Abstract
We examined the effect of fasting on urinary total carnitine excretion in trained and untrained men. Twenty-four-hour urinary total carnitine excretion was markedly higher in the trained group than in the non-trained group. Urinary creatinine excretion also showed a similar tendency. In the trained group, urinary total carnitine excretion was increased with fasting, but not in the untrained group. The rate of decrease in urinary nitrogen excretion due to fasting was greater in the trained group than in the untrained group. These results suggest that carnitine may play an important role in the enhancement of aerobic ability.
