Tuberculosis Nutritional Diets

Tuberculosis is associated with malnourishment and deficiencies in vitamin A, C, D and E. Treatment of tuberculosis spans over about six months and your immune system needs energy and nutrients to combat the bacteria. To resist tuberculosis and support your recovery, you need to eat healthy food in adequate amounts every day.

Diet Lesson From History

In the document of "Adirondack History Network," an ex-patient of Ray Brook Sanatorium in New York describes the diet there in 1931: "The sanatorium believed in feeding its patients amply; not only did they eat three meals a day but had snacks in between. Patients drank milk on awakening followed later by breakfast which could include eggs, mutton chops or steak, bacon, poultry, bread -- two days old -- and a quantity of fruits. Dinner at noon was even heartier offering roast beef, mutton, turkey, and a variety of game, baked potatoes or well-boiled spinach, easily digested peas, corn, cauliflower, lettuce with lemon juice, or, as a vegetable substitute, macaroni, spaghetti without cheese, and for dessert, rice or bread pudding or ice cream -- taken with caution. At least two more meals followed."

Recent Experience

Eighty years later, the description is still useful. The first anti-tuberculosis drug was discovered 1944. The control of wasting during the active disease still remains a critical point of tuberculosis management. Providing 600 kilocalories, equal to 600 calories in the United States, above the baseline intake of 35 kilocalories per kg of body weight renders the patients in a better physical and psychological condition, reports G. Jahnavi et al in "Singapore Medicine" in December 2010. Diet that includes fish, eggs, milk and yogurt is still strongly recommended because these sources cover all important amino acids. Additional sources of protein, such as roast beef, turkey, mutton and poultry can be used to obtain each day at least 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight. Bread, grains, as well as plenty of fruits and vegetables are important to prevent vitamin deficiencies.

Effect of Green Tea

The immune response as well as anti-tuberculosis drugs generate oxygen radicals. Extract from green tea significantly improves oxidative stress, as reported by A. Agarwal et al., in the January 2010 issue of "Phytomedicine."

Alcohol

Anti-tuberculosis drugs are metabolized in liver and may cause non-infectious hepatitis. Liver metabolizes also alcohol. Avoiding drinking alcohol during treatment of tuberculosis is important to prevent adverse interactions with drug (see Reference 6).