Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Of the 60 overweight women, those who supplemented with 25 mg of L-carnatine for 12 weeks, significantly improved their blood lipid profile and glucose metabolism and significantly decreased their body fat compared to control.
Polycystic ovary syndrome affects 7-10% of women of reproductive age. It is often characterized by obesity and blood sugar control problems (1), with 65% of women with polycystic ovary syndrome known to have insulin resistance (2). Because of the prevalence of obesity and blood sugar issues, obesity is thought to play a role in the onset of polycystic ovary syndrome. Combined with research showing weight loss to improve menstruation, fertility (3), and insulin resistance (4), ways to help weight loss in women with polycystic ovary syndrome are being sought.
Now a new study (5) suggests that L-carnitine may benefit weight loss in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. The study involved 60 overweight women aged 20 to 30 with polycystic ovary syndrome who received either 250 milligrams of L-carnitine (30 women) or placebo (30 women) for 12 weeks. Before and after the study, blood samples were obtained from each subject and their weight measurements were also taken.
After 12 weeks, the researchers noted the following weight changes in the two groups:
| Carnitine | Placebo | p - value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (kilograms) | 3.8% decrease (72.2 to 69.5) | 0.1% increase (72.9 to 73) | < 0.001 |
| Body Mass Index (kg/m2) | 3.8% decrease (29.1 to 28) | 0.3% increase (28.9 to 29) | < 0.001 |
| Waist Circumference (centimeters) | 2.3% decrease (90.2 to 88.2) | 0.4% decrease (89.3 to 89) | < 0.001 |
| Hip Circumference (cm) | 2.5% decrease (101.3 to 98.8) | 0.3% decrease (102.6 to 102.3) | < 0.001 |
The following blood work changes were also found in the two groups:
| Carnitine | Placebo | p - value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fasting blood sugar (millimoles/Liter) | 7.3% decrease (5.26 to 4.88) | 2.3% increase (4.84 to 4.95) | 0.01 |
| HOMA-IR* | 23.4% decrease (2.62 to 2.01) | 4% increase (2.71 to 2.82) | 0.04 |
| Insulin (picomoles/Liter) | 21.9% decrease (66 to 51.61) | 4% increase (74.40 to 77.41) | 0.04 |
For the researchers, “12 weeks of carnitine administration in women with polycystic ovary syndrome resulted in reductions in weight, body mass index, weight circumference, and hip circumference, and beneficial effects on blood sugar control” though they admit that “Further long-term studies with higher doses of carnitine are needed to examine the effect of carnitine supplementation on markers of insulin resistance, lipid profiles and hormonal outcomes in polycystic ovary syndrome patients.”
* HOMA RI is used as a screening test for glucose intolerance. In this study it was used to determine insulin resistance in women with PCOS. A lower value implies better utilization of glucose in the body.
Source: Samimi, Mansooreh, et al. “Oral carnitine supplementation reduces body weight and insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial.” Clinical endocrinology (2016).
© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Posted April 4, 2016.
Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com.
References:
- Pau, C.T., Keefe, C., Duran, J. et al. (2014) Metformin improves glucose effectiveness, not insulin sensitivity: predicting treatment response in women with polycystic ovary syndrome in an openlabel, interventional study. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 99, 1870–1878
- Dunaif, A., Segal, K.R., Futterweit, W. et al. (1989) Profound peripheral insulin resistance, independent of obesity, in polycystic ovary syndrome. Diabetes, 38, 1165–1174
- Crosignani, P.G., Colombo, M., Vegetti, W. et al. (2003) Overweight and obese anovulatory patients with polycystic ovaries: parallel improvements in anthropometric indices, ovarian physiology and fertility rate induced by diet. Human Reproduction, 18, 1928–1932
- Thomson, R.L., Brinkworth, G.D., Noakes, M. et al. (2012) The effect of diet and exercise on markers of endothelial function in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Human Reproduction, 27, 2169–2176
- Samimi M. Oral carnitine supplementation reduces body weight and insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2015 Dec 15. doi: 10.1111/cen.13003. [Epub ahead of print]
