EFFECT OF L-CARNITINE SUPPLEMENTATION ON APPETITE SENSATIONS IN WOMEN WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: A RANDOMIZED, DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL

Background and Aim: Appetite is one of the important effective factors in controlling obesity. This study aimed to investigate the effect of L-carnitine supplementation on appetite sensations in women with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: Seventy-two overweight or obese women with knee OA were randomly divided into two groups to receive 750 mg/day L-carnitine (n=36) or placebo (n=36) for 8 weeks. Dietary intake and appetite sensations were assessed using 24-hour dietary recall and six-item validated questionnaire based on the visual analog scales with 0–10 scores, respectively at baseline and at the end of study. Results: Compared with baseline, there was significant decrease in energy (1883.27±381.23 to 1734.69±442.34, P=0.012) and carbohydrate (300.92±77.29 to 273.39±80.03, P=0.025) intake as well as non-significant decrease in dietary fat and protein intake in L-carnitine group (P> 0.05). No significant differences were observed between the two groups in dietary intake, adjusted for baseline values. Compared with baseline, significant reduction in total appetite score was observed in both L-carnitine (28.91±7.31 to 27.48±7.23, P<0.001) and placebo groups (29.41±8.23 to 28.19±7.22, P=0.028). There were no significant dif ferences between two groups in total appetite score at the end of the study, adjusted for baseline values (P> 0.05). Regarding appetite sensations, the items How satiated do you feel and How much do you think you can eat scores decreased significantly in L-carnitine group (P=0.010 and P=0.007, respectively). Conclusion: Although further studies are needed to confirm these results, it seems that L-carnitine decreases dietary intake, probably through the modulating of satiety in patients with knee OA.

کلیدواژه ها:

L-carnitine ، Appetite sensations ، Knee osteoarthritis ، Obesity ، Women