What is Carnitine?

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.