Conditionally essential
Carnitine (free) — optimal range for vegans & vegetarians
A molecule shuttling fatty acids into mitochondria.
Optimal range
30–55 µmol/L
How a value is read
| Deficient | < 25 µmol/L |
| Below optimal | 25 – 30 µmol/L |
| Optimal | 30 – 55 µmol/L |
| Above optimal | 55 – 70 µmol/L |
| Markedly high | > 70 µmol/L |
Bands are given in the marker's canonical unit; values in other units are converted automatically.
Why it matters on a plant-based diet
Carnitine is nearly absent from plant foods; the body synthesizes it from lysine and methionine with vitamin C, B6, iron and niacin. Conditionally essential — lower in vegans, important for mitochondria and energy.
A single marker decides nothing
Deficiencies mask one another: high folate hides low B12, inflammation inflates ferritin, low zinc mimics iron deficiency. VEGALYSIS reads the whole picture and explains the links.
Analyse my labsUnits
- µmol/L
VEGALYSIS accepts any of these units and converts the value to the canonical one.
Names seen on lab reports
carnitine · free carnitine · l-carnitine · карнитин · свободный карнитин
Sources
Related markers
Educational material; not a substitute for a clinician's advice.