Carnitine Supplement...has anyone used it?

I am wondering if anyone has used this supplement.  It's not WLS related but my son is lifting weights and wants to bulk up and he read in the magazine Muscle and Fitness that this is one of the supplements to use if you want to gain muscle.  I am worried with a teenager taking supplements and the effects it could have.  I have looked this up on the internet but it has just told me what it is used for but I haven't really found any good or bad information on it.  Right now he used a protein supplement and multivitamin but I won't let him use Creatine because I have read that usage can effect your kidney function.  If anyone has any input on this I would appreciate it. Thanks, Michelle

I have never used it.  Most of my college buddies (football players) did.  The head trainer didn't like them to use it but if they insisted, she suggested that they drink lots of water which makes sense with what you said about the kidney.

Creatine is a natural amino acid you can get from food. There's never been any reports...never of someone getting kidney damage from taking it. It does work for some people. I works for me. But once you have enough in your system, that's it. You're just taking maintenance levels from then on. Some people like to load up the first couple of weeks. But it's not necessary. It's about one of the safest supplements out here. Earl

Has it helped you gain muscle when weight lifting?

What it does for me is let me lift a heavier weight for more reps, which over time, means I'll get stronger and gain more muscle than I would if I didn't take it. Some people are non responders and get no benefits from creatine.  I know it works for me, because when I stop taking it, I go from doing 12 reps with whatever weight to only being about to do 5 or 6 reps. I start taking it again and within a week I'm doing 5 or 6 more regs with the same weight. Some of it's added leverage from the water retention in the muscle cells (not like water weight like when your ankles or joints swell), some of it's the added ATP your muscles can use that allows them to do more reps. Most people gain about 5 to 10 pounds of water weight within a month or so.  He only needs to take about 2 to 5 grams a day. Some people believe in loading for a week or two and taking 20 to 40 grams a day. You get to the same place withing a month so there's no need to load really. You don't need the fancy carb drinks either but some people think you utilize more if you take it with a carb drink to spike your insulin levels. It's probably one of the few proven supplements that really work. I always suggest a protein supplement and creatine. And if he's a thin teenager that's burning calories like crazy, just tell him to eat more, even if it's junk food. Just because we had WLS and have to watch every little bite, doesn't mean an active teenager does. Good luck Earl

Hi Michelle, I wasn't looking for it but did run across this info tonight. Might answer some of your questions. http://www.musclewithattitude.com/readArticle.do?id=1660180