Carnitine: a review

L-Carnitine is an amino acid derivative required for the beta -oxidation of long-chain fatty acids, a process necessary for deriving energy from fat. Carnitine deficiency has been shown to cause dilated cardiomyopathy in a small population of dogs, and effects of carnitine deficiency on other tissues are being explored. Preliminary evidence reveals that feline hepatic lipidosis may result from a relative carnitine deficiency and may respond to supplementation. Carnitine supplementation also has been shown to alter body composition in swine by increasing lean body mass and decreasing fat mass, an important characteristic that may be applicable to the treatment and prevention of obesity in dogs and cats..