Chronic Fatigue syndrome

Although research is mixed, some studies have found a deficiency of L-carnitine in people with chronic fatigue syndrome. Additionally, researchers have found that carnitine supplementation can help relieve symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome.

In a study published in the journal Neuropsychobiology in 1997, researchers gave three grams of L-carnitine per day to 30 people with chronic fatigue syndrome. After eight weeks of treatment with L-carnitine, participants demonstrated significant clinical improvements in 12 of the 18 parameters measured in the study.

In a more recent study of 90 people with chronic fatigue syndrome that was published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine in 2004, supplementation with acetyl-L-carnitine and propionyl-L-carnitine resulted in significant improvement in both mental fatigue and general fatigue scores among the study’s participants. While more research needs to be done on the role of L-carnitine in chronic fatigue syndrome, early results are promising.