Role In Fatty Acid Metabolism

Fatty acids are one of the primary energy sources for the body. ß-oxidation is the process by which fatty acids are broken down for the ultimate production of energy. Although fatty acids need to enter the mitochondria (the 'furnace' of the cell) for ß-oxidation, they are unable to penetrate the inner mitochondrial membrane. L-Carnitine is essential to transport long chain fatty acids across the mitochondrial membrane for subsequent fat breakdown and energy production. Fatty acids must be activated before binding to the carnitine molecule to form acyl-carnitine. The free fatty acid in the cytosol is attached with a thioester bond to coenzyme A (CoA). This reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme fatty acyl-CoA synthetase and driven to completion by inorganic pyrophosphatase. L-Carnitine has been shown to buffer the bound CoA to free CoA ratio and removes toxic concentrations of acyl-CoA thereby helping to ensure that energy production can continue.

Detoxification: Another important function of L-Carnitine is the ability to shuttle short chain organic acids from inside the mitochondria to the cytosol.

Due to its fundamental role in energy metabolism, L-Carnitine is typically used to support all bodily functions that have a high energy demand.