Necessity of carnitine supplementation in semistarved rats fed a high-fat diet

investigated the effects of carnitine supplementation on lipid metabolism i n semistarved rats. The semistarved rats were fed a high-fat diet and half the normal energy intake for 2 wk. Carnitine was supplied daily at a dose o f 250 mg/kg of body weight. The results showed that the concentration of pl asma free carnitine increased significantly in semistarved and carnitine-su pplemented rats compared with normal and semistarved rats. The activities o f muscle carnitine palmitoyltransferase I and preheparin plasma lipoprotein lipase also were significantly increased in semistarved and carnitine-supp lemented rats. The plasma triacylglycerol secretion rate was restored to no rmal by carnitine supplementation in semistarved rats. Urinary excretion of ketone bodies was reduced significantly after camitine supplementation. We concluded that supplementation of camitine can significantly increase the concentration of plasma free camitine and improve lipid metabolism in semis tarved rats fed a high-fat diet. (C) Elsevier Science Inc. 2001.