Lipotropic Factors
Definition:
Lipotropic factors are compounds that help prevent or reduce the accumulation of fat in the liver by promoting the export of fat as lipoproteins.
Examples with real data:
Choline – acts as a precursor for phosphatidylcholine, essential for VLDL formation.
Methionine – provides methyl groups for choline synthesis.
Betaine – methyl donor in homocysteine to methionine conversion.
Inositol – involved in phospholipid synthesis for lipid transport.
Clinical relevance (real data example):
In choline-deficient diets in humans, fatty liver (hepatic steatosis) develops within 3-4 weeks, showing the importance of lipotropic factors in normal liver fat metabolism.