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Acetyl-l-carnitine & propranolol

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Tcem12
Tcem12

I've been taking l-carnitine for a month, got my t4 & t3 back to normal but my tsh is still low. My question is, do I stop the l-carnitine and start acetyl-l-carnitine? I should add that I'm still on 60mg of propranolol..is there an interaction between the two? I took 300mg of the acetyl-l-carnitine but then doubted it, so advice would be great!

Chelsea

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • linda187
    linda187 Tcem12

    Posted

    I am confused.  You say you have been taking l-carnitine for a month - is that Regular L-Carnitine or Acetyl-L-Carnitine?  Then you say you took 300 mg of the Acetyl-l-Carnitine.  They are not the same substance.  The research study was done with Regular L-Carnitine at a dose of 3,000 to 4,000 mg a day.  The Acetyl-L-Carnitine was never research studied to my knowledge.  I started off on the regular L-carnitine and noted some improvement but then experimented and noted greater rise in my TSH with Acetyl-l-Carnitine.  That said, I always caution people that Acetyl-L-Carnitine is extremely sensitive and one has to be extremely careful using it.  It is best to use it at a low dose and see its effects and monitor closely and more often if you are going to use it.  Though it benefitted me greatly, I did experience side effects with the Acetyl and none with the Regular L-Carnitine.  Are you also taking Carbimazole or methimazole?  

     

    • Tcem12
      Tcem12 linda187

      Posted

      Sorry for the confusion! I've been taking the regular l-carnitine for the past month, which have brought my t4 and t3 down. I am currently taking 15mg of the methimazol and 60mg of the beta blocker. I would like to bring my TSH up using the acetyl-l-carnitine, however I am concerned about using it while taking the beta blocker. There isn't much info out there in regard to a reaction between the two. I took 600mg today, not 300mg, as previously posted. I did not notice much of a difference while taking it, but I'm due to take my beta blocker and I'm not really sure what to expect.

      Thanks again for the help,

      Chelsea

    • linda187
      linda187 Tcem12

      Posted

      Why don't you try taking just 300 mg to start and wait until your next blood draw to see how it affects your labs..  If you are concerned about taking it with Propranolol, you can take them at different times, one in the morning and one in the evening.  It seems to boost the action of Methimazole.  

    • Tcem12
      Tcem12 linda187

      Posted

      I'll give it a whirl today! Also, advice from another board was to not take 15mg, as it may drop my levels too low, but drop down to 10mg. Do you think 15mg is too high for levels now being in range?

      Chelsea

    • linda187
      linda187 Tcem12

      Posted

      I did not alter my dosage until my TSH came up even a little bit.  It took whatever dosage of Methimazole to get my FT3 and FT4 to drop down where they were.  Those levels stayed there for 2 years while I took the same dose.  It was only when I added supplements and my TSH rose that my Endo dropped the dosage a little at a time and I think it was wise he did it that way.  So let your doc adjust meds dosages and you take care of supplement dosages if you are taking them.  Also report your symptoms to him/her so that he can take that into consideration when dosages are to be adjusted.
  • abi.k
    abi.k Tcem12

    Posted

    Hi I have been reading on l-carnitine and how it helps with graves like you I wanted to ask if it's safe to take it with propranolol which i take in the form of inderal 10mg a day and I also take 10mg of carbimazole did it work out for you ?

  • linda187
    linda187 Tcem12

    Posted

    While many of us have Graves disease, we are all individuals and some of us have other diseases as well so there is no one size fits all, in my opinion.   Acetyl was very helpful in my recovery journey but it was also not always easy to manage and I did have side effects from it.  I have always been very cautious in recommending it because it is so sensitive and I have seen too many people go very HYPO because they did not know how to manage it, adjust it or have a doctor who works with it.  I was very fortunate that my Endo was very good at making his adjustments to my meds because with Acetyl use, a lot of frequent adjustments were necessary.  . I would ask your doc or a naturopath your question.  60 mg of Propranolol is a much higher dose than I was given.  I was given 10 mg  daily for a resting heart rate of 100 to 130 while I was being investigated before my diagnosis was confirmed and before my treatment started, but once treatment started, my resting heart rate dropped to 80 and I no longer needed it on a daily basis.  There were times I did require a small dose of it occasionally for palpitations after treatment started.  Be aware that Acetyl crosses the blood-brain barrier.  I took all my meds at the same time and it probably carried my meds across the blood-brain barrier too.  I don't know why you are on that high a dose of Propranolol, so you really need to work with your doctor or Naturopath on this.

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