ABSTRACT
The mechanisms of L-carnitine action and ergogenic pleiotropic effects of drugs, which play important role in sports medicine are described. Results of a comparative, parallel-group randomized clinical trial of L-carnitine (Elkar, PikFarma) in young athletes (football players, walkers) are reported. Elkar increases the body adaptation to physical stress and has a pronounced therapeutic effect in athletes with stress-induced cardiomyopathy by reducing the representation of potentially dangerous arrhythmia (sinus bradycardia less than 2 - 5 centile, 2nd degree atrioventricular block type II, T-wave inversion in more than 2 leads, and/or ST segment depression) and severity of benign ECG disturbances and hemodynamic changes, and decreasing the concentration of biochemical markers of myocardial damage (troponin, natriuretic peptide, creatine phosphokinase MB fraction) and cortisol. In general, Elkar contributed to a significant reduction in symptoms of cardiac remodeling in 75% of patients and had a weak effect in 25% of patents. It is concluded that the use of Elkar in playing sports and sports coaching quality of endurance is appropriate, especially in terms of myocardial remodeling.
