Amino Acid Connection?

[kaplan1975]

I was diagnosed with Celiac about 18 months ago and started a gluten free diet soon after. Like many other stories I have read, I did not feel much better although my chronic constipation disappeared almost immediately. Energy levels were still very low and I wish I had sought further help (medical or holistic) to address malobsorbtion / vitamin deficiency issues.

I somehow stumbled on the idea that amino acids might be out of whack and started taking L-carnitine and Coenzyme q10 with some success for overall mood and energy. I started them at the same time so I am not sure which supplement (maybe both) is helping. I suspected that the L-carnitine was helping the best and then found this article:

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is common in celiac disease. L-Carnitine blood levels are low in untreated celiac disease. L-Carnitine therapy was shown to improve muscular fatigue in several diseases. AIM: To evaluate the effect of L-carnitine treatment in fatigue in adult celiac patients. METHODS: Randomised double-blind versus placebo parallel study. Thirty celiac disease patients received 2 g daily, 180 days (L-carnitine group) and 30 were assigned to the placebo group (P group). The patients underwent clinical investigation and questionnaires (Scott-Huskisson Visual Analogue Scale for Asthenia, Verbal Scale for Asthenia, Zung Depression Scale, SF-36 Health Status Survey, EuroQoL). OCTN2 levels, the specific carnitine transporter, were detected in intestinal tissue. RESULTS: Fatigue measured by Scott-Huskisson Visual Analogue Scale for Asthenia was significantly reduced in the L-carnitine group compared with the placebo group (p=0.0021). OCTN2 was decreased in celiac patients when compared to normal subjects (-134.67% in jejunum), and increased after diet in both celiac disease treatments. The other scales used did not show any significant difference between the two celiac disease treatment groups. CONCLUSION: L-Carnitine therapy is safe and effective in ameliorating fatigue in celiac disease. Since L-carnitine is involved in muscle energy production its decreased absorption due to OCTN2 reduction might explain muscular symptoms in celiac disease patients. The diet-induced OCTN2 increase, improving carnitine absorption, might explain the L-carnitine treatment efficacy

This may have been shared already on here as well as the results of others taking L-carnitine, but I hope this can help others. I have tried supplementing almost every vitamin/supplement out there and even gave up for awhile until trying this

[Amber M]

I was diagnosed with Celiac about 18 months ago and started a gluten free diet soon after. Like many other stories I have read, I did not feel much better although my chronic constipation disappeared almost immediately. Energy levels were still very low and I wish I had sought further help (medical or holistic) to address malobsorbtion / vitamin deficiency issues.

I somehow stumbled on the idea that amino acids might be out of whack and started taking L-carnitine and Coenzyme q10 with some success for overall mood and energy. I started them at the same time so I am not sure which supplement (maybe both) is helping. I suspected that the L-carnitine was helping the best and then found this article:

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is common in celiac disease. L-Carnitine blood levels are low in untreated celiac disease. L-Carnitine therapy was shown to improve muscular fatigue in several diseases. AIM: To evaluate the effect of L-carnitine treatment in fatigue in adult celiac patients. METHODS: Randomised double-blind versus placebo parallel study. Thirty celiac disease patients received 2 g daily, 180 days (L-carnitine group) and 30 were assigned to the placebo group (P group). The patients underwent clinical investigation and questionnaires (Scott-Huskisson Visual Analogue Scale for Asthenia, Verbal Scale for Asthenia, Zung Depression Scale, SF-36 Health Status Survey, EuroQoL). OCTN2 levels, the specific carnitine transporter, were detected in intestinal tissue. RESULTS: Fatigue measured by Scott-Huskisson Visual Analogue Scale for Asthenia was significantly reduced in the L-carnitine group compared with the placebo group (p=0.0021). OCTN2 was decreased in celiac patients when compared to normal subjects (-134.67% in jejunum), and increased after diet in both celiac disease treatments. The other scales used did not show any significant difference between the two celiac disease treatment groups. CONCLUSION: L-Carnitine therapy is safe and effective in ameliorating fatigue in celiac disease. Since L-carnitine is involved in muscle energy production its decreased absorption due to OCTN2 reduction might explain muscular symptoms in celiac disease patients. The diet-induced OCTN2 increase, improving carnitine absorption, might explain the L-carnitine treatment efficacy

This may have been shared already on here as well as the results of others taking L-carnitine, but I hope this can help others. I have tried supplementing almost every vitamin/supplement out there and even gave up for awhile until trying this

[caek-is-a-lie]

L-Tyrosine is a great help, too. My naturopath recommended it and it helped me immensely. I took 500-1000 mg/day. As I spend more and more time gluten free, I find I don't really need it so much anymore, which is great.

[kaplan1975]

L-Tyrosine is a great help, too. My naturopath recommended it and it helped me immensely. I took 500-1000 mg/day. As I spend more and more time gluten free, I find I don't really need it so much anymore, which is great.

Thanks for the tip on the thyroid and tyrosine...I ordered a compete amino acid supplement that I believe contains tyrosine as well. I am hoping to wean myself off the vitamins/aminos as time passes as well, maybe just take a multi-vitamin like "normal" people.

[samcarter]

I found this topic through a Google search, and I find it interesting. After my third son was born, he was found to have an extremely low level of carnitine (they screen babies now for metabolic disorders by testing their carnitine levels). They tested me, and my level was basically 1. The doctors said they'd never seen anybody walking around with such a low level who had made it to adulthood! I responded to carnitine therapy, and my son has as well (we have to be careful with his dosages, because hypercarnitinism is nasty).

At the time, they thought my son might have a metabolic disorder, however, he tested negative (DNA test). They really don't have an explanation as to why his level flucuates as it does; my low level, they attributed it to a vegetarian diet for many years prior to the pregnancy, but i remember eating eggs and cheese and chicken once I was pregnant with my third. The last time I was tested, though, my levels were fine. I make sure to eat meat on a regular basis, since they told me carnitine is found mainly in red meats and the lysine we need to make carnitine is in chicken.

Now I'm wondering if there's a celiac connection. Huh.