Research synthesisLow evidenceLarge effect4 studies · 2 beneficial · 2 neutral · 0 harmful
Evidence from 4 clinical studies (2 meta-analyses and 2 RCTs) shows mixed effects of L-carnitine supplementation on mortality rate. Two studies reported large beneficial effects in critically ill septic patients and individuals with acute aluminum phosphide poisoning, while two meta-analyses found no statistically significant effect on mortality. The predominant effect size across beneficial studies was large, but the median study duration was 186 days (approximately 6 months), and the most-studied population was clinical patients with sepsis or septic shock.
- Studied populations: critically ill patients with sepsis, patients with septic shock, individuals with acute aluminum phosphide poisoning
Caveats: Evidence base is small (only 4 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. Many of the included studies did not reach statistical significance — effect may be smaller than the predominant direction suggests. The two beneficial studies had small sample sizes (n=60 and n=96) and examined different populations (sepsis vs. poisoning), limiting generalizability. Doses and forms were inconsistently reported, and no dose range convergence could be identified.
Generated Jun 12, 2026