Hong Kong Med J 2025;31(Suppl 1):S41-4
L-carnitine and cardiovascular disease: a Mendelian randomisation study (abridged secondary publication)
J Zhao1, S Burgess2, BH Fan1, CM Schooling1
1 School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
2 Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
 
 
  1. Our findings do not support a beneficial association between L-carnitine and cardiovascular disease or its risk factors but suggest potential harm.
  2. Sex differences in cardiovascular effects of L-carnitine remain to be confirmed.
  3. Our findings highlight concerns about dietary factors that increase carnitine levels (ie, red meat), with implications for dietary recommendations.