Key Takeaways

• Carnitine is necessary for transporting long-chain fatty acids into mitochondria for energy production, which is particularly important in skeletal muscles and heart function.
• Beyond energy production, carnitine plays roles in liver health, bone health, and immune function, and has anti-inflammatory properties.
• The body can synthesize carnitine from lysine and methionine (requiring vitamin C, B6, and iron), or obtain it from diet, with meat and dairy being the richest sources.
• Genetic variants in carnitine-related genes (SLC22A5, CPT1, CPT2) can cause disorders that affect energy production, causing issues from mild fatigue to severe dysfunction.