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Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Nutrition & HIV => Topic started by: panda on March 10, 2007, 10:09:41 am

Title: L-CARNITINE !!! DID ANY ONE TRIED ???
Post by: panda on March 10, 2007, 10:09:41 am
Hi, I read that L CARNITINE is very recomended for HIV carriers... some thing sot to do with the mitocondria, energy, hdl and wasting... did anyone tried it? I am so frustrated of my lipo weight loss and loss of mussle and i thought to try it.
Title: Re: L-CARNITINE !!! DID ANY ONE TRIED ???
Post by: risred1 on March 10, 2007, 08:53:30 pm
Hello, I don't think that L-carnitine is a "magic" bullet, but if you need more information regarding

this supplement and alpha lopaic acid and nac, you should take a look at newyorkbuyersclub.org. (its a non profit)

they have excellent information regarding all the supps they sell, and they have a phamlet that you can look through to see for your issues, what can be taken.

I am not a doctor, and I don't play one. So you need to learn first, I would say, about what is happening to your body.

A doctor should be consulted in my opinion, if your meds are giving you problems, as there are others that may be less impacting.

If you can start to exercise, that would be fair advice, resistance training can help enormously on wasting issues. Additionally, there is research going on about growth hormone and possible steroids you can apply that may help as well. You really should see what is up with a hormone blood test, because if your testosterone or other hormones are low, it can exacerbate wasting. Hormone replacement and exercise and a good diet, good gut health and so forth can make a difference in the big picture. I would believe that a supp by itself may help, but it isn't going to correct necessarily the reaction that your body is having to HIV and/or the meds.

I take a long list of supps, but really it centers around a quality multi from newyorkbuyersclub that has 200mcg of selenium with Thiol NAC formula they sell, alpha lopaic acid, NAC and MSM, and a acetyl-l-carnitine supps. I also do 7-keto dhea, which is controversial, I take probiotics for my gut, omega 3 and eat foods rich in this fat, and Vitamin D supp of 1200 mcg.

I had liver problems until i started the Thiol NAC and Cetyl-l-carnitine, since I've taken this combo, my liver enzymes have completely normalized.

I would also advise you look at a book called healing HIV, which is about managing HIV. I think he makes a great deal of sense, especially since I had an intestinal parasite, and because of it, I had all the symptoms, the increased VL and sharp decrease in CD4, that he points to. He has a supp he sells called k-pax, which is pricey, but you can essentially recreate his formula from new york buyers club at about half the cost, you just have to take more supps.

hope this gives you some ideas. But i hope you have a good hiv specialist whom you should consult about your meds. additionally, there may be councilors that can provide some guidance regarding nutrition and acupuncture that may also help you.

good luck
Title: Re: L-CARNITINE !!! DID ANY ONE TRIED ???
Post by: J.R.E. on March 11, 2007, 07:46:52 pm


Yes, I take it. It is combined in one pill, along with Alpha-Lipoic Acid. Suggested use 1-4 pills daily. I take two daily.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine--------500mg

ALA--------------------------150mg


Calcium----------------------40 mg



Ray
Title: Re: L-CARNITINE !!! DID ANY ONE TRIED ???
Post by: HIV? poz about being neg on March 11, 2007, 10:45:59 pm
I have not started experiencing wasting but I have started taking L-Carnitine 500 mg twice a day I just figure I'm being preventative as I have only been HIV positive since January 24th I am taking several supplements nearly 30 diffrent types a day with another 2 multi's a day.
Title: Re: L-CARNITINE !!! DID ANY ONE TRIED ???
Post by: panda on March 12, 2007, 06:59:36 pm
should i just go to a store and buy it? the l-carnitine? or do i need a prescription? is there a recomended doses? should i do some blood test before start taking it and for how long i should take it? i leave in israel so i guess i'll have to find my own way to get it. what is it excatly doing this l-carnitine i mean for the side effect?what impact it has? do u have any idea if a woman(me!) who's trying to get pregnent can take it?
Title: Re: L-CARNITINE !!! DID ANY ONE TRIED ???
Post by: J.R.E. on March 12, 2007, 08:09:14 pm
should i just go to a store and buy it? the l-carnitine? or do i need a prescription? is there a recomended doses? should i do some blood test before start taking it and for how long i should take it? i leave in israel so i guess i'll have to find my own way to get it. what is it excatly doing this l-carnitine i mean for the side effect?what impact it has? do u have any idea if a woman(me!) who's trying to get pregnent can take it?


There are different recommendations at to the amount of Acetyl L Carnitine to take. Most I have read say 3-- 500mgs tablet once a day. As I stated earlier, I only take two. You do not need a prescription for this.


There is this warning on th label though ;

CAUTION :  If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have any disorder of blood sugar metabolism ( such as diabetes) or suffer from any type of siezure disorder ( such as Epilepsy), consult your physician before using this product




Ray
Title: Re: L-CARNITINE !!! DID ANY ONE TRIED ???
Post by: risred1 on March 12, 2007, 10:18:43 pm
Information from newyorkbuyersclub.org

http://nybcsecure.org/product_info.php?products_id=118

Acetylcarnitine caps
[500 mg/100 caps]

$15.00

Click to enlarge

Acetylcarnitine (NYBC) Each bottle, 100 capsules. Each capsule, 500 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine, a form of the amino acid, carnitine. (Technically, it is a "quaternary ammonium compound".) NYBC evaluated this product for identity and potency and it passed the test.

 Several reports indicate that systemic carnitine deficiency could occur in AIDS, and that primary and secondary carnitine deficiency leads to critical metabolic dysfunction. In a 1993 Italian study of 28 PWHIV, 6 grams of carnitine was administered for just two weeks. Immune responsiveness was greatly enhanced as well as significant reductions in beta-2 microglobulin, a disease progression marker.

 Most importantly, tumor necrosis factor levels were normalized in the two study participants who had abnormally high levels, while triglycerides levels were reduced on average approximately 35% (triglyceride levels are a secondary marker for high inflammatory immune messenger [cytokine] levels in the body like TNF and others).

 Increased tumor necrosis factor (TNF) levels have been strongly associated with opportunistic infections. This can greatly foster disease progression through increased HIV replication and loss of T-cells through the mechanism of early cell death (apoptosis) since TNF signals the body to produce large quantities of free radicals which hyperactivate immune cells (see antioxidant, NAC and vitamin E sections).

 Several recent reports have implicated L-carnitine deficiency to AZT-related muscle wasting (myopathy) and the authors suggest that carnitine supplementation may prevent the development of myopathy when used together with AZT. This may be accomplished by reducing AZT’s toxicity to cellular mitochondria (the energy producing factories of the cell)—a cellular target particularly sensitive to AZT’s destructive effects.

 The acetylcarnitine form has been used as a “smart drug” to enhance memory and other cognitive functions. A small study in 2000 showed some benefit for this form of carntine in offsetting “nuke” neuropathy.

Please note: over-the-counter L-carnitine is expensive but there is a pharmaceutical (prescribed) form of L-carnitine which medical insurance plans (including state-run medicaids) will pay for, so you should get your doctor to write a prescription for the following: Carnitor Tablets, Sigma Tau, 330 mg., 3 tablets, 3 times per day.

 If your doctor wants to see the original research on L-carnitine in HIV/AIDS before writing a prescription, see L-Carnitine information sheet on this website.

 Several European studies have found it useful in improving memory retention and recall in Alzheimer's patients. Acetylcarnitine has been used for years as a "smart drug" and reportedly increases mental functions in healthy individuals. Test tube studies of this form showed that it improves the ability of immune cells to proliferate and also stopped the cells from producing TNF.

 This was bolstered by regular carnitine studies in humans that showed a high dose of 6 g/day over two weeks normalized high TNF (and reduced triglyceride) levels. There are also several laboratory studies which revealed dramatic reductions in CD4 cell apoptosis (premature cell suicide). Apoptosis may contribute to the substantial loss of uninfected T-cells.

Keep refrigerated! Suggested use is 1-2 capsules per day on an empty stomach or as directed by your healthcare provider.

 Some PWHIV are using 500 mg per day in an attempt to offset cellular mitochondrial damage caused by nukes like AZT (see above). Other PWHIV take larger doses (1–2 grams per day) in an attempt to modulate a dysfunctional immune response (see above).