Immune strengthening supplements

[ggtm]

I've always been in doubt whether or not to try those immune strengthening supplements or herbal leaf juice to help hbv. I know it won't cure totally. I understand hbv does not attack our liver, it's our immune system that does. I read that the lower the immune system of a person, the healthier the liver will be (with respect to hbv attacks). SO, if his is so, how will these immune helping supplements which claim to be full of vits and some even claim to boost Nk and t cells, help us in our hep b management?

And which is better, getting vitamins fr fresh fruits and vege or from capsules.

[aadees12]

Everyone desires a healthy immune system. And, it helps you prevent several infections and toxins. A healthy immune system totally depends on your diet. Add minerals, vegetables, and fresh fruit to your diet to make your immune system healthy.

[veteranB]

The normal ranges for ALT by most labs are 0-60..

Were you fasting before taking the blood test. Keep in mind no one test is conclusive if it is done once. Retest in a fasting state and see what your numbers would be.

[Engr_JDelacruz]

It's ok to take Vit C and Vit D with entecavir. Your elevated alt maybe due to other reason. Do you still drink alcoholic drinks? Do you take strong medications which can harm the liver? Do you have fatty liver? Take an ultrasound and complete blood test so we can help each other.

[Engr_JDelacruz]

I've been taking entecavir for 11 months. My HBV DNA is less than 6 iu/ml which is normal. It came from greater than 640 million copies/ml a year ago so it can show that entecavir has good effect based on viral load. But we all know that relapse is awaiting us if we stop the antiviral that's why i'm looking for the next step of medication or supplement to totally eliminate the virus. It's true we have trail and error that's why i try to document what we are taking and probably others here in the forum so we can have a case to case study.  

[Babylove0728]

Hello,

I also have been taking etv for almost a year now and I noticed that from having normal ALT, I started to have elevated ALT, the latest blood test done in AUg 2012, my ALT was 40 for the first time. I also take Vit C; Vit D and Caltrate for my osteopenia and sometines I take Vit B complex. Are all of these vitamins and supplements safe to take along with etv?

Is it normal to have elevated ALT while taking etv? Why the elevated ALT?

THanks for your anticipated reply.

[ggtm]

How long have you been taking entecavir? WHat's your DNA load now? I took entecavir before and HBe seroconverted in abt 1yr 4mths. I think its a matter of time before seroconversion takes place..just need to be patient.

I'm also interested in the Chanca Piedra tea. I believe more in natural healing to achieve a good balance and control. Its a pity there is no scientific research done on them. They could really be a cure, who knows? But its just too little profit for researchers to work on long term trials. So for us, its really a trial and error. type of herbs vs. strength/dosage vs. duration of consumption. If you get the right combo, it should yield good results. May not cure 100%, but good enough if can control the virus naturally, don't you agree?

[Engr_JDelacruz]

I don't know if there is an immunologist here in my country but I'll try to look for one. My mom did not take deer placenta with entecavir. She stopped taking entecavir when her hbeag becomes non-reactive. She is a healthy carrier for probably one year before she took the deer placenta. After taking the deer placenta her hbsag went down to 1.18 but her sgpt is above normal count is 40+.
I've been making research on this deer placenta stem cell. It claims it can boost immune system. Assuming it is an immune booster do you think it is safe to take immune booster while under entecavir? My idea is if you boost the immune system, it will kill the virus while also killing the liver cells resulting to elevated sgpt or worst liver failure. Undetectable HBV DNA means viral load is low but my hbeag is sill reactive which means there a lot of hbv in my blood and my liver this is very confusing.
When will be the best time to take an immune booster? (Source could be from Interferon, stem cells, or herbal) Any thoughts?
  

  

[ggtm]

Did your mum take deer placenta with entecavir? My personal thinking is that if you are already under nuc, it is safer to take these products as enetcavir is already helping you control the virus. It's more dangerous if you take it while not under nuc, with hbv DNA detectable, as you just don't know the biochemistry works in your body. That's why I'm still holding back to try herbs and unorthodox treatments. Maybe someone with better knowledge can comment?

[veteranB]

I cant answer your question I am not a doctor. and I dont know how it will interact with etv. It may not. In that case you dont have to worry about  rapid dna jump. If this stuff works and will stimulate your immune system.

Get another opinion on this from immunologist too they understand these things better.

You may also try to add zadaxin to  entecavir. That is known to boost the immune system.

[Engr_JDelacruz]

Hi I have a question for you. My hbeag count is 5+, my hbsag count is 300+, my sgpt is normal, my hbv dna is undetectable <6 iu/ml. I am under Entecavir for 11 months now. Now as I wrote on some forums here, we are trying a deer placenta live stem cell capsule for treatment of hepa b. My mom took it for a month she has hepa b for more than 10 years. She was a healthy carrier when she took the stem cell capsule. Now she has 1.18 grayzone hbsag. I want to try this product, my gastro doctor don't want me to try it she told me I may get liver failure, my naturaphatic doctor told me I can try it since it is not contraindicated with entecavir baraclude. In your opinion do you think it is safe to take it combined with baraclude?

[veteranB]

What herbs did you take?

You are right HBV is complex, but still building a stronger immune system won't hurt.

Sometimes heaving a DNA and ALT spike can lead to HBV clearance with addition of interferon. So you loose some to win a war.

But herbs alone or in combination yes no one if looking into what can be achieved. I am very interested in that Chanca Piedra.. Over on the natural cure forums they say it will cure HBV, but I have many questions to those that post it as to where their lab results..

Just  be aware people that if you take antivirals some herbs interact with them.

For example I tool milk-thistle with ETV and had a reaction, basically woke up at night dizzy and nauseated and quickly flushed it all out with lots of water. Turns out that milk-thistle interferes with the absorption of ETV.

But if you are not on antivirals and want to try herbs do it, and monitor your HBV markers, ALT, DNA, and surface antigen.

But for those that are inactive carriers yes it is better to take the vitamins we need and watch your diet, and your life style, and watch out not catch any infections such as herpes 2 that are knows to drive HBV some how.

[Aydin1358]

In my opinion, first check your HBV status. The best way to check as Steff has always insisted on to check your liver by fibroscan, liver enzymes, HBV DNA and Hbsag quantity. If you are inactive carrier, no need to do anything. Believe me you are perfectly healthy and only need to check regularly those tests to make sure that you are still inactive carrier. no need to boost your immune system.
The virus so complicated that I do not recommend taking any herb or immune booster supplements just in a hope that it will make some changes. the best way is to follow and beware of all the research and clinical activities in this field. And obviously many many doctors are so ignorant regarding HBV patients and do not bother to study and enhance their knowledge about recent changes in the management of this disease.
i dont remember the names of those herbs that I used. But I can tell you that it made real mess. Before taking those stuff my liver enzymes were perfectly normal. After taking those herbs for three weeks, i noticed an increase in my liver enzymes and then realized that the DNA has increased a lot and disease is in immune active stage. Now I have to take medicine in order to avoid  liver damage and ..........

[ggtm]

Hi, this for sharing. May I know what immune boosting supplement u took that u said made your virus increase? Could it be other reasons that it increased? How did u overcome the increase then?

[Aydin1358]

As of my experience, if you are inactive healthy carrier, better leave your immune system to what it is. I personally tried to make my immune system stronger, but resulted in changing my inactive virus to active one.

[ggtm]

Anyone can comment? Tks.