Carnitine stops working after about 2 weeks

[combs2000]

Any ideas why LCF 855mg per day would improve energy greatly, improve sleep, remove all brain fog, improve muscles pain and works absolutely beautifully for about 2 weeks and then stop working and leave me fatigued again? I have tested it probably 30 times and it never fails. If I stop taking it for a month or so and then try it again, same wonderful energy and results for about 2 weeks again before it stops working, again.

I know some say there is potential for it to lower thyroid hormone, but I am not convinced that is what is happening. Labs don't seem to support that theory. I am not on any thyroid medication and don't believe I have a thyroid issue.

I am taking Ubiquinol 400mg daily, all the B's, magnesium, iron. I don't know if I am maybe depleting a cofactor or if my body can only handle being sped-up for so long?

I have tried ALCAR but don't get the same increase in energy from it as I do LCF.

Would love any ideas from all you smart people. Thanks so much.

 

[heapsreal]

It's not scientific but one way to try these energy nutrients is to regularly take a lowish dose and days when you need a lift, crank it up, after slowly experimenting to see what doses work for you.

The other thing with mitochondrial supplements is that we use quite low doses compared to doses used for other recognised mitochondrial disorders.

 

[linusbert]

Any ideas why LCF 855mg per day would improve energy greatly, improve sleep, remove all brain fog, improve muscles pain and works absolutely beautifully for about 2 weeks and then stop working and leave me fatigued again? I have tested it probably 30 times and it never fails. If I stop taking it for a month or so and then try it again, same wonderful energy and results for about 2 weeks again before it stops working, again.

I know some say there is potential for it to lower thyroid hormone, but I am not convinced that is what is happening. Labs don't seem to support that theory. I am not on any thyroid medication and don't believe I have a thyroid issue.

I am taking Ubiquinol 400mg daily, all the B's, magnesium, iron. I don't know if I am maybe depleting a cofactor or if my body can only handle being sped-up for so long?

I have tried ALCAR but don't get the same increase in energy from it as I do LCF.

Would love any ideas from all you smart people. Thanks so much.

l-carnitine as is l-carnitine-fumarate is a acetyl-group buffer, maybe you ran out of acetyl groups.
acetylcarnitine is a acetylgroup supplier.
depending on whats messed up you benefit from one or the other, or affinity might have switched, then try the other form. OR combine.

also the fumarate is supplied with lcf. maybe the next step in citric acid cycle is bottleneck now.

ai says this:

Spoiler

Recommendations:


1. Cofactor Support:


• Ensure you’re supporting mitochondrial function comprehensively. Consider adding:


• Riboflavin (B2): Supports the electron transport chain.


• Copper: Essential for cytochrome c oxidase.


• Alpha-lipoic acid: Enhances mitochondrial function and acts as an antioxidant.


• Selenium: Supports thyroid and antioxidant systems.


2. Cycling Approach:


• Try a pre-planned on/off cycle for LCF, such as 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off, to prevent adaptation.


3. Antioxidant Boost:


• Increase your antioxidant capacity with supplements like N-Acetylcysteine (NAC), glutathione, or additional Vitamin C to combat ROS.


4. Lab Monitoring:


• Check levels of ferritin, copper, selenium, and oxidative stress markers to identify potential imbalances or deficiencies.


5. Thyroid and Adrenal Check:


• Even if labs are “normal,” subtle shifts in adrenal or thyroid function could influence energy levels. Consider testing reverse T3, free T3/T4, and cortisol levels.

 

[Wishful]

At least it doesn't sound like the usual "works for the first couple of doses, then never works again" response so common with ME. Figuring out whether it's a depleted cofactor or a build-up of something might require more data from more experiments. Low continual dosage vs abrupt spikes, with a diet rich in cofactors or without, with physical exertion or without.

Does anyone know whether eggs are a good source of all those cofactors we need? They'd be cheaper and more convenient than buying all the possible cofactors separately.

 

[linusbert]

Does anyone know whether eggs are a good source of all those cofactors we need? They'd be cheaper and more convenient than buying all the possible cofactors separately.

eggyolks are a rich source of choline (4eggs=400-500mg) and phosphatidylcholine (4eggs=5-6g) and cholesterol.
choline is a strong methylgroup donor, so it works with b12, b6 and folat in methylation cycle. so eggs definitely will have effect on methylation.
but also other vitamins like b2 and biotin are present in noteable numbers. and b12 itself. vitamin A as retinol and a bit D.