A new study provides evidence that daily supplementation with 500mg Carnipure™ tartrate, a special form of L- carnitine produced by Lonza, prevents the decline of plasma L- carnitine concentration in women from week 12 of pregnancy up to delivery. Previous studies already have shown the decrease of plasma L-carnitine concentration during the course of pregnancy. Published in an advance online issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition on June 3, 2009, the new research was conducted by the Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences at the Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, in Germany.

Why plasma L- carnitine concentration decreases during pregnancy is not fully known. However, the results of the above-mentioned study indicate that an inadequate iron status during pregnancy may lead to a reduction in L-carnitine biosynthesis, as iron plays a key role in L-carnitine biosynthesis. Scientific evidence from previous studies indicates that restoring plasma levels through Carnipure supplementation during pregnancy may also help prevent the development of gestational diabetes, especially in overweight women, by decreasing elevated plasma free fatty acids.

L- carnitine is produced by the body and plays an essential role in energy metabolism. It transports fatty acids into the mitochondria of the body’s cells where they are broken down and transformed into energy.

Lonza is the only manufacturer of the Carnipure brand of L-carnitine products, including Carnipure tartrate, which consists of 68% pure L- carnitine and 32% L-tartaric acid, and is self-affirmed as GRAS. Carnipure products are crystalline, white, water-soluble and heat-stable, which makes them ideal for use in various food and drink applications, says the company. In addition, it is non-hygroscopic, odorless, has a pleasant citrus taste and excellent flowability. Further details are available at www.carnipure.com and www.carnipure-for-you.com. Lonza Group Ltd., +41 61 316 8626, www.lonza.com

From the November 23, 2009, Prepared Foods E-dition