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L-carnitine, tryptophane and d-ribose

Discussion in 'Drug and supplement treatments' started by Marky, Mar 11, 2020.

  1. Marky

    Marky Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    These are all supplements I have considered during the years.. But ive forgotten a lot about what ive read about them haha..

    I know Fluge & Mella experimented with L-Carnitine, but I think some of the patients had side effects if remember correctly..

    Has anyone here tried any of these, either alone or in combination with something else, and felt they had a prolonged heightening in function level that was not due to "fake" energy?

    I know there are no cures here, just looking for something that can give a small boost

    Have a nice day
     
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  2. Dolphin

    Dolphin Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Yes, I believe 3000 mg of L-carnitine improved my overall functioning level quite a bit. From maybe 12% to 20%. I tried it after reading about a US study in the 1990s that found that this dosage was beneficial in comparison to amantadine.

    Not a perfect study but it's interesting how another medication taken orally, which might have more status than L-carnitine didn't work at all, in comparison.

    It's easy to adjust to a higher level of functioning and still be unhappy, but I particularly noticed the difference when I stopped taking it.

    No idea whether it is "false" energy or not, but I still sleep fine. It's not like caffeine or a stimulant for me.

    Best of luck

     
    Last edited: Mar 11, 2020
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  3. Marky

    Marky Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    8 % is a lot! Thanks for sharing the study. Ill give this a shot :) Did u take Levocarnitine?
     
  4. Dolphin

    Dolphin Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    I have just taken different types of L-carnitine available in supplement shops over the years, not Levocarnitine.
     
    Last edited: Mar 11, 2020
  5. SallyC

    SallyC Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    I tried L-Carnitine and didn't notice any difference.
     
  6. Dolphin

    Dolphin Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    By the way, 3000 mg of L-carnitine can be quite expensive to take, particularly if you don't use cheap sources (there are huge variations in prices, and it was previously difficult to source it relatively cheaply outside the US). I don't consider trials of much lower doses, which many people probably use, to be true trials.
     
  7. AliceLily

    AliceLily Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    I tried d ribose for a year or two but felt it was a fake energy and I would just use up the extra energy I felt and I think it sped up other negative pathway problems, not sure but it didn't feel right to continue with it.

    One thing with the ribose that I found very surprising though was how it helped with the pain I had in my hands from trivial overuse. Within a hour of taking the ribose the pain in my hands eased remarkably, still, I don't feel comfortable enough to take up the ribose again and I am not getting the pain in my hands as much now anyway.

    Never tried L-cartinine or tryptophane.
     
  8. Wits_End

    Wits_End Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    L-carnitine can cause stomach upsets, I believe?
     
  9. pteropus

    pteropus Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    d-ribose was useful when i was recovering from GET damage. it also reduced pain in my hands toes etc. i was careful to stay within my energy limits.

    i use tryptophan (not tryptophane) to reduce effects & duration of PEM, including pain weepiness brain-fail. small doses, short duration.
     
  10. AliceLily

    AliceLily Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    @pteropus You just reminded me how useful d ribose was at the time I started (how could I forget) I was in a very bad place, a major deterioration 2012 and ribose gave me the 'pick up' I needed - just that bit that made things more bearable. It's really interesting to me that you also had the same experience with ribose reducing the pain in your hands and toes. I only expected more energy from ribose not the added bonus easing pain in the hands. How long have you been taking ribose now and what dose if you don't mind my asking?

    I'm so pleased it helped you too. I know what you mean.
    You sound similar to me. Have you ever described your ME in a post on the forum? I would be interested to read how things have been for you.
     
  11. Philipp

    Philipp Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    For what it is worth, L-Carnitine Fumarate is probably my one Supplement for the lonely island. 500mg+ on an empty stomach, makes the difference between being able to read a bit and not at all within half an hour or so on average days. Higher doses tend to come with unnervingly severe stomach upset though. Other forms were not as beneficial for me as far as I have tried them back in the day, but straight free L-Carnitine found in some sports drinks at 2-3grams was roughly as good as the LCF, just more expensive.

    D-Ribose after exertion (especially overding it physically, 3-5grams on an empty stomach) seems to buffer vs more severe PEM as well. I don't think it does terribly much for me taken regularly, but it is pretty hard to say since it just restores normal functioning that you only would notice when it isn't there.

    A bit off-topic, but what would the reasoning behind using amantadine be? Looking at the wikipedia page it seems like a weird does-a-bit-of-everything-drug that will not be able to understand for the forseeable future :whistle:
     
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  12. Hoopoe

    Hoopoe Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    If carnitine works for you like it does for me, you'll probably do more on that day than you normally would.

    It also has some mild side effects that limit its usefulness.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 12, 2020
  13. Midnattsol

    Midnattsol Moderator Staff Member

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    Besides d-ribose, why not increase protein intake from meat and dairy? I feel like I'm missing something when people talk about certain supplements. For carnitine I guess the main goal is to increase beta oxidation of fats for energy? With tryptophan I can think of many things it can do in the body and I'm not sure what the goal to use it is. Carbohydrates can change how the body uses tryptophan in some cases, maybe that's another way to go?
     
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  14. Dolphin

    Dolphin Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    I don’t understand the biochemistry but one pretty much won’t be able to get 3000mg per day of L-Carnitine from food:
    https://amino-acid.org/l-carnitine/
     
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  15. Marky

    Marky Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    I think when I considered it I was just loosely wondering if it could lower brain fog. No good scientific reason hah
     
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  16. Marky

    Marky Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Cool :thumbsup: Did u try them together?
     
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  17. Dolphin

    Dolphin Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    This study found acetyl l-carnitine, which can also be bought a lot of supplement shops, was better for cognitive functioning:

     
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2020
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  18. Legend

    Legend Established Member (Voting Rights)

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    I have tried L-Carnitine for some time. I haven't had much effect, but I maybe spotted a little more energy. My observation is that this energy is false, and gots PEM after using this energy.
    That being said, maybe my dosage was too low. 500mg. As I am sensitive to meds and drugs, I have to be careful with these things.
     
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  19. stuck

    stuck Established Member

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    I'm not sure about all the chemistry.

    This illness requires an inordinate understanding of all the things that can go wrong in energy production, then try to self-reverse-engineer for all the varied broken things. By itself that is terribly exhausting.

    Understanding the Krebs cycle and how our systems seem to not follow the normal energy delivery routes, I have desperately tried many alternative metabolic supplements. Still a guinea pig, I have not confirmed the right combinations to know for sure if something helps because it does help or if I'm having a good or bad day.

    To add to that, there is the immune booster issues with needing immunity but having bad reactions to some supplements. Then there is the need to compensate for the excessive supplementing with the antioxidants and not really knowing what is truly helping.

    But, my deep fear of PEM & crashes has me pushing to verify what does work.

    I do take a supplement called NAC (N-Acetyl-Cysteine) 1,000 mg, while the Wiki on it sounds crazy, it is supposed to support the gluthiathone production cycle and I know for sure it helps me, I've run out and know the difference. But, I don't have a confirmation on the maker or composition - I know the 1000 mg tablet works fast when I take it with D-ribose. Not sure if the capsules are just slower release or what yet.

    And, have not tried higher dosed L-Carnitine (I take a liver refresh supplement that has some (~50) in it, but has too many things in it to know what in it is making the definite improvement when I take it!). I have tried another nootropic Bacopa (Brahmi) that seems to give noticeable improvement in some functioning - helps with stress and with sitting up for me.

    I also take an Essential Amino acid complex trying to combat the muscle losses (in addition to a diet with eggs, generally), but it doesn't seem to have L-Carnitine in the ingredients, it's essential aminos the ones we cannot make ourselves (again though, in our broken states not sure what we DO make ourselves anymore!).

    Have not used the tryptophan directly. Reminds me of the fun sleepy feeling of Thanksgivings-past and I use melatonin for the sleep. Maybe should try since open to trying anything that might help. If there are things that upset my stomach, just adding another tsp of baking soda does the trick. I had to get past the aackk factor in taking it but now I'm adjusted and happy to be off any other GERD medicines I used to have to take.

     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 12, 2020
  20. Marky

    Marky Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Yea i suspect its really hard to judge if you dont have an obvious effect. Like you might be doing a little more than usual because you assume you get more energy, and then you get PEM.. Stuff like that. So it can be hard to know if the supplement caused u to crash, or if u just overexerted without actually having an effect in the first place
     
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