A research group in Saudi Arabia found that long-term L-carnitine supplementation can prevent liver cancer. The research group in King Saud University discovered that carnitine deficiency is a risk factor for liver cancer and should be viewed as a preventative.
L-carnitine occurs naturally in the body. It is mainly found in mitochondria and can protect mitochondrial cells from damage by toxins. L-carnitine is synthesized in the liver and kidneys and is found in red meats and dairy products.
In a study of rats, those that were deprived of carnitine showed a steady increase in liver enzymes, massive degenerative changes, and evidence of pre-cancerous lesions. When the rats’ diets were supplemented with L-carnitine, liver enzymes and other degenerative changes including pre-cancerous lesions, completely returned to normal.
Liver cancer is a major health problem throughout the world, and many patients are diagnosed when their disease is advanced, thus increasing the cost of treatment and decreasing the odds of survival.
Professor Sayed-Ahmed and his team concluded that carnitine supplementation, either by itself or in conjunction with other natural chemopreventive compounds, could be used to prevent, slow, or reverse liver cancer.
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