L-Carnitine

L-Carnitine (β-hydroxy-γ-trimethylaminobutyric acid, levocarnitine) is a quaternary ammonium compound synthesized endogenously from the essential amino acids lysine and methionine, with the final biosynthetic step occurring primarily in the liver and kidney and requiring ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) as a cofactor for the γ-butyrobetaine hydroxylase reaction.

The primary metabolic function of L-carnitine is to transport long-chain fatty acids (LCFA, C12–C18) across the otherwise impermeable inner mitochondrial membrane as acylcarnitine esters via the carnitine shuttle system — a process involving carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT-I, outer membrane) and CPT-II (inner membrane). Without this transport system, LCFAs cannot access the mitochondrial matrix for beta-oxidation. Research applications span fundamental mitochondrial energetics, cardiac metabolism, exercise physiology, and metabolic disease models where carnitine deficiency may impair fatty acid oxidation.

• Carnitine shuttle system and CPT-I/CPT-II transport mechanism studies
• Long-chain fatty acid beta-oxidation and mitochondrial energetics
• Cardiac fatty acid utilization and cardiac metabolism research
• Primary and secondary carnitine deficiency models
• Exercise physiology and fat oxidation during endurance performance
• Metabolic disease models with impaired fatty acid oxidation

Dose levels referenced by the MVLabs peptide calculator, shown for research reference only:

Carnitine shuttle cofactor studied for fatty-acid oxidation.

Research reference only — not dosing guidance for human use. Use the calculator for other vials or volumes.

Supplied as a lyophilized powder. Store at 2–8 °C on receipt; protect from heat, light and moisture, and avoid excessive agitation. If reconstitution is required for laboratory work, use sterile technique — bacteriostatic water, or 0.6% acetic acid for low-solubility peptides. Protocols vary by research application.