Carnitine treatment resulted in significant reduction in BMI, insulin levels, and Homeostasis Model Assessment index, but not lipid profiles

MONDAY, March 4, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- For women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), carnitine improves ovulation and pregnancy rates as well as glucose and metabolic profiles, according to a study published in the May 2023 issue of Clinical Endocrinology.

Yi Gong, from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University in China, and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine fertility outcomes in women with PCOS diagnosed by Rotterdam or Androgen Excess Society criteria and taking a carnitine supplement. A total of 839 women from seven studies were included in the analysis.

The dosage of carnitine varied from 250 to 3,000 mg daily, and treatment duration ranged from 84 to 90 days in the included studies. There was no indication of publication bias. The researchers found that carnitine significantly improved ovulation rates and pregnancy rates compared with placebo (relative risks, 3.42 and 11.05, respectively). Live birth was not reported by any of the included studies. Relative to baseline, after treatment, there were significant reductions in body mass index (BMI; mean difference [MD], –0.93 kg/m2), insulin levels (MD, –2.47 mIU/L), and the Homeostasis Model Assessment index (MD, –0.67) for carnitine versus placebo; there were no reductions in lipid profiles, including triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein.

"Carnitine supplement significantly improved BMI and insulin resistance as well as ovulation and clinical pregnancy rates" the authors write.

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