Cruciani, R. A., Dvorkin, E., Homel, P., Culliney, B., Malamud, S., Shaiova, L., . . . Esteban-Cruciani, N. (2004). L-carnitine supplementation for the treatment of fatigue and depressed mood in cancer patients with carnitine deficiency: a preliminary analysis. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1033, 168–176.
Carnitine is hypothesized to be key in the energy metabolism and regulation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) promotion and a protective effect of mitochondrial metabolism. Carnitine deficits are common in cancer patients and other chronically ill persons.
L-carnitine supplementation was given in dose levels of 250 mg/day. Dose levels were planned to increase by 500 mg until the target dose of 3000 mg/day was reached.
Of 645 adult patients, 13% met following inclusion criteria:
Patients were excluded from the study if they had severe disease, brain tumor, or stroke; were unable to complete the assessment tools; had started erythropoietin within less than 3 months; had received radiotherapy or chemotherapy within one week prior to the study; or were unable to consent.
Hospice and Cancer Center
The study used an open-label, dose-finding, safety design, with dose cohorts of three.
Cost of supplements and monitoring levels of L-carnitine is unknown.