Giving the B vitamin to patients with chronic hepatitis B
improves signs of the disease, a small study has found. The
study, reported in
The American Journal of Gastroenterology, could point
to a cheap and non-toxic way of treating the infection.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is spread through contact with the
blood or body fluids of an infected individual. HBV infects
the liver, and in severe cases can lead to cirrhosis, liver
cancer and liver failure. Symptoms can be treated with antiviral
drugs and interferon, but there is no cure.
An astute patient noticed that his high aminotransferase
enzyme levels, or catalysts for the transfer of amino acids,
indicated a more active infection of the liver. After a review
of the patient's chart, a relationship was found noting that
the patient's aminotransferase levels fell when he took thiamine.
While patients were on thiamine treatment, their aminotransferase
levels fell from abnormally high to normal levels, which increased
when the Thiamine was withdrawn.
This is the first study to investigate thiamine for treating
hepatitis B infection, however, thiamine is cheap, and without
side effects. Watermelon, green beans, oysters, and sunflower
seeds are all great sources of thiamine.
Talk to your doctor of chiropractic about the essentials
of proper nutrition and the negative impact poor diet can
have on your future health and wellness. For more information
on nutrition, visit https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/nutrients.html.
Reference:
Wallace AE, Weeks WB. Thiamine treatment of chronic hepatitis
B infection. The American Journal of Gastroenterology
2001:96(3), pp. 864-868.
|