Abstract
Introduction: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a common and debilitating symptom that significantly impacts patients’ quality of life and daily functioning. L-carnitine, a naturally occurring amino acid derivative involved in energy metabolism, has been suggested as a potential therapeutic agent to alleviate fatigue.
Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of L-carnitine supplementation in fatigue management among cancer patients.
Patients and Methods: This randomized, double-blind clinical trial conducted at Imam Hossein hospital enrolled 90 cancer patients receiving platinum-based chemotherapy between September 2024 and June 2025. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either L-carnitine or a placebo, with 45 patients in each group. Eligible patients were over 18 years, experiencing fatigue, and provided informed written consent. Demographic and clinical data were collected by a trained researcher who was blinded to the group allocation. Fatigue levels were assessed using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy–Fatigue (FACIT-F) questionnaire at baseline, and at four and eight weeks. The primary outcome was the comparison of FACIT-F scores both between and within the L-carnitine and control groups throughout the study.
Results: The study results showed that although the fatigue scores were similar between the L-carnitine and control groups at baseline, the L-carnitine group experienced a significantly greater improvement in fatigue over time. By the fourth week, participants receiving L-carnitine exhibited significantly higher improvements in fatigue scores compared to the control group, and this advantage was even more pronounced by the eighth week. Additionally, the L-carnitine group continued to show a meaningful increase in fatigue score improvements between the fourth and eighth weeks, while the control group’s scores remained relatively stable during that period.
Conclusion: L-carnitine appears to be a safe and promising adjunctive therapy for managing CRF in patients receiving platinum-based chemotherapy. Incorporation of L-carnitine supplementation into supportive care protocols may improve patient outcomes and quality of life.
Trial Registration: The trial protocol was approved by the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials with code (identifier: IRCT20241112063688N1; https://irct.behdasht.gov.ir/trial/80160), and ethical code from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (IR.SBMU.MSP.REC.1403.289; https://ethics.research.ac.ir/EthicsProposalView.php?id=492026).