"The Carnitine Miracle" by Robert Crayhon, which came out last year, has for some reason not
been getting much attention.  Crayhon is a strong proponent of the Paleolithic diet but like
Loren Cordain, who made his research available to Crayhon for the writing of the book, his
approach is one of moderation.  He believes that for many people smaller amounts of grains and
dairy are not necessarily harmful and he advocates nutritional supplementation that he feels can
help make the transition to a Paleolithic diet as well as maintaining it a lot easier.

The nutrient carnitine, which is abundant in red meat, is the foundation of the program he
recommends. Crayhon:  "While we make carnitine in the body, there is substantial evidence that
for optimal health we should be getting at least 250 to 500 mg in our diet daily.  Humans have
eaten carnitine in significant amounts for most of their history and relied on it to help keep
them optimally healthy.  Stone Age mankind probably ate at least 500 to 2,000 mg of carnitine
per day for over 2.6 million years, and our bodies are probably used to getting that amount on a
daily basis." According to Crayhon carnitine helps balance blood lipids and blood sugar levels,
maximizes energy levels, increases endurance, eliminates discomfort in ketosis, promotes burning
of fat and building of muscle and increases overall well-being.

Crayhon expresses apprehension about eating animal products raw due to the risk of bacterial
contamination.  I agree that people with weak stomach acids should exercise some caution,
however, a concern he expresses in regards to aged/dried meats I have a harder time following.
He claims that cholesterol oxidizes during the aging/drying process rendering it toxic to the
human body. He does not give any references for this assertion.

"The Carnitine Miracle" is an excellent book and belongs on the shelf of any good Paleo
book collection.

Peter