IntroductionAluminum is the most widely used non-ferrous metal with suggested increase in the intra-cellular lipid accumulation. ObjectiveOur objective was to study aluminium effects on lipid metabolism and plasma lipid profile giving special concern to the role of L-carnitine in this kind of aluminium toxicity.Subjects and methodsThe study was conducted on 40 exposed workers in an aluminum foundry compared to 40 non-exposed subjects. Detailed occupational and medical history was taken with full clinical examination. Laboratory investigations in the form of liver enzymes, complete lipid profile, aluminum serum level and serum L-carnitine were done for the whole population.ResultsClinical examination of study population revealed the presence of higher frequency of hypertension, arrhythmias, ischemic heart disease, and stroke among workers exposed to aluminum than the non-exposed. The statistical difference was significant, except for stroke which was non-significant. Serum aluminum level showed high significant statistical elevation in group exposed to aluminum (23.9±18.7) than the control group with (2.6±2.8). Estimation of serum l-carnitine levels showed a highly significant statistical difference between both groups with lower levels among exposed (7.0±3.3) than non-exposed (15.9±5.4) workers.Aluminum exposed workers showed elevation in cholesterol (199.3±21.5), triglycerides (86.218±7.113), and low density lipoproteins (142.5±22.8) compared to the control group with a highly significant statistical difference. The level of high density lipoproteins showed marked decrease (39.6±7.2) among exposed than non-exposed workers with a difference that was also highly significant statistically. No significant statistical difference was found between both groups as regards liver enzymes in the form of aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase. As for the different correlations with aluminum, no statistical significance was obtained.ConclusionAluminum exposure among workers might be considered a factor for the disturbance in the lipid profile levels with possible predisposition for the higher incidence of vascular impairment through direct effect on the serum L-carnitine levels. RecommendationsPeriodic medical examination of exposed workers in the aluminum industry should consider the routine measurement of lipid profile. The use of L-carnitine supplementation is to be recommended as effective measure in protecting exposed workers against aluminum-induced dyslipidemia.