Dangers of Alpha Lipoic Acid IV Therapy !

[copyman]

Here is just one of the many dangers of ALA IV therapy:

This is from Pubmed which is considered to be very trustworthy by the medical community.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19616616

"We conclude that large doses of lipoic acid displace sulfhydryls from binding sites, resulting in depletion of serum cysteine, but also pose a methylation burden with severe depletion of liver S-adenosylmethionine and massive release of S-adenosylhomocysteine. These changes may have previously unrecognized deleterious (harmful) effects that should be investigated in both human disease and experimental models"

[Idyllic]

I don't want to de-rail this thread but I could not help but wonder. Do you mean you were SVR 10 years ago but resumed drinking and stopped in April of 2012 ~ however during that period your fibrosis (or symptoms) may have progressed? Surely the longer you stay alcohol-free would be more of a factor in healing, No?

Were you actually diagnosed with PE and Mild Anemia? I would have thought platelet count would be much lower- perhaps in the 140s (though I am sure like everything it can vary).  Further, on my last CBC the LabCorp Reference interval for RBC is 3.77 - 5.28. I am not suggesting this is entirely the case but I have drawn inaccurate conclusions when self diagnosing and I would hate to see that to anyone else.

[Bali05]

" am 'SVR' - i.e., cleared the HCV virus - but have extensive fibrosis and some degree of early-stage compensated cirrhosis"

How and when was that diagnosed  ?

Portal hypertension and platelets in the mid 200s sounds odd to me.

b

[pugdaddy]

B-
You make an excellent point.  I was primarily just thinking longer-term about what other options might be available - and am interested in getting as much feedback as possible from Dr B's patients.  Regardless of anything else, before seriously pursuing IV ALA I would first continue for another +-6 mos w/my present supplement regimen that includes PCP, silamyrin and oral ALA 600 mg twice daily.  I have recently confirmed some mild portal hypertension - and it's the symptom that most concerns me.  I still have good energy level, good sleeping pattern, normal LTFs.  Platelets are good/stable at 230K - my only blood anomaly is mild anemia (RBC 3.8).  The $64,000 Question is whether or not (with alcohol cessation last yr) with the portal hypertension and anemia - albeit both mild:  can my liver can still improve...or have I already passed the too-little-too-late  'point of no return?'

[Bali05]

Hi PD,

when you are thinking to do the Berkson ALA IV protocol how are you going to check if it will improve your fibrosis more so than it already does ?

Since you cleared the virus and if you treat your liver well it should heal itself.To what degree and how long it will take is individually different.

b

[pugdaddy]

DrDigger,
I am 'SVR' - i.e., cleared the HCV virus - but have extensive fibrosis and some degree of early-stage compensated cirrhosis.  I am considering making the cross-country trip for an appt w/Dr Berkson.  You posted regarding a positive experience and success with his treatments.  Are you still doing well?  Would you recomend him for treatments for regression of hepatic fibrosis??
Any input or response is much appreciated.
Kind regards,
PD

[coeric]

Eric, one question, did you take ALA with Vitamin B complex?  

yes i took a B100 and later the B-Right from Jarrow formulas.  now i get the skin flush from the large doses niacinamide or niacin,  so i don't take it anymore.  i did start taking the ALA again after the end of treatment.  i get my B's from a multi vitamin and diet.  

Also did you take  ALA, Sylimarin and Selenium together or ALA alone?  

i stopped taking sylimarin after reading a retrospective study that found that it was of no help with HCV.   i did take the ALA with Selenium.  I believe the selenium is important for the synthesis of glutathione.   i believe one of the heptech formulas was designed to increase glutathione.  i also took glutathione from setria and also acetyl-glutahione first thing in the morning.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168827802000600

i recall hepatitis researcher writing about the importance of polyenylphosphatidylcholine. i believe it is one of the few and perhaps the only supplements that has been proven through repeated biopsies in alcoholics to actually reverse liver fibrosis.  in Europe it is marketed as Essentiale Forte N.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9113278

i was fortunate to have advice from physicians and other experienced health professionals.  i don't know if any of the supplements or drugs or therapeutic phlebotomies i did actually slowed down the scaring process.   as i said in a previous post my blood work got progressively worse in the five years prior to treatment.  

the average age a which we develop cirrhosis is 65. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17355454
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/554637_3
i was diagnosed with cirrhosis at 52.  i waited to treat until i had a better than 50% chance of a cure.  since i was experiencing cirrhosis prior to treatment i will have a risk of hepatoma (primary liver cancer) even if treatment is successful.  perhaps i should have tried to treat earlier.  i was first diagnosed in 1989 with non-a non-b hepatitis because of elevated transaminases and a history of transfusions.

many blessings
eric