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Propionyl-L-carnitine

Propionyl-L-carnitine is an amino acid that is naturally produced by the body. L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine are also amino acids and they are chemically related to propionyl-L-carnitine. In fact, the body can convert L-carnitine into propionyl-L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine. However, it is not known whether the benefits of the different carnitines are identical. Until more is known, you should not substitute one of these forms of carnitine for another. Propionyl-L-carnitine is used to treat leg pain due to poor circulation. Leg pain due to poor circulation is often caused by diabetes or arteriosclerosis. Propionyl-L-carnitine is also used to treat heart failure.

Men who suffer from erectile dysfunction due to diabetes or poor circulation sometimes use propionyl-L-carnitine in combination with prescription medications. Older men who suffer from symptoms of low testosterone levels sometimes use propionyl-L-carnitine in combination with acetyl-L-carnitine. The propionyl-L-carnitine / acetyl-L-carnitine combination is also used to treat chronic fatigue syndrome. Doctors administer propionyl-L-carnitine intravenously to treat leg pain due to poor circulation and irregular claudication, to improve wound healing in people suffering from poor circulation in the legs and to treat heart disease including heart failure and chest pain (angina).

How does propionyl-L-carnitine work?

Propionyl-L-carnitine helps the body to produce energy. It is important for heart function, muscle movement and many other body processes. It appears to be able to improve blood circulation.

Propionyl-L-carnitine may be effective for the following applications

  • Poor blood circulation (peripheral vascular disease) that causes leg pain during walking: Propionyl-L-carnitine taken orally or administered intravenously appears to help people with severe leg pain to walk further than would otherwise be possible. However, propionyl-L-carnitine does not appear to be effective in milder peripheral vascular disease.
  • Heart failure: Taking propionyl-L-carnitine appears to improve heart function and exercise tolerance in people with mild to moderate heart failure.
  • Treatment of symptoms of "male menopause" - age-related low testosterone levels: Taking propionyl-L-carnitine in combination with acetyl-L-carnitine for six months appears to improve sexual performance and reduce depression and fatigue in older men. Taking this combination appears to work just as well as using testosterone.
  • Erectile dysfunction in men with diabetes: Taking propionyl-L-carnitine in combination with sidenafil may work better than sidenafil alone.
  • An increase in fibrous tissue in the penis (Peyronie's disease): The combination of propionyl-L-carnitine and an injection of a drug called verapamil appears to improve sexual performance, slow the progression of the disease, and reduce the need for surgery.
  • Chest pain (angina)
  • A type of heart disease called ischemic heart disease, when given intravenously.

There is not enough scientific data to make a statement regarding the effectiveness of propionyl-L-carnitine in chronic fatigue syndrome. New research suggests that propionyl-L-carnitine may alleviate general fatigue in patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome. Interestingly, the combination of propionyl-L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine appears to be less effective than either supplement on its own. There is also insufficient information on the effectiveness of propionyl-L-carnitine for circulatory problems caused by diabetes. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of propionyl-L-carnitine in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Propionyl-L-carnitine appears to be safe and harmless for most people when taken orally or administered intravenously by a physician. However, it can cause nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, weakness and chest pain (angina). It may also cause a fish-like odor of urine, breath and sweat.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and lactation: Not enough is known about the use of propionyl-L-carnitine during pregnancy and lactation. For this reason, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid propionyl-L-carnitine.

Hypothyroidism: There are concerns that propionyl-L-carnitine may exacerbate hypothyroidism or make treatment with thyroid hormones less effective. This is because a related chemical - L-carnitine - appears to interfere with thyroid hormones. For this reason, you should not take propionyl-L-carnitine if you suffer from hypothyroidism.

Seizures: Some people who are prone to seizures have reported an increase in the number and severity of seizures after taking L-carnitine orally or intravenously. There are concerns that this could also occur with propionyl-L-carnitine as it is a similar chemical.

Interactions

Care should be taken when combining propionyl-L-carnitine with the following medications:

Acenocoumarol

Acenocoumarol is used to slow down blood clotting. Propionyl-L-carnitine could increase the effect of acenocoumarol and increase the risk of bleeding and the tendency to bruise. For this reason, the blood should be checked regularly. It is possible that the acenocoumarol dosage may need to be adjusted.

Dosage

The following dosages have been investigated in scientific studies:

Oral

  • For vascular disorders: 500-1500 mg propionyl-L-carnitine twice daily.
  • For heart failure and chest pain due to blood circulation problems (chronic angina): A dose of 500 mg propionyl-L-carnitine three times a day.
  • For symptoms in older men caused by insufficient testosterone levels: A dose of 2 grams of acetyl-L-carnitine plus 2 grams of propionyl-L-carnitine daily has been used.

Intravenously

  • For diseases of the blood vessels and heart disease: Physicians administer propionyl-L-carnitine intravenously.

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