ABSTRACT
L-Carnitine [known chemically as R()-b-hydroxy-g-(N,N,N-trimethylammonio)butyrate; molecular weight 161.2 g=mol] is a water-soluble quaternary amine that facilitates lipid metabolism. Only the L isomer is biologically active. Humans acquire varying amounts of L-carnitine from dietary sources, but a dietary requirement has not been established. The goal of this entry is to survey the literature on the clinical findings on L-carnitine, but due to space constraints, it is not an exhaustive review of the literature. Readers are directed to the references for more information.
