Improving glycaemic control with L-carnitine. Version 1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Increasing skeletal muscle carnitine content to improve glycaemic control in Type 2 diabetes mellitus
IRAS ID
137991
Contact name
Francis Stephens
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Nottingham
Research summary
A characteristic of individuals with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a high blood glucose level, which is partly caused by the inability of insulin to stimulate glucose uptake into muscles (insulin resistance). A major cause of insulin resistance is the accumulation of fat within muscles. The aim of the present research is to test whether a novel nutritional intervention containing L-carnitine can increase the amount of carnitine within muscle of individuals with T2DM. Carnitine is essential for ‘burning fat’ within our muscles and it is hoped that increasing the amount of carnitine within muscle can increase fat burning, lower muscle fat, reverse insulin resistance and ultimately lower blood glucose levels and improve wellbeing. We also aim to investigate the cellular mechanisms underlying any observed effects in a hope to identify further targets to lower muscle fat.
The study will recruit 24 individuals with T2DM who are undergoing standard dietary controlled treatment or prescribed Metformin. The participants will be randomly allocated to receive a meal replacement beverage containing either placebo or L-carnitine every day for 24 weeks. We will measure each individual’s muscle fat content, their ability to burn fat over 24 hours, how resistant they are to insulin, their ability to control blood glucose over 72 hours, and their perceived wellbeing before and after the 24-week supplementation period in our Human Physiology Unit at the University of Nottingham Medical School. We will compare these results to 12 individuals who have been matched for age and body weight, but do not have T2DM. We expect the study to run for two years from the 1st of April 2014.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/EM/0136
Date of REC Opinion
14 Apr 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion