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No approved therapy for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) currently exists. L-carnitine — a quaternary amine that reduces lipid levels, modulates inflammatory responses, and minimizes oxidative stress — is postulated to mitigate NASH risk factors, such as hyperlipidemia and some other components of the metabolic syndrome.
To test this hypothesis, researchers randomized 74 patients with biopsy-proven NASH to receive two 1-gram L-carnitine tablets per day or matching placebo for 24 weeks. Beginning 4 weeks before randomization and continuing through the treatment, participants were placed on the National Cholesterol Education Program 1600-calorie daily diet and were asked to maintain a calorie intake diary. All 74 patients completed their as…