Open Accessl ‐carnitine and cancer cachexia: Clinical and experimental aspects
Author(s) -
Silvério Renata,
Laviano Alessandro,
Rossi Fanelli Filippo,
Seelaender Marília
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.803
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 2190-6009
pISSN - 2190-5991
DOI - 10.1007/s13539-011-0017-7
Subject(s) - cachexia , carnitine , wasting , medicine , inflammation , oxidative stress , systemic inflammation , pathogenesis , cancer , weakness , endocrinology , bioinformatics , biology , surgery
Cancer cachexia is a multifaceted syndrome characterized, among many symptoms, by extensive muscle wasting. Chronic systemic inflammation, partly triggered and sustained by cytokines, as well as increased oxidative stress contributes to the pathogenesis of this complex metabolic disorder. l ‐carnitine plays a central role in the metabolism of fatty acids and shows important antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties. Systemic carnitine depletion has been described in several diseases, and it is characterized by fatigue, muscle weakness, and decreased tolerance to metabolic stress. In cachectic cancer patients, low serum carnitine levels have been reported, and this change has been suggested to play an important contributory role in the development of cachexia. Based on these data, carnitine supplementation has been tested in preliminary studies concerning human cachexia, resulting in improved fatigue and quality of life. We present here a review of clinical and experimental evidence regarding the use of carnitine supplementation in the management of cancer cachexia.