Acetyl l-carnitine Improves Physical and Mental Fatigue
July 24, 2007 Ninety six subjects over age 70 participated in a randomized double-blinded trial. Half were given 2,000 mg twice a day of acetyl-L carnitine while the other half received placebo for six months. Those given acetyl-L carnitine had significant improvement in both physical and mental fatigue along with improvement in functional status and cognitive health. Those in the treated group had a reduction in muscle discomfort, decrease in fatigue after exercise and improvement in sleep. Authors stated "Considering that fatigue is one of the most common complaints found among the elderly, these results are significant."
A study published on the incredible benefits of acetyl-L carnitine (ALC) in the July 2007 Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics. Acetyl l-carnitine supplementation showed a reduction in muscle discomfort, decrease in fatigue after exercise and improvement in sleep in the study.
Fatigue is one of the conditions most frequently complained by the elderly. There are few effective treatment options for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. To determine the efficacy, tolerability and impact on the fatigue, as well as on cognitive and functional status of elderly subjects with acetyl l-carnitine (ALC), 96 aged subjects (>70 years, range 71-88) were investigated (50 females and 46 males; mean age 76.2+/-7.6 and 78.4+/-6.4 years, respectively). They met four or more of the Holmes major criteria or at least six of Fukuda minor criteria. Fatigue was measured with the Wessely and Powell [Wessely, S., Powell, R., 1989. Fatigue syndromes: a comparison of chronic postviral fatigue with neuromuscular and affective disorders. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry 52, 940-948] scores, with the fatigue severity scale.
At the end of the treatment, we observed a decrease of physical fatigue: 6.2 (p<0.001), of mental fatigue: 2.8 (p<0.001), of severity fatigue: 21.0 (p<0.001) and improvements in functional status: 16.1 (p<0.001) and cognitive functions: 2.7 (p<0.001). By the end of the treatment, significant differences between the two groups were found for the following parameters: muscle pain -27% versus -3% (p<0.05); prolonged fatigue after exercise: 51% versus -4% (p<0.0001); sleep disorders: 28% versus 4% (p<0.05); physical fatigue: 7 versus -0.5 (p<0.0001); mental fatigue: -3.3 versus 0.6 (p<0.0001); fatigue severity scale: -22.5 versus 1.2 (p<0.0001); functional status 17.1 versus 0.6 (p<0.0001); mini mental state examination (MMSE) improvements: 3.4 versus 0.5 (p<0.0001). Our data show that administering ALC may reduce both physical and mental fatigue in elderly and improves both the cognitive status and physical functions.
Malaguarnera M, Gargante MP, Cristaldi E, Colonna V, Messano M, Koverech A, Neri S, Vacante M, Cammalleri L, Motta M. Acetyl l-carnitine (ALC) treatment in elderly patients with fatigue. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2007 Jul 19
Source: Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
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