Carnitine in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients

Carnitine is a conditionally essential metabolite that plays a critical role in cell physiology. Carnitine is necessary for fatty acid transport to sites of beta-oxidation in the mitochondria, where it also helps to prevent organic acid accumulation. Because of these key regulatory functions, carnitine represents a crucial determinant of mitochondrial energy metabolism, whose deficiency may lead to metabolic and clinical disturbances. Loss of carnitine through dialytic membranes occurs in maintenance hemodialysis, resulting in potential carnitine depletion and relative increments of esterified carnitine forms.

Source: Journal of Renal Nutrition - January 16, 2015 Category: Urology & Nephrology Authors: Gianfranco Guarnieri Tags: ICURT Proceedings Source Type: research