title: The effect of L-carnitine on force development of the latissimus dorsi muscle in dogs.
abstract: Using the latissimus dorsi (LD) muscle of the dog in situ, the effect of carnitine was tested for increase of force in the first period after stimulation. Carnitine administration resulted in an increase of force of 31 +/- 6% (mean +/- SEM). It is hypothesized that, during muscle stimulation, a relative carnitine deficiency occurs in cells of the vascular compartment. The previously observed lesser effect of carnitine in the trained muscle than in the untrained muscle is in line with this hypothesis, since the number of capillaries is known to increase by training. Also in agreement with this hypothesis is the observation that carnitine increased flow during exercise of the muscle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Limburg, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Dubelaar
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Hülsmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D002331:Carnitine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004285:Dogs; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D009132:Muscles / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow
chemical_list: D002331:Carnitine