Vitamins and Supplements for Hepatitis

Hepatitis - what’s it all about?

Hepatitis is a general term that refers to an inflammation of the liver resulting in symptoms such as loss of appetite, fever, nausea or vomiting, fatigue, flu-like aches, smoking aversion (in smokers), aversion to bright light, dark urine, painfully enlarged liver and yellowing of the eyes and skin. Inflammation may be caused by a variety of different viruses that affect the liver tissues directly; it can also be due to chemical toxins, such as alcohol or certain anesthetic gases used for anesthesia during surgical operations; certain medications, notably anti-inflammatory drugs used in treatment of arthritis, may also trigger hepatitis.

A viral liver infection may result from various hepatitis virus strains known as A, B, C and D strains that cause a breakdown in liver tissues; as well as other viruses, such as the Epstein-Barr mono virus, and others. True hepatitis viruses differ in their routes of transmission to the liver. Hepatitis A is transmitted by drinking water or eating food contaminated with feces. Hepatitis B infections commonly occur when certain bodily fluids, such as saliva, etc, are transmitted from an infected individual to a healthy one, e.g., through sexual intercourse. Hepatitis C and D are transmitted through contaminated blood preparations.

Fortunately, certain liver-specific vitamins for may help relieve the symptoms of hepatitis. Below, we will review some of the leading supplements available today.

What makes it better?

During any viral infection, including viral hepatitis, vitamin C helps increase immunity. Doctors who believe in high dosage treatment of vitamins and trace elements administer 40 to 100g of vitamin C for a month to relieve symptoms in patients suffering from acute viral hepatitis.

Recommended Dose: take at least 2g of this vitamin, daily, in split doses, i.e. 1000 mg or 500 mg, two or four times a day. During severe illnesses the body is likely to require even higher doses of the vitamin and will be able to tolerate it.

Since the liver is solely responsible for vitamin B12 absorption, a disordered or inflamed liver may fail to provide the organism with the vitamin required while under stress.

Recommended Dose: inject 1000mg of vitamin B12 weekly for four weeks, and then continue to inject the same dose monthly, for three to four months. Ask your attending doctor to prescribe the vitamin injections. Since B vitamins are most efficient when used together, it is also highly recommended to take 100mg of a vitamin B complex in pills or capsules, daily.

Research into therapy for viral hepatitis have come up with evidence that folic acid is recommended to be used together with vitamin B12 and B vitamins. The complex can repair the damaged liver, inducing recovery and reducing the required hospital stay.

Many individuals suffering from hepatitis have been found to be vitamin E deficient. This deficiency may impair immunity, deteriorate the function of the red blood cells and exacerbate the response of both nervous and muscular systems, i.e. the complications that occur in hepatitis.

Recommended Dose: take 400 to 800IU of tocopherol daily.

Selenium can be essential in preventing hepatitis as it aids the immune system in resisting any viral attack. It is necessary for production of glutathione peroxidase which is a natural and potent free-radical scavenger that is effective in protecting tissues against damages caused by infections and other harmful effects. Selenium acts similar to vitamin E, and so, when taking selenium you may reduce your dose of vitamin E.

Lecithin helps the recovery of damaged liver in chronic hepatitis. Chronic hepatitis is distinguished by an inflammation that persists for six months or longer; it may be caused by a hepatitis B or C infection.

Recommended Dose: take 3 gm lecithin granules per day.

What makes it worse?

Avoid drinking alcohol. Alcohol abuse adversely affects an inflamed liver.

A high-sugar diet may exacerbate a pre-existing liver inflammation, regardless of how it was contracted. However, especially in the case of viral hepatitis, your attention should be focused mainly on sugar. A weakened immunity results in further vulnerability to any infection.

Recommended Dose: eliminate any variety of sugar from your daily allowance by reducing the amount of table sugar, ordinary corn syrup and its high-fructose variety, molasses and any other kinds of food containing these products.

High doses of vitamin A are likely to provoke a liver inflammation; unfortunately severely reducing your vitamin A intake may result in a vitamin A deficiency, especially in cases of liver damage caused by alcohol abuse.

Recommended Dose: despite the fact that some vitamin A supplements may be a necessity, they are to be used only under vigilant medical supervision.