A new study provides evidence that daily supplementation with 500 mg Carnipure™ tartrate, a special form of L-Carnitine produced by Lonza, prevents the decline of plasma L-Carnitine concentration in women from week 12 of pregnancy up to delivery. Previous studies already have shown the decrease of plasma L-Carnitine concentration during the course of pregnancy. Published in an advance online issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition on June 3, 2009 1 , the new research was conducted by the Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences at the Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg in Germany.

Why plasma L-Carnitine concentration decreases during pregnancy is not fully known. However, the results of the above-mentioned study indicate that an inadequate iron status during pregnancy may lead to a reduction in L-Carnitine biosynthesis, as iron plays a key role in LCarnitine biosynthesis. Scientific evidence from previous studies indicates that restoring plasma levels through Carnipure™ supplementation during pregnancy may also help prevent the development of gestational diabetes, especially in overweight women, by decreasing elevated plasma free fatty acids.

“We’re glad to be the first to show that even with a daily dose of 500 mg L-Carnitine the low plasma levels can be restored in pregnant women”, commented lead author Professor Klaus Eder.

L-Carnitine is produced by the body and plays an essential role in energy metabolism. It transports fatty acids into the mitochondria of the body’s cells where they are broken down and transformed into energy.

Lonza is the only manufacturer of the Carnipure™ brand of L-Carnitine products including Carnipure™ tartrate (U.S. Patent 5073376, Japan Patent JP 2546068 and other international patents). Carnipure™ tartrate consists of 68% pure L-Carnitine and 32% L-tartaric acid and is self affirmed as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe). Carnipure™ products are crystalline, white, water-soluble and heat stable which makes them ideal for use in various food and drink applications. In addition, Carnipure™ tartrate is non-hygroscopic, odorless, has a pleasant citrus taste and excellent flowability. Further details are available at www.carnipure.com and www.carnipure-for-you.com.

About Lonza
Lonza is one of the world's leading suppliers to the pharmaceutical, healthcare and life science industries. Its products and services span its customers’ needs from research to final product manufacture. Lonza is the global leader in the production and support of active pharmaceutical ingredients both chemically as well as biotechnologically. Biopharmaceuticals are one of the key growth drivers of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Lonza has strong capabilities in large and small molecules, peptides, amino acids and niche bioproducts which play an important role in the development of novel medicines and healthcare products. Lonza is a leader in cell-based research, endotoxin detection and cell therapy manufacturing. Lonza is also a leading provider of value chemical and biotech ingredients to the nutrition, hygiene, preservation, agro and personal care markets.

Lonza is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland and is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. In 2008, Lonza had sales of CHF 2.937 billion. Further information can be found at www.lonza.com.

1 http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/ejcn200936a.html