Carnitine and Liver Mitochondria Fatty Acid Processing

Exclusion Criteria

• •Unstable weight in the last 3 months (gain or loss \>7 lb (3.2 kg)
• •Significant changes in the diet or level of physical activity within the past month
• •Clinical history of diabetes or cancer
• •Clinically diagnosed heart, kidney, lung, thyroid, liver disease or abnormal liver enzymes that are, in the opinion of the investigator, clinically significant and represent a problem for study inclusion
• •Screening fasting glucose \> 125 mg/dL
• •Screening blood pressure \>140 systolic or \>90 diastolic
• •Use of certain prescribed medications at the discretion of the MI
• •Smoking or use of tobacco products in the last 6 months
• •Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• •Clinically diagnosed neuropsychiatric conditions
• •Diets that deviate extremely from the typical western diet in terms of increased meat intake are excluded, at the discretion of the MI.
• •Known aversion to or refusal to drink sugary beverages
• •Taking any over the counter drugs that alter the intestinal tract, at the discretion of the MI (for example, anti-cholinergic drugs and erythromycin)
• •Have taken carnitine supplements regularly in the past 3 months
• •Unwilling to discontinue use of dietary supplements containing significant amounts of carnitine or abstain from use one week prior to trial, at the discretion of the MI
• •Women who have undergone partial hysterectomy with intact ovarian function
• •Standard contra-indications to MRS, including non-removable metallic or electronic implants, claustrophobia or other fear of confinement, or inability to tolerate loud scanner noise
• •Calf does not fit into the MRI coil, at the discretion of the PI
• •Refusal to allow use of anonymized versions of collected data for research after this study is over