Acetyl L-carnitine (ALC) treatment in elderly patients with fatigue

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#acetylcarnitine #administration-oral #aged #aged-80-and-over #cognition

Acetyl L-carnitine (ALC) treatment in elderly patients with fatigue

Malaguarnera et al., 2008 | Arch Gerontol Geriatr | Rct

Citation

Malaguarnera Michele, Gargante Maria Pia, ... Motta Massimo. Acetyl L-carnitine (ALC) treatment in elderly patients with fatigue. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2008;46(2):181-90

Abstract

Fatigue is one of the conditions most frequently complained by the elderly. There are few effective treatment options for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. To determine the efficacy, tolerability and impact on the fatigue, as well as on cognitive and functional status of elderly subjects with acetyl L-carnitine (ALC), 96 aged subjects (>70 years, range 71-88) were investigated (50 females and 46 males; mean age 76.2+/-7.6 and 78.4+/-6.4 years, respectively). They met four or more of the Holmes major criteria or at least six of Fukuda minor criteria. Fatigue was measured with the Wessely and Powell [Wessely, S., Powell, R., 1989. Fatigue syndromes: a comparison of chronic postviral fatigue with neuromuscular and affective disorders. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry 52, 940-948] scores, with the fatigue severity scale. At the end of the treatment, we observed a decrease of physical fatigue: 6.2 (p<0.001), of mental fatigue: 2.8 (p<0.001), of severity fatigue: 21.0 (p<0.001) and improvements in functional status: 16.1 (p<0.001) and cognitive functions: 2.7 (p<0.001). By the end of the treatment, significant differences between the two groups were found for the following parameters: muscle pain -27% versus -3% (p<0.05); prolonged fatigue after exercise: 51% versus -4% (p<0.0001); sleep disorders: 28% versus 4% (p<0.05); physical fatigue: 7 versus -0.5 (p<0.0001); mental fatigue: -3.3 versus 0.6 (p<0.0001); fatigue severity scale: -22.5 versus 1.2 (p<0.0001); functional status 17.1 versus 0.6 (p<0.0001); mini mental state examination (MMSE) improvements: 3.4 versus 0.5 (p<0.0001). Our data show that administering ALC may reduce both physical and mental fatigue in elderly and improves both the cognitive status and physical functions.

Key Findings

Our data show that administering ALC may reduce both physical and mental fatigue in elderly and improves both the cognitive status and physical functions.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population elderly subjects
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range mean age 76.2
Condition sleep

MeSH Terms

  • Acetylcarnitine
  • Administration, Oral
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Cognition
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Motor Activity
  • Nootropic Agents
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Treatment Outcome

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Rct
  • Publication Types: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Vertical: carnitine-fatigue

Provenance

  • PMID: 17658628
  • DOI: (not available)
  • PMCID: Not in PMC
  • Verified: 2026-04-09 via PubMed E-utilities API

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09