title: Effects of oral L-carnitine supplementation on in vivo long-chain fatty acid oxidation in healthy adults.
abstract: Despite an abundance of literature describing the basic mechanisms of action of L-carnitine metabolism, there remains some uncertainty regarding the effects of oral L-carnitine supplementation on in vivo fatty acid oxidation in normal subjects under normal conditions. It is well known that L-carnitine normalizes the metabolism of long-chain fatty acids in cases of carnitine deficiency. However, it has not yet been shown that L-carnitine influences the metabolism of long-chain fatty acids in subjects without disturbances in fatty acid metabolism. Therefore, we investigated the effects of oral L-carnitine supplementation on in vivo long-chain fatty acid oxidation by measuring 1-[(13)C] palmitic acid oxidation in healthy subjects before and after L-carnitine supplementation (3 x 1 g/d for 10 days). We observed a significant increase in (13)CO(2) exhalation. This is the first investigation to conclusively demonstrate that oral L-carnitine supplementation results in an increase in long-chain fatty acid oxidation in vivo in subjects without L-carnitine deficiency or without prolonged fatty acid metabolism.
authors.affiliation: University of Leipzig, Children's Hospital, Germany.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Seim
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kiess
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Löster
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Richter
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001944:Breath Tests; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D002331:Carnitine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D002331:Carnitine; D005227:Fatty Acids; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D008055:Lipids