L-肉碱作为一种新型的饲料添加剂日渐受到重视。本文从L-肉碱的基本生理功能——脂肪酸β氧化谈起，对其新近发现的生理功能如抑制细胞凋亡、抗氧化和免疫调节的研究进展进行了总结，同时对其发挥抗氧化、免疫调控作用的可能机理也进行了分析归纳，以期为L-肉碱的研究和其在动物生产中更好地应用提供理论依据。

Increasing attention is attached to L-carnitine as a new type of feed additive at present. This review had systematically summarized the facilitation of fatty acids β-oxidation of L-carnitine, and some newly discovered functions such as anti-apoptosis, anti-oxidation and immunoregulation. Furthermore, the possible mechanisms of the anti-oxidative and immunoregulative functions of L-carnitine were also discussed, which would provide theoretical basis for further research and application of L-carnitine in animal production.［Chinese Journal of Animal Nutrition，2011，23（3）：357-363］