What is Carnitine?

May 1, 2023

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have devised a method for mapping the distribution of carnitine in skeletal muscle cells.

About Carnitine:

  • Carnitine, derived from an amino acid, is the generic term for several compounds, including L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine, and propionyl-L-carnitine.
  • It is naturally present in many foods—especially foods of animal origin—and is available as a dietary supplement.
  • Human body produces it in the liver and kidneys and stores it in the skeletal muscles, heart and brain.
  • About 95% of total body carnitine is stored in heart and skeletal muscle.
  • Importance:
    • It is a substance that helps the body turn fat into energy. It is an essential cofactor that helps transport long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria so that they can be oxidized to produce energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
    • It is important for heart and brain function, muscle movement, and many other body processes. 
    • It also helps transport some toxic compounds out of the mitochondria.
    • It has been proposed as a treatment for many conditions because it acts as an antioxidant. 

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