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


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.


CONCLUSIONS
L-Carnitine significantly lowers FPG but increases fasting triglyceride in type II diabetic patients.
Rahbar
A R
AR
Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology; Shahid Beheshtee University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. ar.r@scientist.com
Shakerhosseini
R
R
Saadat
N
N
Taleban
F
F
Pordal
A
A
Gollestan
B
B
D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects*; D002331:Carnitine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005215:Fasting / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D001053:Apolipoproteins; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002331:Carnitine; D002784:Cholesterol; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides