Dietary L‐carnitine results in greater energy expenditure and a lower RQ in overweight, but not lean, adult cats

Abstract

L‐carnitine (LC) is included in weight loss diets to reduce hepatic lipidosis that often accompanies weight loss in cats; however, a majority of cats are fed maintenance diets. The objective of this study was to assess supplemental dietary LC (100 ppm) in a maintenance diet (17.8% fat, 35% protein) fed to adult cats. Twenty cats (2–4 yrs, 4.41 ± 0.34 kg BW) received a control (CON) diet for 3 wks. Calorimetry was performed at the end of the 3‐wk washout following an overnight fast and for 15 hr post feeding. After, cats were allocated to CON or CON + LC and fed to maintain BW for 42 d. Calorimetry was performed on d 21 and 42 of feeding. BW did not differ between treatments at baseline and throughout the study. On d 14 and 42, AUC for energy expenditure (EE) and respiratory quotient (RQ) were not different between treatments for lean cats (body condition score (BCS)≤3.0), but moderately overweight cats (BCS > 3.0) fed LC had greater AUC EE for the entire 15 hrs post feeding at d 21 and 42 and a lower AUC RQ from 0 – 210 minutes post feeding on d 42. These results suggest that dietary LC results in greater EE and lower RQ in overweight, but not lean, cats fed to maintain weight. Supported by P&G.