L-Carnitine/Weight Management

How Does L-Carnitine Therapy Enhance Overall Health?

  • Plays a crucial roll in energy production
  • Reported to enhance heart health and individuals with ischemic heart disease
  • Aids in weight loss by facilitating the transport of fatty acids to the mitochondria where it can be degraded
  • May improve brain function and accelerate weight loss
  • Enhances exercise performance:
    • Muscle fatigue
    • Muscle recovery
    • Endurance and Stamina

What are the Outcomes of Inadequate L-Carnitine?

  • Primary Carnitine Deficiency: Commonly shown in infancy or early childhood
  • Symptoms include:
    • Infants: Epilepsy, encephalopathy.
    • Adolescents/Young Adults: Seizures, irregular heartbeat, breathing issues
    • Older Individuals: Myopathy, rhabdomyolysis, cardiomyopathy, sudden death
  • Secondary Carnitine Deficiency: Typically shown in disorders, and chronic use of pivalate
  • Symptoms include:
    • Hyperammonemia encephalopathy (malaise, seizures, decreased consciousness)
    • Hypoglycemia
    • Hypo ketonemia (low ketone levels in blood)
    • Dicarboxylic aciduria (increased dicarboxylic acids in urine)
    • Hyperuricemia (excess uric acid in blood)
    • Muscle weakness
    • Myoglobinuria (excess myoglobin in urine)
    • Cardiomyopathy

References

Alhasaniah, A. H. (2023). L-carnitine: Nutrition, pathology, and health benefits. Saudi J Biol Sci, 30(2), 103555. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2022.103555

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. (n.d.). Carnitine (L-carnitine). Mount Sinai Health System. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/supplement/carnitine-l-carnitine

Mawer, R. (2023, May 9). L-carnitine – Benefits, Side Effects, Sources and Dosage. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/l-carnitine

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Carnitine Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Carnitine-HealthProfessional/