Oral carnitine supplementation influences mental health parameters and biomarkers of oxidative stress in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Abstract Introduction: Limited data are available assessing the effects of oral carnitine supplementation on mental health parameters and biomarkers of oxidative stress of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).This study was designed to determine the effects of oral carnitine supplementation on mental health parameters and biomarkers of oxidative stress in women with PCOS. Methods: In the current randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 60 patients diagnosed with PCOS were randomized to take either 250 mg carnitine supplements (n = 30) or placebo (n = 30) for 12 weeks. Results: After 12 weeks’ intervention, compared with the placebo, carnitine supplementation resulted in a significant improvement in Beck Depression Inventory total score (−2.7 ± 2.3 versus −0.2 ± 0.7, p < 0.001), General Health Questionnaire scores (−6.9 ± 4.9 versus −0.9 ± 1.5, p < 0.001) and Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale scores (−8.7 ± 5.9 versus −1.2 ± 2.9, p = 0.001). In addition, changes in plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (+84.1 ± 151.8 versus +4.6 ± 64.5 mmol/L, p = 0.01), malondialdehyde (MDA) (−0.4 ± 1.0 versus +0.5 ± 1.5 μmol/L, p = 0.01) and MDA/TAC ratio (−0.0005 ± 0.0010 versus +0.0006 ± 0.0019, p = 0.003) in the supplemented group were significantly different from the changes in these indicators in the placebo group. Conclusions: Overall, our study demonstrated that carnitine supplementation for 12 weeks among patients with PCOS had favorable effects on parameters of mental health and biomarkers of oxidative stress.