Comparison 1. Carnitine supplementation vs no supplementation.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Weight gain in first 2 weeks	4		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
1.1 Weight gain in first 2 weeks (g/day)	3	115	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.74 [‐1.88, 3.36]
1.2 Weight gain in week 1 (g/kg/day)	1	43	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐1.10 [‐9.19, 6.99]
1.3 Weight gain in week 2 (g/kg/day)	1	43	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	11.60 [3.76, 19.44]
2 Weight gain 2‐4 weeks (g/day)	1	69	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.80 [‐3.35, 4.95]
3 Weight gain from hospital discharge to one month post term (g/day)	1	83	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.80 [‐3.82, 5.42]
4 Free fatty acid levels (mmol/l)	4	83	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.16 [‐0.37, 0.05]
5 Triglyceride levels (mmol/l)	4	83	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.69 [‐1.84, 0.45]
6 Lipid tolerance ‐ maximum amount of lipid tolerated (g/kg/day)	2	42	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.09 [‐0.20, 0.38]
7 Ketogenesis ‐ beta hydroxybutyrate levels (mmol/l)	5	113	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.05 [0.03, 0.07]