Carnitine and the premature.

After birth, the main energy fuel for the newborn is constituted by fat. Carnitine is necessary for the beta-oxidation of long chain fatty acids at the mitochondrial level, and seems also to have a role in the metabolism of the branched-chain amino acids, in ammonia detoxification, and in urea production. Colostrum is particularly rich in carnitine whereas semi-elemental formulae and soy-based formulae contain little or no carnitine. Since the newborn has a low capacity for carnitine biosynthesis, it seems useful to administer L-carnitine to infants on total parenteral nutrition, soy-based or semi-elemental formulae.