EFFECT OF L-CARNITINE SUPPLEMENTATION ON THE BLOOD PROFILE IN HEALTHY IRAQI SUBJECTS

Abstract

L-carnitine is a small compound found mostly in milk and meat. Supplementation with L-carnitine in animals has been associated with improvement in some abnormalities. Carnitine plays a critical role in energy production. It transports long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria so they can be oxidized to produce energy. Since there is no previous studies deal with the effects of L carnitine on the blood indices in humans, this study designed to examine the effects of L-carnitine supplementation on blood profile in Iraqi healthy individuals. This study was included the treatment of 20 healthy male with daily dose of L-carnitine for 60 days. The results showed a significant increase in RBCs count, lymphocyte & eosinophil percentage after the treatment period, with no significant change, in other measured parameters, giving indication about the safety of L-carnitine supplementation on blood components.

Headnote

ABSTRACT

L-carnitine is a small compound found mostly in milk and meat. Supplementation with L-carnitine in animals has been associated with improvement in some abnormalities. Carnitine plays a critical role in energy production. It transports long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria so they can be oxidized to produce energy. Since there is no previous studies deal with the effects of L carnitine on the blood indices in humans, this study designed to examine the effects of L-carnitine supplementation on blood profile in Iraqi healthy individuals. This study was included the treatment of 20 healthy male with daily dose of L-carnitine for 60 days. The results showed a significant increase in RBCs count, lymphocyte & eosinophil percentage after the treatment period, with no significant change in other measured parameters, giving indication about the safety of L-carnitine supplementation on blood components.

Keywords: L-carnitine; healthy Iraqi subjects; blood profile.

INTRODUCTION

Carnitine, L-carnitine is a vitamin like substance that is structurally similar to amino acids. Most carnitine is obtained from diet. It can also be synthesized endogenously by skeletal muscle.1 Its name is derived from the Latin carnus or flesh, as the compound was isolated from meat. Carnitine is the generic term for a number of compounds that include L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine, and propionyl-L-carnitine.2 Carnitine plays a critical role in energy production. It transports long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria so they can be oxidized ("burned") to produce energy. It also transports the toxic compounds generated out of this cellular organelle to prevent their accumulation. Given these key functions, carnitine is concentrated in tissues like skeletal and cardiac muscle that utilize fatty acids as dietary fuel.3 Some athletes take carnitine to improve performance. However, twenty years of research finds no consistent evidence that carnitine supplements can improve exercise or physical performance in healthy subjects.4 Insulin resistance, which plays an important role in the development of type 2 diabetes, may be associated with a defect in fatty-acid oxidation in muscle. This raises the question of whether mitochondrial dysfunction might be a factor in the development of the disease. Increased storage of fat in lean tissues has become a marker for insulin resistance. Early research suggests that supplementation with L-carnitine intravenously may improve insulin sensitivity in diabetics by decreasing fat levels in muscle and may lower glucose levels in the blood by more promptly increasing its oxidation in cells.5 Many patients with end-stage renal disease, particularly those on hemodialysis, become carnitine insufficient. Carnitine blood levels and muscle stores are low, which may contribute to anemia, muscle weakness, fatigue, altered levels of blood fats, and heart disorders. Numerous studies suggest that high doses of supplemental carnitine in patients on maintenance hemodialysis can correct some or all of these symptoms. A recent meta-analysis of these studies concludes that carnitine supplements may aid anemia management but not blood-lipid profiles, and that their effects on exercise capacity or heart stability are inconclusive.6 The carnitine content of seminal fluid is directly related to sperm count and motility, suggesting that the compound might be of value in treating male infertility.7

Since there is no previous studies deal with the effects of L carnitine on the blood indices in humans, this study designed to examine the effects of 60 days of L-carnitine supplementation on the blood profile in Iraqi healthy individuals.

SUBJECTS & METHOD

Subjects

20 healthy male individuals (age 25-40 years old) were enrolled in this study. All treated with oral supplement of L-carnitine 1000mg tablet, two times daily for 60 days. Blood samples are taken from all individuals at zero time (as control values) and every 30 days of the study period, the blood kept in heparinized tubes for estimation of Hemoglobin conc., RBC, WBC, platelets count, differential WBCs using an automatic hematological assay analyzer. Any individual with disease or on drug therapy, were excluded from study.

Statistics

Paired T- test was used for comparison between the results obtained after 1 and 2 months of treatment with those at baseline.

Ethical approval

The study protocol has been approved by the ethics committee of the College of Pharmacy, Baghdad University, Baghdad/ Iraq.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 1 showed that mean circulating RBCs, WBCs & platelets count & Hb concentration showed changes all over the study period, however the study was done on healthy subjects. These changes occurred upon uses of L-carnitine for two months and the readings were taken after 1 and 2 months of treatment, their changes did not reach to a significant level except in the total count of red blood cells, and in lymphocyte and eosinophil cells percentages.

Carnitine has been studied extensively because it is important to energy production and is a well-tolerated and generally safe therapeutic agent.8 Researchers prefer to use acetyl-L-carnitine in research studies because it is better absorbed from the small intestine than L-carnitine and more efficiently crosses the blood-brain barrier (i.e., gets into brain tissue).9 Healthy children and adults do not need to consume carnitine from food or supplements, as the liver and kidneys produce sufficient amounts from the amino acids lysine and methionine to meet daily needs. The Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) of the National Academies (formerly National Academy of Sciences) reviewed studies on the functions of carnitine in 1989 and concluded it was not an essential nutrient.10 Usually, body can make all the carnitine it needs. Some people, however, may not have enough carnitine because their bodies cannot make enough or can't transport it into tissues so it can be used as supplement.11 In this study effect of L-carnitine was assessed on blood indices in Iraqi healthy subjects. The significant elevation in some of measured parameters not easily explained since there are no previous studies available to be compared with. However, other studies deal with the effects of L-carnitine supplementation in maintenance hemodialysis patients, showed that there is a significant elevation of Hb. L-carnitine administration could improve the patients' anemia status. L-carnitine supplement showed a statistically significant favorable effect on hemoglobin level.12 Concerning the RBCs count, this study showed a significant elevation of red blood cells after two months of L-carnitine supplementation. This in agreement with other study which deal with haematological effects of dietary L-carnitine supplementation in broiler chickens, showed an increase of RBC counts.13 WBCs count in this study showed no significant change. However, there is no previous study concerning the WBCs count in healthy subjects to compare our study results, but in study concerning the protective effect of L-carnitine on experimental lead toxicity in rats, showed that L-carnitine reversed both the decrease in RBC and the increase in WBC resulted from lead toxicity in rats.14 That indicate L-carnitine tend to normalized the WBC count. Another study concludes that L-carnitine can improve immune function by improving WBC proliferation.15 Effect of treatments with L-carnitine on the differential leukocyte count, showed no significant difference in the percentage of different forms of leukocyte. However, the lymphocyte & eosinophil percentage increased significantly unlike the results obtained from other study L-carnitine for 4 weeks.16

CONCLUSION

This study concludes that L-carnitin supplementation has no adverse effects on the blood profile, with significant elevation observed on the lymphocytes, eosinophil percentage & RBC count. These results indicate the safety of this supplement. It can be considered to use by normal individuals, ethlitics & patients as supplement.

References

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