title: Antiinflammatory effects of L-carnitine supplementation (1000 mg/d) in coronary artery disease patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Inflammation mediators have been recognized as risk factors for the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of L-carnitine supplementation (LC, 1000 mg/d) on inflammation markers in patients with CAD.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 47 patients with CAD in the study. The patients with CAD were identified by cardiac catheterization as having <50% stenosis of one major coronary artery. The patients were randomly assigned to the placebo (n = 24) and LC (n = 23) groups and the intervention was administered for 12 wk. The levels of LC, antioxidant status (malondialdehyde and antioxidant enzymes activities), and inflammation markers (C-reactive protein [CRP], interleukin [IL]-6, and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-nine participants completed the study (19 placebo; 20 LC). After LC supplementation, the levels of inflammation markers were significantly reduced compared with the baseline (CRP, P < 0.01; IL-6, P = 0.03; TNF-α, P = 0.07) and those in the placebo group (CRP, P < 0.05; IL-6, P = 0.04; TNF-α, P = 0.03). The levels of inflammation markers were significantly negatively correlated with the levels of LC and antioxidant enzymes activities (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that LC supplementation, due to its antioxidant effects, may have potential utility to reduce inflammation in CAD.
authors.affiliation: The Intensive Care Unit, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Bor-Jen
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jun-Shuo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Chin
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. Electronic address: apt810@csmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Ping-Ting
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002331:Carnitine / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015850:Interleukin-6; C439524:TNF protein, human; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D002331:Carnitine
keywords: Antioxidant; Coronary artery disease; Inflammation; Supplement; l-carnitine