Method for preparing a mixture that can be granulated and carnitine-magnesium hydroxycitrate

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for preparing, from at least one hygroscopic substance, mixtures that can be granulated and that have little hygroscopicity. The invention further relates to the corresponding mixtures, especially carnitine-magnesium citrate and carnitine-magnesium hydroxycitrate.

1 . A method for preparing a mixture that can be granulated for dietary supplementation, where the mixture comprises at least one hygroscopic substance, characterized in that 
 a) in a first stage the solid hygroscopic substance is mixed with at least one organic acid and at least one metal hydroxide without addition of water or with addition of not more than 15% by weight of water based on the weight of the complete mixture, and in that    b) in a second stage the water content of a resulting mixture is reduced by drying to below 5% by weight, with the resulting composition preferably remaining pasty.    
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the hygroscopic substance is carnitine, preferably L-carnitine, or a carnitine derivative or salt thereof, in that the organic acid is citric acid, (−)-hydroxycitric acid, vitamin C or another physiologically acceptable organic acid, and in that the metal hydroxide is magnesium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide.  
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the drying is a vacuum drying, and in that the vacuum drying takes place at 85-120° C. under a pressure of not more than 25 mbar, preferably a pressure of not more than 50 mbar.  
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the mixing which takes place in the first stage takes place at a temperature of 50° C.-120° C., preferably at a temperature of 70° C.-120° C.  
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 , characterized in that the content of added water in the mixture is not more than 3% by weight, preferably not more than 1% by weight, based on the total weight of the mixture, and in that the drying is a vacuum drying.  
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the resulting composition is a solid or is solidified and is granulated to particles having a size not exceeding 1 mm.  
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the organic acid and the metal hydroxide are mixed in stoichiometric amounts.  
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that carnitine, citric acid and magnesium hydroxide are mixed in the first stage in stoichiometric amounts and form a metal-containing complex salt, namely carnitine-magnesium citrate.  
     
     
         9 . A mixture that can be granulated, comprising salts of carnitine, preferably L-carnitine, at least one alkali metal or alkaline earth metal cation and one organic, physiologically acceptable acid, characterized in that the water uptake of the previously dried mixture after 24 h at a relative humidity of 56% under atmospheric pressure and at 25° C. is not more than 16% by weight, preferably not more than 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the mixture.  
     
     
         10 . The mixture as claimed in  claim 9 , characterized in that the metal cation is magnesium or calcium, and in that the acid is citric acid, (−)-hydroxycitric acid or ascorbic acid.  
     
     
         11 . The mixture as claimed in claims  9  or  10 , characterized in that the mixture also comprises at least one other substance from the group comprising ribose, niacin or nicainamide, beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrates, lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10 and a chromium(III) salt.  
     
     
         12 . A salt compound, characterized in that the salt is carnitine-magnesium hydroxycitrate, and in that the magnesium, the carnitine and the hydroxycitrate are present in a molar ratio 1:1:1.  
     
     
         13 . The salt compound as claimed in  claim 14 , characterized in that the carnitine is L-carnitine.  
     
     
         14 . The salt compound as claimed in  claim 14 , characterized in that the salt compound can be prepared in a method as claimed in  claim 1.