Carnitine levels in patients with skeletal myopathy due to anorexia nervosa before and after refeeding

Objective To assess the role of carnitine in the skeletal myopathy present in anorexia nervosa. Method Serum levels of free and total carnitine were measured in a group of severely underweight women with anorexia nervosa and skeletal myopathy before and after an inpatient refeeding program. Results Carnitine levels were within the reference range before refeeding and remained unchanged despite significant weight gain in all the subjects. Conclusion These findings suggest that carnitine plays no part in the muscle weakness seen in severe anorexia nervosa. © 1999 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 26: 341–344, 1999.