[L-carnitine treatment and fish odor syndrome: an unwaited adverse effect]

Abstract

Introduction: Levocarnitine treatment is usually well tolerated, with essentially dose-dependent diarrhea as the main induced adverse effect.

Case report: We report a case of fish odor syndrome during levocarnitine treatment which resolved after levocarnitine discontinuation.

Conclusion: This adverse effect seems to be correlated with excedent carnitine intake and might be expressed when the elimination pathway becomes saturated or in a situation of deficiency enzymatic metabolism.