carnitine

plural carnitines

1. countableuncountablechemistryA betaine, 3-hydroxy-4-trimethylammonio-butanoate, that is found in the liver and has a function in fatty acid transport.

   Carnitines are quaternary amines synthesized from the amino acids lysine and methionine.

   2015, Bruno Giammusso, “16: Dietary Complements and Phytotherapy”, in Giorgio Cavallini, Giovanni Beretta, editors, Clinical Management of Male Infertility, Springer, page 155

   2 more examples

   Although often called an amino acid because of its chemical makeup, L-carnitine is actually a vitaminlike nutrient, related in structure to the B vitamins. L-carnitine is the biologically active form of carnitine.

   2007, Shari Lieberman, Nancy Pauling Bruning, The Real Vitamin and Mineral Book, 4th edition, unnumbered page

   2014, Peggy R. Borum, Carnitine homeostasis in humans, Benjamin Toby Wall, Craig Porter (editors), Carnitine Metabolism and Human Nutrition, page 4, Carnitine likely functions in maintaining homeostasis in many metabolic pathways and physiological conditions, with carnitine's role in energy metabolism homeostasis being the best studied.

   Synonyms: CAR