Treatment for hepatitis remains elusive. While drugs exist to alleviate the symptoms of viral hepatitis, many of them have serious side effects. Because treatment might take a long time or be ongoing for those who develop chronic hepatitis, you might have to endure side effects for years. Silymarin and B vitamin therapy can be used to reduce bothersome symptoms of viral hepatitis and improve quality of life and overall well-being. Always talk to your doctor before taking any supplements.
Silymarin
Silymarin is a compound extracted from milk thistle. Milk thistle has been used to treat liver disease for decades. In Europe, silymarin is widely prescribed to treat liver conditions, including hepatitis. This is because milk thistle is a powerful antioxidant, stronger than vitamin E and other vitamins. As a result, it can help regenerate the liver and might help detoxify it and protect it against further damage.
B Vitamins
According to a 2010 study published in the "European Journal of Nutrition," the hepatitis B and the hepatitis C viruses lower the level of B vitamins in the body. The virus also increases the effect of oxidative stress, making it easier for inflammation to take hold of your liver. The study determined that patients suffering from hepatitis B or C should monitor their diet to ensure they enough B vitamins to remain healthy. Taking a supplement might be another option. Researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm also determined that vitamin B12 suppresses the replication of the hepatitis virus, making this vitamin a good addition to liver treatment.
Dosages
Standard dosages of milk thistle are 200 mg. This is based on a extract standardized of 70 to 80 percent silymarin. Always check the dosage on the label before buying a product. Make sure you're buying pure silymarin extract, rather than a product that contains a combination of silymarin and other ingredients. For B vitamins, take a complex that contains 100 percent of the daily requirement of all the B vitamins.
Efficacy
According to a 2005 study published in the "Journal of Viral Hepatitis," silymarin alone does not seem to lower virus activity or levels of alanine transaminase, an enzyme that is directly connected to the health of the liver. People with viral hepatitis and other liver problems usually have high levels of ALT. Although silymarin does not seem to affect those two elements, people who took the herbal extract reported fewer symptoms, including less fatigue, fewer incidences of muscle and joint pain, less nausea and more energy.
References
- DiagnoseMe.com: Silymarin / Milk Thistle
- Science Daily: Alternative Medicine Use For Hepatitis C: Silymarin (Milk Thistle) Does Not Affect Virus Activity Or ALT Levels, Survey Suggests
- PubMed.gov: Silymarin Treatment of Viral Hepatitis: a Systematic Review; K.E. Mayer, et al; November 2005
- PubMed.gov: Vitamins B Status and Antioxidative Defense in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C Virus Infection; C.C. Lin, et al; December 2010
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