Carnitine differentiation

Carnitine differentiation blood test from serum (code ACARN) consists of:

• total carnitine
• carnitine free (FC)
• acylcarnitine (AC)
• AC/FC ratio

This test is often requested by CFS or CFS patients. People who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome.

Carnitine is a so-called semi-vitamin that is added to baby food. Carnitine is naturally present in breast milk. Newborn babies do not yet produce this substance themselves or in sufficient quantities. But soon after birth, the body can produce enough of these substances from the amino acids lysine and methionine.

Carnitine plays an important role in energy metabolism because it is required for the transport of fatty acids to the mitochondria (the energy factories) in the cell. Carnitine is found primarily in animal products such as meat, fish and dairy.
Supplements containing carnitine can be purchased, but supplementation has not been proven to provide additional health or energy. Only in the case of a rare congenital metabolic disease and certain (chronic) diseases, such as kidney failure, can supplementation be desirable but always under medical supervision.