By John H. Biggs BSc, NCP - Owner Optimum Health Vitamins

For all of you who have sent in letters to Health Canada or your MPs ...congratulations! Putting the issue into the spotlight has played at least a partial role in its approval for sale. (On the other hand, a recent court case where it was argued that given carnitine’s safety level, Health Canada could not legally enforce their own regulations on it also helped a lot.)

Put simply, L-carnitine is essential for your cellular furnaces, called mitochondria, to burn fatas a source of fuel. Without carnitine, you can’t get fat into the furnace. If your levels are low, supplementing L-carnitine is like tipping-up the fat conveyor belt going into the mitochondria, allowing you to more preferentially use fat as fuel. And remember, fat is an excellent source of energy, yielding more than twice as much as carbohydrate or protein.

By Elaine Doucette, Herbalist, BMSA Tech

Fat is a very important fuel to bears in preparing for hibernation.  Like bears, humans also need fat to slow down the process of nutrient absorption and help create a feeling of fullness that will sustain energy for longer periods of time.  Winter hibernation is a reality for bears, but most people today continue to go about our active lifestyles through the darkest days of the year, ignoring nature’s seasonal cycle. 

Fats from animal and vegetable sources provide a concentrated source of energy in the diet; they also provide the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones and hormone-like substances.  Fats in a meal will slow down nutrient absorption so that we can go longer without feeling hungry. They also act as carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins such as: A, D, E and K.  Dietary fats as well are needed for the conversion of food sourced carotene to vitamin A, for mineral absorption and for many other processes.