[L-carnitine treatment and fish odor syndrome: an unwaited adverse effect]

Rev Neurol (Paris). 2011 Jun-Jul;167(6-7):541-4. doi: 10.1016/j.neurol.2010.08.015. Epub 2011 Apr 8.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Introduction: Levocarnitine treatment is usually well tolerated, with essentially dose-dependent diarrhea as the main induced adverse effect.

Case report: We report a case of fish odor syndrome during levocarnitine treatment which resolved after levocarnitine discontinuation.

Conclusion: This adverse effect seems to be correlated with excedent carnitine intake and might be expressed when the elimination pathway becomes saturated or in a situation of deficiency enzymatic metabolism.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Carnitine / adverse effects*
  • Carnitine / pharmacokinetics
  • Carnitine / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Metabolism, Inborn Errors / chemically induced
  • Metabolism, Inborn Errors / urine
  • Methylamines / urine
  • Middle Aged
  • Multiple Sclerosis / complications
  • Multiple Sclerosis / drug therapy
  • Odorants*
  • Sarcosine / analogs & derivatives
  • Sarcosine / urine

Substances

  • Methylamines
  • dimethylglycine
  • trimethyloxamine
  • trimethylamine
  • Carnitine
  • Sarcosine

Supplementary concepts

  • Trimethylaminuria