Arnold Schwarzenegger has always been critical of weight loss supplements. From Ozempic to fat burners, supplements that promise weight loss with little to no change in diet and lifestyle sound too good to be true for the bodybuilding legend. The Austrian Oak recently wrote about fat burners and how studies found their effectiveness to be limited.

However, celebrity fitness and nutrition expert Thomas DeLauer pointed out one supplement that stands out. While speaking to Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, DeLauer discussed the benefits of L-carnitine. The nutritionist argued that the supplement has multiple benefits and promotes fat loss as a side effect. He explained how carnitine helps you achieve weight loss.

Two contrasting takes

Thomas DeLauer said that among the various supplements that claim to reduce weight and burn fat, “Carnitine is fascinating to me…” Since it’s an amino acid that’s also naturally produced in the body, many people say that l-carnitine supplementation is redundant. However, the fitness personality had a different take.

‘The literature suggests that like you can deplete 75 to 80% of your carnitine stores in one workout,” that’s sufficiently intense, said Thomas DeLauer. A person performing close their VO2 max for 45 to 60 minutes will deplete their natural l-carnitine stores. Hence, supplementing it will help that person replenish their supply for the next workout. 

Otherwise, they have to eat massive amounts of red meat or other high-quality proteins, which isn’t sustainable. Hence supplementation “paves the way for longevity, strength, endurance, not to mention (the) fun side effect, fat loss,” said the bodybuilding enthusiast. However, the fat burners that Arnold Schwarzenegger looked at work by raising the resting metabolism.

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Arnnie explained that studies found that slightly raising the resting metabolism doesn’t do much. However, these fat burners are not inexpensive. Hence, people lose money, and the moment they get off this supplement, the benefits stop. “We recommend saving money on fat-burning pills and focusing on sustainable habits,” wrote the bodybuilding icon. Sustainability is also something that DeLauer agrees with.

What’s common in Arnold Schwarzenegger and Thomas DeLauer’s take

While Thoma DeLauer supports taking l-carnitine for fat loss, his main goal is to replenish the stores that get depleted. Just like Arnold Schwarzenegger, the nutritionist encourages people to work out and eat healthy. The fitness trainer knows that diet and exercise are the two sustainable factors that lead to long-term weight loss.

Hence, while Arnold Schwarzenegger and Thomas DeLauer might have superficially contrasting opinions, they have similar underlying principles. Hence, the biggest takeaway should be that supplements might or might not work. However, there’s no substitute for a healthy lifestyle for losing fat.

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