L-Carnitine Supplementation may help with mental fatigue in Hypothyroid patients

[Karenk13]

So whenever I am adding a new sports supplements to my daily routine I always check if there are any negative affects on Thyroid function or interactions to Levo. Today I found out that it seems that supplementing with L-Carnitine can actually improve feelings of "brain fog"!

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/274...

[Angel20]

By adding L-carnitine with anti-thyroid medications depending whether you have Hashimoto's or Graves.

My experience is with Graves.

Adding Acetyl-l-carnitine and L-carnitine taking them with Carbimazole for example will raise the TSH. In your case avoid taking any form of carnitine if you are on levothyroxine that is all forms of carnitine have the capacity to reduce the effectiveness of levothyroxine, which can complicate your condition.

With Graves disease its the opposite, a person can take l-carnitine without any problems.

[Karenk13 in reply to Angel20]

I had heard that about Lcaritine and Graves helping to reduce thyroid overactivity 😊 I thought it would have the same affect on Hypo which would obviously be terrible but I am finding numerous studies that suggest it can help in cases of hypo symotoms.

Be interested to know if anyone Hypo has actually taken it and hiw their level were

[Angel20 in reply to Karenk13]

In this instance I can’t advise you You may want to consider alternative vitamins for mental fatigue

Good luck

[Karenk13 in reply to Angel20]

@angel20 I was looking at it from a sports performance point of view and just happened across the studies relating to mental fatigue benefits . I thought it was quiet interesting but I dont plan on taking it because of the interaction with Levo.

[userotc in reply to Karenk13]

Id read that LCarnitine was good for fatigue also eg pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/274... and Ive been taking it for ~9 months. It was for other reasons, not my fatigue symptom which hasnt improved noticeably anyhow.

But more recently, I read it should be avoided with hypo since it inhibits both T3 and T4 entry into the cell nuclei. This includes Dr Axe who I rate highly and others eg pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/155.... So Ive just stopped, particularly since my recent results have worsened (cant be sure it's that!) - see below. Im not on any meds.

Date: 27/11/20, 1030h

TSH; miu/L ; = 2.79

FT4; pmol/L = 11.6

FT3; pmol/L = 3.8

Calc FT4/FT3 = 3.1

Date: 22/12/16, 1530h

TSH; miu/L; 0.96

FT4; pmol/L; 14.4

FT3; pmol/L; 4.4

Calc FT4/FT3 = 3.3

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies(TPA); iu/ml = 6

Thyroglobulin antibodies(TGA); IU/mL = <10

N ranges:TSH: 0.27-4.2mu/l. FT4; 12.0-22.0 pmol/l, FT3; 3.1-6.8 pmol/l. TPA; 0-34. TGA; 0-115

Date 17/07/2018; 1030h unless stated

Serum ferritin; ug/L = 89

Serum folate; ug/L = 18.3

Serum vitamin B12; ng/L = 738

Vitamin D; nmol/L = 148.6 (March 2019 ~1245h)

N ranges: ferritin 22-320, folate 3-19, vit B12 170-730, vit D 50-250.

[AmandaK in reply to userotc]

This is worrying as a well-known doctor to this forum advocates L-Carnitine for ME/CFS as well as Metavive (which is what I am taking on said doctor's advice).

[userotc in reply to AmandaK]

Not sure how it affects ME/CFS per se. But unfortunately I believe most supplements can only really be checked by personal experimentation and maybe this is one example. Also perhaps better to trust a naturopath rather than a doctor as they have little/no training on supplementation?

IF it is the LC that has adversely affected my thyroid results eg fT4 from 24 to -4% thro range and fT3, 35-19%, I guess it could've been worse. But frustrating as fT4 at least had appeared to be moving in the right direction (hence why I didn't retest for ~3y)!

[userotc]

See my reply to Karen

[NIKEGIRL]

Hi. I have Graves and take it every day. TSH is still <0.001 after 4 months.

[hels333]

I took -l-carnitine for terrible brain fog diligently for some 2 years or so, back in the Noughties, but it made no difference to me :0(

I seem to recall that I then read that a-l-carnitine was superior, so I tried that for a few months. Again, it made no difference to me whatsoever.

I still struggle dreadfully with brain fog, terrible memory etc. I take gingko which is also meant to help blood flow to the brain, I understand, but that hasn't helped either really. I guess I keep taking it incase it might be helping a tiny bit!

[BirgitteG]

As far as I have read (can't find the link right now) levothyroxine causes carnitine to be excreted. I have been feeling better since I started taking it, especially regarding brain fog - but I have also more energy. Here's an article:

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...