carnitine

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  • Name: carnitine
  • Description: An unspecified stereoisomerism form of carnitine (β-hydroxy-γ-N-trimethylaminobutyric acid, 3-hydroxy-4-N,N,N-trimethylaminobutyrate) which is a quaternary ammonium compound involved in metabolism... in most mammals, plants and some bacteria. Carnitine may exist in two isomers, labeled D-carnitine and L-carnitine, as they are optically active. At room temperature, pure carnitine is a white powder, and a water-soluble zwitterion with low toxicity. Carnitine only exists in animals as the L-enantiomer, and D-carnitine is toxic because it inhibits the activity of L-carnitine. Carnitine, derived from an amino acid, is found in nearly all organisms and animal tissue. Carnitine is the generic expression for a number of compounds that include L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine, and propionyl-L-carnitine. It is most accumulated in cardiac and skeletal muscles as it accounts for 0.1% of its dry matter. It was first derived from meat extracts in 1905, therefore the name carnitine is derived from Latin "carnus" or flesh. The body synthesizes enough carnitine from lysine side chains to keep up with the needs of energy production in the body as carnitine acts as a transporter of long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria to be oxidized and produce energy. Some individuals with genetic or medical disorders (like preterm infants) cannot make enough, so this makes carnitine a conditionally essential nutrient for them. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnitine)
Overview of age-variations
Age group comparisons
PMID Age/Age interval, Gender Value (unit of measurement) Method Sample
18384253 Age 24.5 ± 3, Gender ⚥ 0.92 (mean value of the compound area) LC-MS; GC-MS plasma
18384253 Age 40.8 ± 5.6, Gender ⚥ 0.96 (mean value of the compound area) LC-MS; GC-MS plasma
18384253 Age 55.6 ± 3.7, Gender ⚥ 1.03 (mean value of the compound area) LC-MS; GC-MS plasma
30113646 Age 44.6 ± 14, Gender ♀ (Dutch) 33.5 (μmol/L) ESI-MS/MS plasma
30113646 Age 44.6 ± 13, Gender ♀ (South-Asian Surinamese) 35.6 (μmol/L) ESI-MS/MS plasma
30113646 Age 44.6 ± 14, Gender ♀ (Dutch) 106.9 (% (percentage of metabolite concentration compared with baseline (100%) per 10 year increment in age; analyses were adjusted for BMI)) ESI-MS/MS plasma
30113646 Age 44.6 ± 13, Gender ♀ (South-Asian Surinamese) 105.5 (% (percentage of metabolite concentration compared with baseline (100%) per 10 year increment in age; analyses were adjusted for BMI)) ESI-MS/MS plasma
Linear regression
PMID Age/Age interval, Gender Value (unit of measurement) Method Sample
22834969 Age 54.1 ± 13.1, Gender ♀ 0.45 (β) FIA-MS/MS serum
log2 ratio/log2(FC)
PMID Age/Age interval, Gender Value (unit of measurement) Method Sample
Summary
  • Synonym:
    cardiogen;C0
  • Chemical Formula:
    C7H15NO3
  • Systematic name:
    3-hydroxy-4-trimethylammoniobutanoate;gamma-trimethyl-hydroxybutyrobetaine
  • SMILES:
    C[N+](C)(C)CC(CC(=O)[O-])O
  • InChI:
    InChI=1S/C7H15NO3/c1-8(2,3)5-6(9)4-7(10)11/h6,9H,4-5H2,1-3H3
  • InChI Key:
    PHIQHXFUZVPYII-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • CAS number:
    406-76-8
Related resources
Pathway info P = product of S = substrate of
Metabolite sources and localization
  • Metabolite location:
    Human organism, Body part, Human body biofluids, Biofluid tissues, Blood, Plasma, Serum, Tissue
  • Metabolite source:
    Homo sapiens, endogenous metabolite
Age-variations
Age group comparisons
Method: LC-MS; GC-MS
Sample: plasma
PubMed PMID: 18384253
Age group comparisons
Method: ESI-MS/MS
Sample: plasma
PubMed PMID: 30113646
Age group comparisons
Method: ESI-MS/MS
Sample: plasma
PubMed PMID: 30113646
Linear regression
Method: FIA-MS/MS
Sample: serum
PubMed PMID: 22834969
β = 0.45 (y = βx + α)
p-value < 0.05
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