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Postweaning Carnitine Supplementation of Iron-Deficient Rats¹

Department of Foods and Nutrition and Division of Nutritional Sciences, Urbana, IL 61801

Severe iron deficiency in the suckling and weanling rat is associated with lipid accumulation in serum and liver, impaired ketogenesis in the suckling pup and low levels of carnitine in some tissues. Carnitine has been effective in reducing high triacylglycerol levels in humans and rats. This study examined tissue triacylglycerol concentrations of iron-deficient rats supplemented with carnitine or iron. Iron-adequate (C) and iron-deficient (D) pups were weaned to diets containing 38 ppm Fe (c) or 6 ppm Fe (d) with or without 0.2% DL-carnitine (Carn) resulting in six experimental treatments: CcCarn, DdCarn, Cc, Cd, Dc, Dd. Males received the diets for 2 wk and female littermates for 4. After 2 and 4 wk, carnitine supplementation significantly increased carnitine content in liver, heart and skeletal muscle by 30–60% in rats from control and Fe-deficient dams. Carnitine treatment significantly lowered the triacylglycerol level in liver of 49-d-old Fe-deficient females, but did not affect other tissues at either time point compared to other dietary treatments. Fe supplementation did not increase carnitine content in tissues, but did reduce triacylglycerol levels in liver by 4 wk and in skeletal muscle at both time points. Possible mechanisms by which iron and carnitine may lower lipids are discussed.

KEY WORDS: • iron • carnitine • triacylglycerol

¹ Supported in part by grants from the National Livestock and Meat Board and the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station (60-0337).

² Sandra J. Bartholmey was a Wardall Fellow in the Department of Foods and Nutrition during portions of this work.

³ Address reprint requests to Adria R. Sherman, Ph.D., Department of Foods and Nutrition, 274 Bevier Hall, 905 South Goodwin, Urbana, IL 61801.

Manuscript received 27 February 1986. Revision accepted 16 June 1986.