L Carnitine

About L Carnitine

Carnitine is a compound synthesized in the liver and kidneys from the amino acids lysine and methionine, and its name comes from the Latin carnis, meaning flesh, reflecting its discovery in meat extracts. Its essential role is to shuttle long chain fatty acids across the inner mitochondrial membrane so they can be burned for energy, a process involving the enzymes carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 and 2. Red meat is the richest dietary source, while plant foods contain little, but healthy people, including vegetarians, generally make enough. Primary carnitine deficiency is a rare inherited disorder of carnitine transport, and secondary deficiency can occur with some metabolic diseases, kidney dialysis and certain medications, for which prescription carnitine is used. Carnitine supplements are marketed for fat loss and exercise performance, but evidence in healthy people is limited. Research has also linked gut bacterial metabolism of carnitine to trimethylamine N oxide, a compound under investigation in cardiovascular disease.