Vitamins

Does anyone recommend milk thistle or any other supplements?  I don't take a multi vitamin but I would think calcium or a multi might be good to start as I should be starting treatment in the near future.  Does anyone recommend anything in pacticular that I should be taking to help build me up for treatment?  What about diet?  I love carbs and I've read our systems handle them well.  Is there anything else we can do to help our poor systems out?

[Lady E]

I was told that a multivitamin is great to help pick up the slack, but we should stay away from any with Iron in them.

[mycoldfeet]

my Doc reccomends that supplements while on tx should be avoided,and if you can't get your required vitamines with proper diet, ensure, or other supplement drinks are more tolerable, and prior to tx he had me on milk thisle but had me stop at beginning of tx.

[OnAPrettyPoison]

Everyone's doctor has a different recommendation.  Mine said during treatment to take a multi without iron (Centrum Silver is one)plus flax seed oil, vitamin e, and calcium was okay too since I am a woman.  I never took milk thistle.  I have completed treatment as of 5 weeks ago, am still clear of the virus, feel great, and had no real problems that weren't managable during treatment.  Wishing you the best!!!!

[OnAPrettyPoison]

I answered your question about SVR on Moniker's post.  I forgot to say I love your name!!!!!

[Snookmiester]

Here is a good place to start...

<a href="http://hepcchallenge.org/choices/supplements.htm">supplements</a>

That link will direct you to the nutritional supplementation page..I suggest you explore the other links located at top of page as well. That book was comprised by a few Dr's, and is a quite interesting read..

[Alady1620]

I read that vitamin E helps interferon do it's job better.

[worrywartwife]

My husband changed to a multivitamin WITH iron when we found out he would be receiving HCV treatment. His doctor did not say anything either way. We thought the iron would help keep his blood counts up. Does anyone know why iron in vitamins is a bad idea? Any studies out there on this? Thanks guys, JoAnn

[tailao]

I take 200mcg selenium, 1000i.u. vit e, 2000mg vit c, and milk thistle every day...And i add a little whey protein Isolate for the morning breakfast which consists of papaya,pineapple,canteloupe and banana...It seems to work for me..

[sunshine007]

Thanks for everyone's great ideas!

[DragonSlayer45]

My doctor told me that Milk thistle and vitamins (no iron) were the only supplements he would recomend taking. He mentioned there is some evidence of Milk thistle helping the liver and it would not hurt.

[slowsouthernstyle]

all the vitamins are hoppycock.there is no cure for hepatitis c and not proven that vitamins help in any way.if you eat the right foods you get just as much as you would with vitamins.slow

[DragonSlayer45]

I don't think anyone is saying that vitamins will cure hepatitis C. Nor will you get an argument about any alternative offering a cure for that matter. I think rather that some people and doctors recomend supplements and herbs that may help with some of your symptoms and side effects to make you feel better. Kind of a quality of life thing. There are many who use both western medicicine and alternative approaches together to treat many kinds of diseases. Whether it works or not I can not say but I wouldn't poo poo it either. For me I feel it helps to keep an open mind to things.

[Kalio1]

One thing is about supplements and vitamins and all that is they are so expensive! They say most of what you pay for you just eliminate down the toilet. It helps us metally to feel we are doing something positive, but I really feel the best way to get vitamins and minerals is through your food not a processed pill. You are far better off eating a fresh juicy orange for vitamin C or some delicious fresh steamed veggies than a pill. I have read that food combos also are important in that they create metabolic reations between them that benefit us. having some chicken with veggies and rice for instance benefits us because they work in tandem. It isn't that vitamins in pill form are bad but to me on a scale of good, better, best, the best way to get proper vitamins and minerals is good old fashioned home grown FOOD.

[DougV]

Apologize for butting in, just joined today so am unsure of how things work around here.  If I commit some faux paux please excuse me.....

On iron, it is in dang near everything you eat and in fact good luck even trying to find a low iron diet.  Men and post menopause women almost never need iron supplements, obviously some medical conditions excepted.  Be very careful taking iron, men especially.  Iron is unlike most supplements in that unless it is used it does not leave the body and the excess will build up and can cause problems.  

There is no hard and fast rule to supplement or not.  If your diet is poor then vitamin and/or mineral supplements can be useful, but if your diet is healthy supplements do not need to be taken.  Also be careful in that some, Vitamin E for example can interfer with clotting which can be a major issue for heppers and heppers on treatment.

Milk thistle has never been shown to be effective in anyway in protecting the liver.  There is also the possibility that it can actually interfer with treatment.

Your body can only use so much of anything.  Adding more will not help unless you have a shortage.  It's like baking a cake, you have to have flour but if you add more then you need you just end up with a mess.

Bottom line, be careful.  Using myself as an example, my red counts fell like a rock during treatment.  So I took vitamins with iron.  Big mistake, I ended up going to hemotologist and living on Procrit but found out my iron levels are so high if they get much higher my doc I'll end up undergoing phlebotomy to reduce the level.  Sure wish I had never taken those vitamins.  Oh and 7 months post tx my iron levels are still extremely high.

Currently I have take no supplements.  Had lab work recently specifically looking for vitamin deficiency and all came back normal.
Doug

[Snookmiester]

I definately perfer arrogance, as opposed to ignorance!!!
Wish ya the best man.

[slowsouthernstyle]

i would ask that you do not message me again.you are a very arrogant young fellow and i have no interst in your notes.slow

[Kalio1]

The only thing vitamins in pill form are good for is the profit margin of those selling them. ALL vitamins ad minerals are best absorbed and utilized by our bodies through fresh wholesome unprocessed foods.
I'd like to see the studies that show even ONE vitamin pill is more beneficial or benefiial at all compared to the real way we were intended to consume vitamins which is through food. I have looked, there is no evidence they benefit us. If you don't have regular good nutrition, taking pill form vitamins is better than nothing, but nothing beats good old fresh food.

[slowsouthernstyle]

i like what you say about eating good old food instead of taking all the vitamins.i eat nothing but healthy food and some days i do juicing.i try to stay away from sugar it is bad for the liver.my neece makes sweet potatoe pie and i love that but only have a small piece once in a while.slow

[Snookmiester]

Up abovbe you posted "there is no cure for hepatitis c and not proven that vitamins help in any way"....

Well, there is no alternative cure for HCV? Every pondered the thought that the interferon you get from the drug store and inject yourself with, is in fact, a NATURAL substance that your body produces? So in fact, you are taking a supplement!!

Also, if you think that no vitamins have been proven to help in any way, you are very, very mistaken.. If you have HCV and found this place, you obviosly have acess to the internet.. I advise you use it, educate yourself as to the truths, not presumptions of biased Dr's and research studies funded by Pharmacutical companies..

[volleygirl12]

i was diagnosed with hep c in 2003 and didn't receive treatment until 2007. After finishing treatment my gall bladder had to be removed and i have had problems digesting food ever since.  i only have 15% liver function so my liver can't produce enough bile to help me digest food. plus the interferon and riboviran only brought my viral load down from 368 to 5.

i take milk thistle, a probiotic, and digestive enzymes and my energy level has picked up considerably.  i can now eat without problems.  but i also cut salt, sugar, fatty meats and processed food out of my diet.  

there is no cure for hep c but with diet and exercise i have found that i can live with it.  no magic pills here but the milk thistle has helped me!