Carnitine helps your body convert fat into energy. It's stored in your muscles, brain, sperm and heart. Your body usually makes all of this nutrient it needs. However, there are times when supplemental L-carnitine may be helpful, such as after surgery. In some cases, such as with Peyronie's disease, supplementing with L-carnitine may even help you delay or avoid surgery. Always consult a health-care provider before trying a new supplement.
Heart Surgery
L-carnitine supplementation may be a useful therapy following open heart surgery, according to a study published in the February 2004 edition of "Annals of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery." Carnitine levels in your body are significantly depressed for two hours following cardiopulmonary bypass surgery, notes lead study author S. Nemoto. These depressed levels may affect adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, metabolism in your heart following surgery. ATP is your body's energy currency, meaning it's needed for all physiological mechanisms that require energy. That's why Nemoto speculates that supplemental carnitine would be useful as an adjunct in therapy following heart surgery. L-carnitine also may be helpful as an addition to conventional treatments for angina, according to University of Maryland Medical Center. Visit a doctor if you are interested in trying it, as it's not safe to self-treat for chest pain.
Abdominal Surgery
L-carnitine may help reduce the risk for post-abdominal surgery complications, according to a July 2011 study published in "Acta Anesthesiology Scandinavia." Having such surgery under anesthesia is associated with raised reactive oxygen species, or ROS, production. This increased oxidative stress leads to cell damage and can contribute to surgery complications like sepsis, heart tissue injury and raised risk for death, notes lead study author P. Pignatelli. Administering l-carnitine just prior to the surgery significantly reduces ROS production, the study concludes. More research is needed to confirm these results.
Bariatric Surgery
L-carnitine may be helpful if you have renal disease, have had bariatric surgery and are attempting to lose weight, according to a scientific review in the May 2011 edition of "Bariatric Times." The publication speculates that a dosage of 50 mg per 2.2 lbs. of body weight daily may help improve your energy levels and help you burn stored fat. Carnitine is an essential cofactor for metabolism of fatty acids in your body. The publication recommends more research on acetyl-L-carnitine supplementation following weight-loss surgery.
Peyronie's Disease
Supplementing with L-carnitine may help you avoid surgery if you suffer Peyronie's disease, according to New York University's Langone Medical Center. In this ailment, a thick, hardened piece of tissue forms on one side of your penis. This tissue reduces the flexibility of your penis and causes pain during an erection. A 2001 "BJU International" study found that acetyl-L-carnitine is significantly more effective than the drug tamoxifen for minimizing the curve of your penis, which is characteristic of Peyronie's disease, reducing pain during intercourse and slowing disease progression. The acetyl-L-carnitine also has fewer side effects than the drug. While this study is encouraging, more study is needed, according to University of Maryland Medical Center.
References
- New York University Langone Medical Center: Peyronie's Disease; February 2011
- "Acta Anesthesiology Scandinavia"; Effect of L-Carnitine on Oxidative Stress and Platelet Activation After Major Surgery; P. Pignatelli, et al.; July 2011
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Carnitine; March 2009
- "Annals of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery"; Plasma Carnitine Concentrations in Patients Undergoing Open Heart Surgery; S. Nemoto, et al.; Feb. 2004
- "Bariatric Times"; Surgical Weight Loss Considerations and Nutritional Implications for Patients with Renal Disease; Linda Bartholomay; May 2011
- "BJU International"; Acetyl-L-Carnitine vs Tamoxifen in the Oral Therapy of Peyronie's Disease; G. Biagiotti and G. Cavallini; July 2001
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