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Carnitine information page (not really an amino acid)
Carnitine is really not an amino acid, but because of the close structural sameness, it is normally classed with amino acids, and is also known as vitamin BT. It is available as D-carnitine, L-carnitine, DL-carnitine as well as acetyl-L-carnitine, but with L-carnitine being the most popular type. L-Carnitine is synthesized from the essential amino acids lysine and methionine, but enough vitamin B1 (thiamine) and B6 (pyridoxine) must be available.
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Unlike a true amino acid, it is not used in protein synthesis nor as neurotransmitter, but is used for long-chain fatty acid transport and is required for entry of these long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria of the cell, as well as for the removal of short-chain organic acids from the mitochondria, which frees the intra-mitochondrial coenzyme.
It is therefore important for the energy supply within the cell, as well as muscles, assists in preventing fatty build-up in areas such as the heart, liver, and skeletal muscles.
It may also reduce the risk of poor fat metabolism in diabetes, alcohol-induced fatty liver as well as the risk of heart problems. Carnitine has also been shown to improve the antioxidant effect of vitamin C as well as E.
Primarily, carnitine deficiency occurs because of a genetic defect preventing carnitine transport and a deficiency may result in confusion, heart pain, muscular weakness as well as obesity.
Dosages listed is the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA), but be aware that this dosage is the minimum that you require per day, to ward off serious deficiency of this particular nutrient. In the therapeutic use of this nutrient, the dosage is usually increased considerably, but the toxicity level must be kept in mind.
Since carnitine can be manufactured in the body, supplementation of carnitine is not essential.
Most infant formulas that do not contain carnitine and could be supplemented with carnitine to the levels found in human milk, 11.3 mg/L (70 mmol/L) – but consult your medical professional regarding this matter.
Men normally require more carnitine than women, because of heavier body mass.
None known but supplements in excess of 3,000 mg (19 mmol) of carnitine per day may cause diarrhea and/or "fish odor" syndrome.
Because of more muscle mass, men normally require more carnitine.
Carnitine may have functions in cellular metabolism such as plasma membrane fatty acid remodeling, gene regulation and modulation of cytokine concentrations in experimental sepsis and cancer cachexia.
Esters of carnitine (acetyl- and propionylcarnitine) may have pharmacological value, by virtue of their antioxidant properties and/or ability to deliver readily oxidizable carbon units to mitochondria, in chronic disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and ischemia-induced myocardial dysfunction in angina pectoris.
The long-term administration of acetyl-L-carnitine to aged rats restores a synaptic pattern comparable to that of young rats. With the exception of the tocopherols all the antioxidants had lower concentrations in the Substantia nigra, which showed the most severe neuronal depletion with age. Acetyl-L-carnitine is being investigated as a determinant of neuronal longevity.
Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR), is regarded with interest because of its capacity to counteract several physiological and pathological modifications typical of brain aging processes. In particular, it has been demonstrated that ALCAR can counteract the age-dependent reduction of several receptors in the central nervous system of rodents, such as the NMDA receptor system, the Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) receptors, those of glucocorticoids, neurotransmitters and others, thereby enhancing the efficiency of synaptic transmission, which is considerably slowed down by aging and appears to reverse age-associated deficits in cellular function, in part by increasing cellular ATP production.
Carnitine is found in good amounts in red meat, while fish, chicken and milk are also high in carnitine, while vegetables and grains contain very little of this nutrient.
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