Abstract
The importance of carnitine as an intermediary in fatty acid oxidation in newborn mammals is well recognized. In newborn infants who are maintained on diets which contain no carnitine (i.e. soy protein based formulas) there is a significant decrease in the plasma levels of carnitine and acetylcarnitine compared to plasma levels in infants who are receiving diets which contain carnitine(human breast milk and cow's milk based formulas). The plasma concentration of Δ -hydroxybutyrate is significantly lower in the group of infants maintained on a carnitine free diet;moreover plasma Δ -hydroxybutyrate increases logarithmically with increasing plasma carnitine. There is also a direct correlation between the plasma concentration of acetylcarnitine and Δ -hydroxybutyrate.
These results suggest that the absence of dietary carnitine during the newborn period results in a less than optimal concentration of carnitine in liver, indicated by decreased ketone body production, in infants whose plasma concentration of carnitine and acetylcarnitine is low. It is not clear at present whether carnitine is increasing ketone body production by stimulating fatty acid oxidation and producing excess acetyl Co A or if carnitine, after conversion to acetylcarnitine, can participate directly in ketone body production.
Supported by NIH grant No. HDO4946.
Log in or create a free account to read this content
Gain free access to this article, as well as selected content from this journal and more on nature.com
or
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wieser, P., Buch, M. & Novak, M. 224 EFFECT OF CARNITINE ON KETONE BODY PRODUCTION IN HUMAN NEWBORNS. Pediatr Res 12 (Suppl 4), 401 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00229
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00229
