Dietary ascorbic acid and muscle carnitine (beta-OH-gamma-(trimethylamino) butyric acid) in guinea-pigs.

Tissue ascorbic acid (AA) contents of approximately 12 and 100% saturation respectively were produced in two groups of guinea-pigs. The 'low-AA' group had a significantly lower muscle carnitine concentrations than the 'high-AA' group. There was no concomitant emergence of the symptoms customarily regarded as characteristic of hypovitaminosis C. It is concluded that muscle carnitine (beta-OH-gamma-(trimethyl-amino)butyric acid) is a highly-sensitive indicator of tissue AA contents; this could account for the lassitude and fatique reported to precede the emergence of frank scurvy in man.