Abstract
L-carnitine (LC) is included in select adult feline diets for weight management. This study investigated whether feeding adult cats with diets containing either 188 ppm of LC (LC188) or 121 ppm of LC (LC121) and feeding them 120% of maintenance energy requirement (MER) resulted in differences in total energy expenditure (EE), metabolic fuel selection, BW, body composition, and behavior. Cats (n = 20, 4 ± 1.2 yrs) were stratified for BCS and randomly assigned to one of two dietary treatments and fed for 16 weeks. BW was measured weekly, and indirect calorimetry, body composition, physical activity, play motivation, and cognition were measured at baseline and throughout the study. A mixed, repeated measures, ANCOVA model was used. Cats in both treatments gained BW (P < 0.05) throughout the study, with no differences between treatments at any time point (P > 0.05). There were no differences in body composition between groups at baseline; however, body fat (g) and body fat : lean mass ratio were greater in cats fed LC121 in contrast to cats fed LC188 (P < 0.05) on week 16. No other outcomes differed between treatments (P > 0.05). Supplying dietary LC at a dose of at least 188 ppm may be beneficial for the health and well-being of cats fed above MER.
Highlights
While there is no dietary requirement for L-carnitine (LC) in cats, as it is synthesized endogenously, LC is considered a conditionally essential nutrient, as deficiencies can occur during certain disease states, during aging, and during weight loss/gain, as LC facilitates fatty acid metabolism [1] and energy metabolism [2]
Cats in positive energy balance fed diets containing 188 ppm LC have lower body fat deposition than cats fed diets containing 121 ppm LC in a 16-week feeding study. Despite these significant changes in body composition, there were no differences in LC treatments for measures of energy metabolism, or physical activity; the mechanism of action for the reduced adipose gain with the 188 ppm LC fed cats remains unclear
There was no effect of diet on any behavioral outcomes including play motivation and cognitive performance, the study was not powered against outcomes of physical activity or behavior, which are more variable than more physiological outcomes
Summary
While there is no dietary requirement for L-carnitine (LC) in cats, as it is synthesized endogenously, LC is considered a conditionally essential nutrient, as deficiencies can occur during certain disease states, during aging, and during weight loss/gain, as LC facilitates fatty acid metabolism [1] and energy metabolism [2]. Due to the mechanism of action by which LC exerts its effects on fatty acid metabolism, LC may provide a mechanism for removal of excessive fatty acids that are released during weight loss [2]. This is critically important in cats because lipids released during weight loss are commonly deposited in the liver if they are not oxidized and result in hepatic lipidosis [5]. Dietary LC (100 ppm) fed to cats has been shown to increase EE and lipid oxidation in contrast to cats fed control (30 ppm) during controlled weight loss [9] and for overweight cats fed to weight maintenance [7]
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