Effect of a 3-month L-carnitine supplementation and resistance training program on circulating markers and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Nutrition & metabolism 2023-08, Vol.20 (1), p.32-32, Article 32
• Main Authors: Olek, Robert A, Samborowska, Emilia, Wisniewski, Piotr, Wojtkiewicz, Pawel, Wochna, Krystian, Zielinski, Jacek
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal models; Bone density; Bone mineral density; Bone turnover; Bones; Carnitine; Decorin; Density; Diet; Disease; Dosage and administration; Fractures; Health aspects; Insulin-like growth factors; Intestinal microflora; Levocarnitine; Mass spectrometry; Metabolism; Metabolites; Microbiota (Symbiotic organisms); Osteonectin; Osteopontin; Osteoporosis; Physical training; Physiological aspects; Plasma; Post-menopause; Postmenopausal women; Prevention; Proteins; Risk factors; Sample size; Scientific imaging; Sclerostin; Software; SPARC; Strength training; Supplements; Training; Trimethylamine; Trimethylamine N-oxide; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Variance analysis; Weight control; Weight training; Womens health; Workloads
• ISSN: 1743-7075; 1743-7075
• DOI: 10.1186/s12986-023-00752-1

Higher circulating levels of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which is a metabolite that can be produced by the gut microbiota from L-carnitine (LC), have been associated with bone mineral density (BMD). Because LC supplementation can improve bone density and microstructural properties in animal models, this study aimed to examine the effects of 12 weeks of LC supplementation on BMD and selected blood markers involved in bone metabolism of postmenopausal women participating in a resistance training (RT) program. Twenty-seven postmenopausal women, who had not been treated for osteoporosis, with a total T-score above - 3.0 and no diet differences completed 12 weeks of RT. The participants' diets were supplemented with either 1 g of LC-L-tartrate and 3 g of leucine per day (LC group) or 4 g of leucine per day as a placebo (PLA group), in a double-blind fashion. After the intervention in the LC group, plasma total carnitine and serum decorin levels were higher than the corresponding preintervention values (p = 0.040 and p = 0.042, respectively). Moreover, plasma TMAO and serum SPARC levels were higher in the LC group than the corresponding postintervention values in the PLA group (p