L-Carnitine supplementation protects against liver cancer in an animal study
April
06,
2009
Long term supplementation with the amino acid L-Carnitine
protected rats from cancer of the liver. For 8 weeks the researchers
supplemented 20 rats with L-Carnitine, and 20 rats with synthetic
D-Carnitine and the drug mildronate to cause a Carnitine deficiency.
After two weeks of supplementation, ten rats in each group plus 10
non-supplemented rats received an injection of the dangerous cancer
causing chemical diethylnitrosamine (DENA) followed two weeks later by
a dose of toxic carbon tetrachloride. Ten un-supplemented control rats
were injected with normal saline. At the end of the treatment period, increased liver enzymes, liver
degeneration, and precancerous liver lesions were observed among the
DENA-treated but un-supplemented and L-Carnitine deficient rats. These
changes were prevented in DENA-treated animals that were supplemented
with L-Carnitine. While DENA administration resulted in increased
oxidative stress and a reduction in glutathione and antioxidant enzymes
in the livers of un-supplemented and L-Carnitine-deficient mice, the
effect was modified by L-Carnitine. L-Carnitine may be able to decrease
liver toxicity caused by a variety of highly toxic chemicals. The study
is published in the March 21, 2009 issue of the World Journal of
Gastroenterology.