The ALCAR is transported outside the mitochondria where it converts back to the two constituents. The L-carnitine is cycled back into the mitochondria with acyl groups to facilitate fatty acid utilization, but excess acetyl-CoA may block it.
Excess acetyl-CoA causes more carbohydrates to be used for energy at the expenditure of fatty acids. This occurs via various mechanisms outside and inside the mitochondria. ALCAR transport decreases acetyl-CoA inside the mitochondria, but increases it outside.
The acetyl group can also be used in the Krebs cycle for energy production. This donation increases the availability of an important cofactor, CoA which is needed for the conversion of carbohydrates to energy. Sufficient amounts of carnitine, derived from acetyl-L-carnitine, are needed for the transport of short-chain fatty acids, out of the mitochondria, therefore freeing up CoA.
A deficiency in acetyl-L-carnitine promotes a corresponding decrease in this cofactor, and consequently impaired energy production from both fats and carbohydrates, thus affecting energy levels (ATP) in all cells of the body. So the less ALCAR you have the less energy your mitochondria can put out.
ALCAR is ideal for athletes and bodybuilders, apart from the average Joe, in that it promotes fat burning without muscle wasting. As mentioned earlier, the main role of ALCAR is to force more fatty acids into the mitochondria to be burned or oxidized and used for energy. This result of an increase in lipid metabolism is the main reason why ALCAR is used in many of the popular weight loss supplements that are seen on the market these days.