Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that mainly affects the lungs. It is spread through airborne droplets from infected patients. Tuberculosis is treated using drugs such as isoniazid, rifampin and ethambutol. Tuberculosis medications can be highly toxic to the liver and also cause nerve damage and depletion of vitamins in the body. Patients taking tuberculosis medications are advised to increase intake of vitamin B-6 and other B vitamins, according to MayoClinic.com.
Tuberculosis Drugs and Vitamin B-6
The tuberculosis drug isoniazid causes vitamin B-6 depletion. Vitamin B-6 helps maintain healthy nerve cells, and its deficiency leads to neurological problems such as peripheral neuropathy, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). Patients with diseases that cause neuropathy such as diabetes, HIV infections, alcoholism and malnutrition may be given vitamin B-6 to take with isoniazid.
Tuberculosis Drugs and Other B Vitamins
Antituberculosis drugs also deplete other B vitamins. B-complex vitamins help metabolize carbohydrates, proteins and fats into energy that can be utilized by the body. Low levels of B vitamins can cause excess fatigue. The UMMC advises patients taking tuberculosis medications to increase intake of foods rich in B vitamins. Patients should also take a multivitamin and 1 tablet of B-complex vitamin daily.
Sources of B-Complex Vitamins
B-complex vitamins are water-soluble, which means that the body does not store the vitamins. Foods rich in B vitamins should be eaten every day so as to meet the daily requirements. Patients taking tuberculosis medications require a higher intake of foods rich in B vitamins. Dietary sources of B vitamins includes brewer's yeast, chicken, turkey, tuna, shrimp, salmon, beef, liver, beans, spinach, brown rice, wheat germ, whole-grain flour, lentils, milk, bran, sunflower seeds and molasses.
Symptoms of Tuberculosis
Patients with latent tuberculosis are infected with tuberculosis bacteria but do not display symptoms of the disease. Some patients may develop symptoms in the first few weeks after infection with tuberculosis bacteria. Patients with active tuberculosis experience symptoms such as headache, chills, night sweats, loss of appetite, fatigue, malaise, coughing blood, chest pain, problems breathing, weight loss and swollen lymph nodes.
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