderately active people.
Sachan DS, Hongu N, Johnsen M. Decreasing oxidative stress with choline and carnitine in women. J Am Coll Nutr. 2005 Jun;24(3):172-6.