Carnitine supplementation improves insulin sensitivity and skeletal muscle acetylcarnitine formation in patients with type 2 diabetes.

ABSTRACT:

Aim/hypothesis

Recently, we reported that increasing free carnitine availability resulted in elevated skeletal muscle acetylcarnitine concentrations and restored metabolic flexibility in individuals who have impaired glucose tolerance. Metabolic flexibility is defined as the capacity to switch from predominantly fat oxidation while fasted to carbohydrate oxidation while insulin stimulated. Here we investigated if carnitine supplementation enhances the capacity of skeletal muscle to form acetylcarnitine and thereby improves insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

Methods

Thirty-two patients followed a 12-week L-carnitine treatment (2970 mg/day, orally). Insulin sensitivity was assessed by a two-step hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clam

SUBMITTER: Op den Kamp-Bruls YMH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11965010 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature