Effect of L-Carnitine Supplementation on Metabolic Status in Obese Diabetic Women With Hypocaloric Diet

Abstract

Background: More than 500 million people worldwide are obese and around 320 million adults have type II diabetes, thus these two diseases are accounted as the fundamental health care problems. There is such a strong association between obesity and diabetes that the term diabesity is proposed for this connection. Since anti-obesity drugs have many side effects, experts have very few tools to fight obesity, while high doses of carnitine has no side effects compared to other drugs. Objectives: The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of L-carnitine supplementation with low-calorie diet on the metabolic status in obese women with type II diabetes. Patients and Methods: In this study, 60 obese premenopausal women with type II diabetes were randomly selected from the patients who referred to the Diabetes Clinic of Tabriz Red Crescent; they were 20 -50 years old with a BMI greater than 30. The subjects were divided into two groups, case and control. Following the measurement of weight, waist circumference and recording personal information, weekly food intake program (based on a low calorie diet) was given to patients. For about 8 weeks, the case group received L-carnitine supplement (2 grams daily) combined with the low calorie diet, and the control group received placebo plus low-calorie diet. In this study, low calorie diet was defined as a regimen of 500 kcal lower than the patients required energy. Blood samples (5 mL of venous blood) were taken from all patients in the sitting position, and in fasting condition (for about 10 -12 hours) between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM. After separation of plasma by centrifugation for ten minutes in 3000 g, samples were analyzed to measure fasting blood glucose, lipid profile and insulin resistance. Results:The results showed that L-carnitine supplement with low calorie diet reduced fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol and LDL-C (Cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol) levels and decreased insulin resistance "HOMA-IR" (P < 0.0001), whereas in the control group, reduction of fasting blood glucose and triglycerides, cholesterol and LDL-C levels and decrease of insulin resistance "HOMA-IR" were lower than those of the case group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Due to the effect of L-carnitine supplementation (a dose of 1000 mg twice daily) with low-calorie diet on reduction of fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol and LDL-C levels and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), prescribing this supplement in obese patients with diabetes is recommended.

Role of L-carnitine and Coenzyme Q10 as Adjuvant Therapy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

“…This could decrease synthesis of triglycerides and VLDL cholesterol [25]. Malaguarnera et al observe a significant decrease in LDL cholesterol, oxidized LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides after 12 week in the carnitine-treated hypercholesterolemic newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients [26].Effect of Lcarnitine on lipids in this study is consistence with Alipuor et alin part that he also report decrease in TC and LDL in type 2 diabetic women with low caloric diet after 8 weeks of L-carnitine administration [27].…”

L-Carnitine Supplementation could improve Clinical Symptom but not effect on C- reactive Protein and Malondialdehyde in Obese Women with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Double Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Similar to our results, no signi cant change was observed in fat mass of healthy people who consumed L-carnitine with exercise for 8 weeks [27]. On the contrary, 2000 mg Lcarnitine among with hypo-caloric diet could reduce fat mass in diabetic patients [28]. The doses of Lcarnitine supplementation in the mentioned study were two times higher than those of our study that might explain the discrepancy between results.…”

Possible role ofl‐carnitine in improvement of metabolic and hepatic changes in hyperuricemic and hyperuricemic—Fructose‐supplemented rats

“…The lipid‐lowering effects of l ‐Carnitine supplementation, herein, similar to Malaguarnera et al (), could be through carrying long‐chain fatty acids across the inner mitochondrial membrane for β‐oxidation and ATP production (Flanagan et al, ). l ‐Carnitine, also, lowered plasma triglyceride levels by improving fat utilization (Alipour, Barzegar, Panahi, Safaeian, & Es.haghi, M., ). In addition, l ‐Carnitine limited the associated hepatic inflammation possibly by upregulating the mitochondrial β‐oxidation and redox system, and reducing IL‐1 and TNF‐α levels in liver (Ishikawa et al, ).…”