Adrenal fatigue has become a popular diagnosis among alternative medicine practitioners, although adrenal fatigue is not a medically accepted diagnosis among conventional medical practitioners. L-carnitine, an amino acid important for energy production, is sometimes used to treat chronic fatigue syndrome, which some practitioners believe is associated with adrenal fatigue. L-carnitine can cause an unusual body odor.
Adrenal Fatigue
The term "adrenal fatigue" was coined by naturopathic doctor and chiropractor Dr. James Wilson in 1998. Wilson claims that as many as 80 percent of people experience adrenal fatigue, with tiredness, allergies and obesity all symptoms of burned-out adrenal glands. The stress of modern life along with poor nutrition causes adrenal fatigue, according to Wilson, and the condition may complicate chronic fatigue syndrome.
Carnitine
Carnitine is derived from an amino acid, which your body uses to make new proteins after ingestion. Amino acids are found in dietary proteins, such as red meat. Carnitine in the body increases energy production in the mitochondria in cells and carries toxic substances out. Alternative practitioners prescribe carnitine to treat chronic fatigue. Carnitine causes a fishy odor, which may come from urine or sweat or appear as a general body odor. The fishy odor only occurs with certain doses of the supplement.
Doses
Carnitine is not an essential nutrient. Your body makes enough to supply your needs. Because of this, the Food and Nutrition Board has not established a minimum daily requirement for carnitine. The average adult intake from foods ranges between 60 to 180 milligrams per day in meat eaters. Vegetarians normally take in much less, between 10 and 12 milligrams, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. A dose of 3 grams or more may cause a fishy odor along with nausea, diarrhea, cramping and vomiting, according to the ODS.
Considerations
There is no clinical proof that carnitine has any benefit in treating adrenal fatigue, or even that adrenal fatigue is an acceptable clinical diagnosis. Do not take carnitine to treat any medical condition without your medical practitioner's approval.
References
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Carnitine
- Dr. James Wilson's www.AdrenalFatigue.org: Are You Experiencing Adrenal Fatigue?*
- Life Extension Foundation: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- NYU Langone Medical Center: Adrenal Extract
- Dr. James Wilson's www.AdrenalFatigue.org: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
- Alternative Medicine Review: Nutritional Strategies for Treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
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