»Gesellschaft für Ernährungsmedizin«, 28/01/08

L-Carnitine for firm skin

L-Carnitine boosts fat oxidation and counteracts the yo-yo effect

Cellulite cannot simply be eliminated with creams. People who want to say goodbye to cottage cheese” or “orange peel” skin on a long-term basis should change their eating habits to include plenty of satiating dietary fibre, take regular exercise, and also care for their skin with daily massages to get rid of the stubborn dimples on thighs and buttocks.

At least 80 percent of all women over the age of 30 have to battle against cellulite. The desire for a perfect bikini figure is “a real gift to the cosmetics industry,” says dietary assistant Klaudia Pütz from the Gesellschaft für Ernährungsmedizin und Diätetik (Association for clinical nutrition and dietetics) in Bad Aachen. “Most creams, sprays, tinctures and lotions are not only expensive, they are also useless,” says Pütz. The advertised products claim to stimulate circulation and boost transport of water out of the tissues. “All they do is to make the skin feel softer after regular use, but conventional skin creams and lotions do that for less money,” she continued.

A relatively low-fat, balanced diet is absolutely essential for a smooth, firm skin. Too many calories and eating saturated fatty acids increases not only the size of the fat cells, but also the dimples on the buttocks and thighs, explains Pütz. In contrast, MCT fats and L-carnitine are effective fat burners. They stimulate fat oxidation and thus counteract the yo-yo effect.

Excess weight also encourages the formation of “orange peel” or “cottage cheese” skin. Therefore, the first countermeasure is to get rid of excess stones, but without crash diets. Cabbage soup diets and all kinds of fasting encourage cellulite as they primarily reduce muscle mass. "The diet should be changed to include a varied mixture with plenty of vegetables, salads, fresh fruit and wholemeal products," explains Pütz. The body also needs sufficient protein to protect the muscles. The diet should include at least one gram of protein per kilogram body weight. Half an hour of exercise three times a week, or even better once a day is also beneficial.

Dear reader,

We are often asked for amino acid product recommendations. As we generally cannot answer this in a universal way, the information collected from our German colleagues could be used as a guide to those who are looking for quality supplements: www.aminosaeuren.de. The site trialed and evaluated the products and services of the main providers in German-speaking countries. The information is currently only available in German, but you will nevertheless be able to see the names of the best manufacturers.

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