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/