Effect of L-carnitine on plasma glycemic and lipidemic profile in patients with type II diabetes mellitus

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition 2005-04, Vol.59 (4), p.592-596
• Main Authors: Rahbar, A.R, Shakerhosseini, R, Saadat, N, Taleban, F, Pordal, A, Gollestan, B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adults; apolipoproteins; Apolipoproteins - blood; Associated diseases and complications; Biological and medical sciences; blood glucose; Blood Glucose - drug effects; blood lipids; Carnitine; Carnitine - pharmacology; Cholesterol; Cholesterol - blood; Clinical Nutrition; clinical trials; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - blood; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; diet-related diseases; Double-Blind Method; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Epidemiology; Fasting; Fasting - physiology; Female; Glucose; Glycated Hemoglobin A - drug effects; glycemic index; Hemoglobin; High density lipoprotein; Humans; Internal Medicine; Iran; Lipids; Lipids - blood; Low density lipoprotein; Male; Meat; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; men; Metabolic Diseases; Middle Aged; noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; nutritional intervention; original-communication; Parameters; Patients; Placebos; Public Health; Statistics, Nonparametric; Time Factors; triacylglycerols; Triglycerides; Triglycerides - blood; women
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602109

Objective: We designed this study to investigate the effects of oral L-carnitine administration on fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and lipid parameters in patients with diabetes mellitus type II. Patients and methods: The effect of L-carnitine on FPG and lipid parameters was investigated in 22 male and 13 female type II diabetic patients; the mean age+/-s.d. was 51.3+/-3.7 y. The patients were randomly allocated to two groups (L-carnitine and placebo group) and 1 g of L-carnitine or of placebo was given orally three times a day for a period of 12 weeks. Results: FPG in the L-carnitine group decreased significantly from 143+/-35 to 130+/-33 mg/dl (P=0.03), and we observed a significant increase of triglycerides (TG) from 196+/-61 to 233+/-12 mg/dl (P=0.05), of Apo A1 from 94+/-20 to 103+/-23 mg/dl (P=0.02), and of Apo B100 from 98+/-18 to 108+/-22 mg/dl (P=0.02) after 12 weeks of treatment. There was no significant change in LDL-C, HDL-C, HbA1C, LP(a) or total cholesterol. Conclusion: L-Carnitine significantly lowers FPG but increases fasting triglyceride in type II diabetic patients.