Carnitine: A review

L-Carnitine is an amino acid derivative required for the P-oxidation of lon g-chain fatty acids, a process necessary for deriving energy from fat. Carn itine deficiency has been shown to cause dilated cardiomyopathy in a smalt population of dogs, and effects of carnitine deficiency on other tissue are being explored. Preliminary evidence reveals that feline hepatic lipidosis may result from a relative carnitine deficiency and may respond to supplem entation. Carnitine supplementation also has been shown to alter body compo sition in swine by increasing lean body mass and decreasing fat mass, an im portant characteristic that may be applicable to the treatment and preventi on of obesity in dogs and cats.