肉碱在长链脂肪酸转运到线粒体内以及随后的氧化过程中所起的作用已经得到很好的确定。新近的证据提示,肉碱可能在中链脂肪酸代谢及利用中也起着重要的作用。目前,正在研究对危重病人静脉内使用中链脂肪酸甘油三酯(MCT)溶液作为热能来源。这些溶液可能具有如下优点:a)不需要肉碱作为载体将其转运进入线粒体内;b)在肝脏以高于长链脂肪酸的速率被氧化;c)似乎不影响免疫系统,而长链脂肪酸则可能受影响。Rossle 等人的研究发现肉碱在中链脂肪酸的利用中可能具有一定的作用。选择4名健康男性成人进行实验,每一个体接受4种单独的脂质输注,每种间隔一周。其中两种输注溶液只含有长链脂肪酸甘油三酯(LCT),另两种则含有50%的LCT 和50%的MCT。输注的顺序是随机的。禁食一夜,实验对象在整个研究过程中处于静卧状态。为了使底物和激素浓度稳定,在研究开 The role of carnitine in the transport of long chain fatty acids into the mitochondria and subsequent oxidation has been well established. Recent evidence suggests that carnitine may also play an important role in the metabolism and utilization of medium-chain fatty acids. Currently, intravenous use of medium chain fatty acid triglycerides (MCT) solutions as a source of thermal energy for critically ill patients is being studied. These solutions may have the following advantages: a) Carnitine is not required for its transport into mitochondria as a carrier; b) is oxidized in the liver at a higher rate than long chain fatty acids; c) does not appear to affect the immune system, whereas long chain fatty acids May be affected. Rossle et al.’s study found that carnitine may play a role in the utilization of medium-chain fatty acids. Four healthy male adults were enrolled in the experiment, each receiving four separate lipid infusions, one at a time interval. Two of these infusion solutions contained only long chain fatty acid triglycerides (LCT), the other two contained 50% LCT and 50% MCT. The order of infusion is random. After a fasting overnight, subjects remained asleep during the entire study. In order to stabilize the substrate and hormone concentration, the study opened