Carnitine Panel (Total, Free, and Esters)
Reflects how well your body shuttles fatty acids into cells for energy.
Consider this test if:
- Unexplained muscle weakness, fatigue, or poor exercise tolerance
- Following up a family history of a fatty-acid oxidation or organic acid disorder
- On a strict vegetarian or vegan diet, dialysis, or a medication known to lower carnitine
- Monitoring carnitine levels after starting or adjusting supplementation
- An abnormal newborn screen or metabolic workup that flagged carnitine
- HSA/FSA eligible
- Results delivered to your dashboard · Reviewed by a real clinician
- Drawn at a CLIA/CAP-accredited lab near you ·
Pre-test considerations
A fasting morning sample is preferred, since recent meals and carnitine-containing foods (red meat, dairy) can shift levels. If you take a carnitine or acetyl-L-carnitine supplement, note the dose and timing, as supplementation raises free carnitine and changes the ratio. The sample is serum and is frozen for transport.
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What this test is for
Carnitine is the molecule that transports long-chain fatty acids into mitochondria, where they are burned for energy, making it central to how muscles and the heart fuel themselves. This panel measures total carnitine, free carnitine, the esterified (acylcarnitine) fraction, and the ester-to-free ratio, which together separate true carnitine deficiency from problems further down the metabolic pathway. Low free carnitine points to primary carnitine deficiency (an inherited transporter defect) or secondary depletion from carnitine-poor diets, dialysis, certain medications, or malabsorption. A high ester-to-free ratio suggests an underlying fatty-acid oxidation or organic acid disorder, where carnitine is being consumed binding up accumulated metabolites. Symptoms that prompt testing include unexplained muscle weakness, exercise intolerance, low energy, and, in more significant deficiency, cardiac or metabolic complications.
Biomarkers tested
Includes 4 biomarkers
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Substance concentration
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Substance concentration
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Ratio
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Substance concentration
What to expect
- 1 Book instantly
Click, book, done. Choose a convenient lab location near you. Transparent, up-front pricing.
- 2 Quick lab visit
Testing to fit your busy schedule, usually 15 minutes or less. Walk-in and appointments available.
- 3 Fast, dashboard-delivered results
Your results post straight to your dashboard as soon as the lab completes them.
- 4 Expert guidance
Included with Mito membership. A clinician reviews your results and your personalized action plan follows, with clear next steps.
Everything your health needs,
in one membership
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Every test at our cost
Members pay our cost on every test, with lab fees passed straight through. The full receipt is itemized, never padded.
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Continuous tracking, all in one place
Upload past labs and watch your trends over time. Every marker and visit lives in one longitudinal record, so all your care stays together.
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Year-round clinician support
Text anytime and get clinician-reviewed answers. When you want to go deeper, 1:1 consultations are available at affordable rates.
All for $9/month
Order any test or consult without joining. For $9/month, members unlock member prices, trend tracking, and year-round clinician guidance.
Mito Membership
$9 /mo
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Without membership
$0
pay as you go
At-cost pricing on labs, scans, and more
Priority turnaround on your results
On-demand clinician consults when you need guidance
Personalized action plans across supplements, exercise, nutrition, and sleep
AI health coaching to help you act on your results
Year-round medical support, with in-chat clinician escalation
All your health records in one personal vault, with trends and biological age tracking
Early access to new diagnostics and product releases
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Frequently asked questions
View all FAQsHow does pricing work?
Every test shows the member price next to the standard non-member price, so you can see what membership saves you. The member price is our cost — covering the lab and what it takes to run the service — never a profit on the test itself; Mito makes its money on the $9 membership, not on marking up your tests. Membership is $9/mo, and you still pay the lab’s order fee. Prices are itemized before you pay, with no hidden fees.
Where do I get tested?
Choose a partner lab (Quest, Labcorp, or BioReference) at checkout. If your cart spans multiple tests, we consolidate the whole order onto a single lab so you only make one visit.
Is this eligible for HSA/FSA?
Yes. This test is HSA/FSA eligible, and you can pay with your HSA/FSA card at checkout.
When will I get my results?
Your results post to your dashboard once your lab completes them, then a clinician reviews them and your full analysis and personalized action plan (with clear next steps) follow. Turnaround varies by test: specialty assays and at-home kits take longer, and each test shows its expected turnaround before you buy.
Do I need a doctor’s order?
No. Mito provides the lab order for you, so you can book and get tested without a separate doctor visit.
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