The effects of L-carnitine supplementation on glycemic control: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Authors

  • Hadis Fathizadeh Department of Microbiology, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
  • Alireza Milajerdi Students' Scientific Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Željko Reiner Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
  • Fariba Kolahdooz Indigenous and Global Health Research, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
  • Zatollah Asemi Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran. Tel: +98-31-55463378; Fax: +98-31-55463377. E-mail address: asemi_r@yahoo.com

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2019-1447

Keywords:

L-carnitine, glycemic control, insulin resistance, meta-analysis

Abstract

The findings of trials investigating the effect of L-carnitine administration on glycemic control are controversial. This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was performed to explore the effects of L-carnitine intake on glycemic control. Two authors independently searched electronic databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PubMed and Google scholar from 1990 until February 2019, in order to find relevant RCTs. 37 studies with 44 effect sizes met the inclusion criteria and were eligible for the meta-analysis. L-carnitine supplementation resulted in a significant reduction in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (WMD: -4.57; 95 % CI: -6.88, -2.25), insulin (WMD: -1.21; 95 % CI: ‑1.85, -0.57), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (WMD: -0.67; 95 % CI: ‑0.90, -0.44) and HbA1C concentrations (WMD: -0.30; 95 % CI: -0.47, -0.13). L-Carnitine supplementation significantly reduced FPG, insulin, HOMA-IR, and HbA1c levels.

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Published

2019-08-19

How to Cite

Fathizadeh, H., Milajerdi, A., Reiner, Željko, Kolahdooz, F., & Asemi, Z. (2019). The effects of L-carnitine supplementation on glycemic control: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. EXCLI Journal, 18, 631–643. https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2019-1447

Issue

Vol. 18 (2019)

Section

Original articles

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