Acylcarnitine C18 Unit Converter

Acylcarnitine C18, also called stearoylcarnitine, is a long-chain acylcarnitine formed when stearic acid (an 18-carbon saturated fatty acid) is bound to carnitine. It serves as a transport molecule that shuttles long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria, where they are broken down to produce energy.

Measuring C18 acylcarnitine in the blood helps evaluate how well the body oxidizes long-chain fatty acids. It is part of the acylcarnitine profile, a panel that measures multiple acylcarnitine species to screen for fatty acid oxidation disorders and other metabolic conditions.

C18 is typically interpreted alongside other long-chain acylcarnitines such as C16, C18:1, and C18:2, as well as free carnitine (C0).

Stearoylcarnitine is produced in cells throughout the body when stearic acid (from dietary fat or stored body fat) is conjugated with carnitine by the enzyme carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT I), primarily in the liver, skeletal muscle, and heart.