The topic of L-Carnitine came up on an online forum for diabetic caregivers recently. L-Carnitine is grouped among the amino acids (like Taurine), and is also known as Vitamin Bt. I’d known of the link of carnitine to weight loss and the recommendation to supplement carnitine for cats suffering hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease). I also knew that carnitine levels were higher in raw meat than in cooked meat – but I didn’t realize how MUCH higher.
I stumbled across a patent from 1989, for carnitine supplementation in pet food. It lists carnitine content for some typical foods and here was the shocker (for me) – dry cat food samples had less than 10% of the carnitine as raw hamburger, canned food still had less than 20%. Assuming raw chicken contains 3% to 5% of the carnitine as raw hamburger (based on cooked values), the picture’s less grim – but obviously cats in the wild wouldn’t eat only chicken… or beef… and so far I’ve found no information on the values in rabbit, rodents, or small birds.
The present invention is for a method of preventing diet-induced carnitine deficiency in domesticated dogs and cats using a dietary supplement containing a prophylactic amount of L-Carnitine.- The invention is useful in preventing L-Carnitine deficiencies which can lead to a multitude of conditions, including myopathic heart disease, ischemic heart disease, hyperlipidemia, ketosis, muscle weakness and premature aging. Pets, particularly the carnivores, are at great risk for developing L-Carnitine deficiencies. As Table 1 indicates, dog and cat foods are extremely low in free L- Carnitine levels as compared with that found in raw ground beef. Most pets are maintained strictly on commercial pet food diets and are thus kept chronically deficient in L- Carnitine. This results in a diet-induced carnitine deficiency.
So, of course that sent me on more internet searches:
..these results demonstrate the protective effect of a dietary L-carnitine supplement against fasting ketosis during obesity induction. Increasing the L-carnitine level of diets in cats with low energy requirements, such as after neutering, and a high risk of obesity could therefore be recommended.
Your Cat May Need Supplemental Carnitine
• A new study shows that the amount of L-carnitine in commercial cat food is insufficient to protect the liver. Researchers gave obese cats approximately 150 mg of L-carnitine per quarter pound of food versus the approximate 5 mg approved for commercial cat food. The higher amount approaches what cats would get from a natural diet. The added carnitine had significant effects on liver function, specifically the utilization of fatty acids. For obese cats, supplemental carnitine is essential. They are prone to developing anorexia, which leads to the life-threatening condition, hepatic lipidosis, where fat builds up in the liver. Cats with this condition have drastic alterations in fatty acids, with liver triglycerides off the chart. Cats given adequate amounts of L-carnitine have a much better ability to weather this metabolic crisis. Supplement L-carnitine suppresses these drastic alterations in lipids.
• L-carnitine also maintains good metabolic function during obesity. When cats become obese on a commercial diet, carnitine levels shoot up drastically in the liver. This is apparently because the amino acid is not being utilized: normally it carries fat for fuel. But cats maintained on natural high levels of L-carnitine everyday in their diet don’t have drastic increases of unused carnitine in their liver when they become obese. Their carnitine levels remain steady, indicating less stress on the system, and better metabolism.
The Benefits of Carnitine and DHEA for Fat Metabolism INFLUENCE OF 1-CARNITINE ON METABOLIC RATE, FATTY ACID OXIDATION, BODY CONDITION, AND WEIGHT LOSS IN OBESE CATS The Clinical and Metabolic Effects of Rapid Weight Loss in Obese Pet Cats and the Influence of Supplemental Oral L-Carnitine CARDIOVASCULAR – Veterinary Institute of Integrative Medicine
Red meats are the best sources of carnitine (50 to 120 mg/100 g). Fish, chicken and milk are good sources (1.6 to 6.4 mg/100 g).
Carnitine boosts energy by stimulating the body’s burning of tryglycerides as fuel, and sparing the supply of glycogen stored in the liver for heavier exertion. During exercise, the body will burn fat at a rate of 75-80% of maximum exertion, thus less glycogen from carbohydrates is burned. L-carnitine allows the body to burn more fat, save more glycogen, and ultimately boost stamina and endurance. By providing more fat to the muscles, carnitine makes accessible an otherwise unavailable energy source.
FAT + OXYGEN + L-CARNITINE = ENERGY
L-CARNITINE: POWERFUL ENDURANCE ENHANCER, OR UNNECESSARY ERGOGENIC?
So, I’m still intrigued… and convinced feeding my cats a diet that most closely replicates their natural diet is the best way for them to avoid suffering for our lack of complete knowledge of feline nutrition.
Life of the Lintee Bean 
One wonders why is there a patent for adding it to petfood if it potentially has no value? I mean, is there a patent for adding grains to cat food? I think not, which means unlike grains it may actually offer something for value. So for those of us feeding raw…. if cooking/processing destroys the L-Carnitine, what impact does freezing have on it?
Well, I think L-Carnitine has value – as noted above, deficiencies may cause heart problems, etc.
I don’t know of any impact of freezing, then again – have any studies been done to test it? Also, as we know, taurine is definitely lost/oxidized in grinding… and we supplement taurine as we know a ground raw rabbit diet doesn’t supply sufficient taurine to avoid heart disease.
One of the big differences, IMO, would be that taurine is an essential amino acid for cats – they cannot manufacture it in sufficient quantities. Cats can create carnitine, apparently, from other amino acids.
what do you think of cats with FIV taking L-lysine
My cats are fed a raw diet, so I saw no need to give my FIV+ cat additional Lysine supplements. I see no disadvantage to giving an FIV+ cat Lysine, especially if that cat is not on a raw diet.
Lysine is supplemented for cats in order to suppress a specific virus from replicating- the Feline Herpes virus. If an cat is not ill, then a 250mg/day supplement will help to ward off the virus from taking hold. If the cat has the virus, a daily supplement of 500 mg/day will help to shut down the replication of the virus so that the cat’s natural defenses can eliminate the virus.
Since FIV+ cats have an immuodeficiency, it is critical to prevent viruses from taking hold, and to treat any illness as significant, since they cannot adequately fight it off themselves.
Lysine at these levels is safe over the long term. Above these levels is not recommended because it does impact the levels of available Argenine.
I was looking for important information on this subject. The information was important as I am about to launch my own portal. Thank you for providing a missing link in my blogging.
I just read an article in the Oxford Journal . The title of the article was “Carnitine-mediated improved response to erythropietin involves induction of haem oxygenase-1: studies in humans and in an animal model”. In lay terms this says that erythropoietin is a hormone responsible for inducing red blood cell production by the bone marrow. This study shows that carnitine improves the production of erythropietin and thereby the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. If animals or humans loose their ability to produce new red blood cells in the bone marrow one of their few options is to take a drug called Procrit with all of it side effects.
Does anyone know how many mg of carnitine I can give safely to my 6 pound female cat to stimulate her falling pack cell volume (PCV)?
Bill
Hi Bill,
Per Appendix 3 of Dr. Zoran’s article, “The Carnivore Connection to Nutrition in Cats”, L-Carnitine supplementary dietary dosage is 250 to 500 mg per day.
Hope this helps.
Lynette
I’m looking for a source of L-carnitine for my overweight cat. I understand I need at least 250mg daily. I’ve thought of buying capsules at the health food store but I’m afraid the flavor will be unpalatable for my cat. Any suggestions?
Hi Stephen,
I’ve used the NOW brand and didn’t notice any reaction from my cats regarding taste. Please also read my post “Fat Cat, Skinny Cat” and “Cat Still fat” if you haven’t already. The breakthrough for my overweight cats occurred when I eliminated ALL dry food and fed only a low-carbohydrate wet diet.
Best of luck,
Lynette
I just started giving my cats L-Carnitine yesterday, by opening a 500ml capsule and mixing with their Evo canned food. I was worried that they wouldn’t like it but my really obese cat had no problem. My other cat wouldn’t eat it at first, but fine minutes later she’d cleaned her bowl. I bought the L-Carnitine at a pharmacy.
Ok, now what’s the difference between Acetyl-L-carnitine and L-Carnitine tartrate? Am I splitting hairs or is there significant difference? By the way, my cats are happily consuming the L-carnitine tartrate from the capsules, but I want to buy it i powdered form. Pulling those capsules apart and trying to be accurate in portioning is a real challenge!
I may have found the answer to my question regarding the different forms of L-carnitine from the following link: http://erasedisease.com/2012/02/20/what-is-the-difference-between-l-carnitine-l-carnitine-tartrate-and-acyteyl-l-carnitine/
My vote is for the tartrate form.