A novel treatment for subclinical hyperthyroidism: a pilot study on the beneficial effects of l-carnitine and selenium

OBJECTIVE: The definition itself of subclinical hyperthyroidism (SHyper) and, therefore, the therapeutic approach to patients with SHyper still remains undefined and controversial. Therefore, the interest of finding a novel and alternative therapy for SHyper has caught the attention. An observational pilot study was performed to assess the effects of l-carnitine and selenium in the management of SHyper symptoms and endocrine profile in patients affected by this disease.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with TSH levels between 0.1-0.4 mIU/L and positive antibodies were recruited in this study. Subjects received orally one tablet containing 500 mg of l-carnitine and 83 mcg of selenium (L-Carn + Se), daily for 1 month. The primary outcome was the improvement of the quality of life (QoL) with the disappearance of main symptoms (subjective symptomatology) associated to SHyper, evaluated through a 9-items short form survey. Secondary outcomes included TSH, fT3, and fT4, TPOAb, TgAb measurement. Primary and secondary outcomes were evaluated at baseline, after the completion of treatment and after a successive month without treatment.

RESULTS: After 1-month treatment, the subjective symptomatology significantly dropped from 25.61 ± 1.19 to 12.11 ± 1.15 (p < 0.05). On the other hand, during the following 1-month period without treatment, it increased back to 23.33 ± 1.35 (p < 0.05). Thyroid hormones and auto-antibodies remained in their normal range.

CONCLUSIONS: The present pilot study has shown that L-Carn + Se significantly reduced symptoms associated with SHyper, improving QoL of patients, without significant modifications of their endocrine profile. In addition, it is noteworthy that the extension of treatment seems necessary to prevent symptoms reappearance. Prospective randomized controlled trials are needed to address clinicians to define the appropriate treatment-settings for this disorder.

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