Introduction: Dyslipidemia and oxidative stress are commonly seen in the patients undergoing hemodialysis. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of oral L-carnitine supplementation on lipid profiles and total antioxidant capacity of the patients were treated with hemodialysis.

Methods: This study was a randomized, controlled clinical trial. The participants of this study consisted of 50 hemodialysis patients in dialysis centers of Yazd between 2013 and 2014. The patients randomly divided into two groups; L-carnitine (LG) and control group (CG). The patients in the LG were instructed to use daily 1g L-carnitine oral supplementation, as syrup for 12 weeks. The patients in the CG did not receive any supplement containing L-carnitine. At the baseline and the end of 12 weeks, triglycerides, total cholesterol (TC), LDLc, and total antioxidant capacity of serum (TAC) were evaluated in both groups.

Results: The mean of triglyceride and TC between and within groups were not significantly different. The mean of LDLc did not change in LG whereas a significant increase was seen in CG (p=0.02). The mean differences of LDLc between groups was statistically significant (p=0.05). No Significant changes were observed in serum levels of TAC in LG compared with CG (p=0.76). TAC was increased in both groups, but these changes were not statistically significant (p=0.62).

Conclusions: This study showed that oral supplementation of L-carnitine as syrup (1g per day) for 12 weeks among the hemodialysis patients would have no effect on triglyceride, TC, and TAC, but it would decrease the LDLc.