Postive experience of Vitamin C vs. Hep. C

[KENT]

[Dolev]

Kent,

Glad you're doing much better. I would in addition be pelased to bring to your attention an encouraging trial on three cases of hepatitis C in which alpha lipoic acid was given, plus silymarin (from milk thistle) and selenium. Here is the abstract:

conservative triple antioxidant approach to the treatment of hepatitis C. Combination of alpha lipoic acid (thioctic acid), silymarin, and selenium: three case histories.

Berkson BM.

Integrative Medical Center of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, USA. burt@zianet.com

BACKGROUND: There has been an increase in the number of adults seeking liver transplantation for hepatitis C in the last few years and the count is going up rapidly. There is no reliable and effective therapy for chronic hepatitis C since interferon and antivirals work no more than 30% of the time, and liver transplant surgery is uncertain and tentative over the long run. This is because, ultimately, residual hepatitis C viremia infects the new liver. Furthermore, liver transplantation can be painful, disabling and extremely costly. TREATMENT PROGRAM: The author describes a low cost and efficacious treatment program in 3 patients with cirrhosis, portal hypertension and esophageal varices secondary to chronic hepatitis C infection. This effective and conservative regimen combines 3 potent antioxidants (alpha-lipoic acid [thioctic acid], silymarin, and selenium) that possess antiviral, free radical quenching and immune boosting qualities. CONCLUSION: There are no remarkably effective treatments for chronic hepatitis C in general use. Interferon and antivirals have less than a 30% response rate and because of the residual viremia, a newly transplanted liver usually becomes infected again. The triple antioxidant combination of alpha-lipoic acid, silymarin and selenium was chosen for a conservative treatment of hepatitis C because these substances protect the liver from free radical damage, increase the levels of other fundamental antioxidants, and interfere with viral proliferation. The 3 patients presented in this paper followed the triple antioxidant program and recovered quickly and their laboratory values remarkably improved. Furthermore, liver transplantation was avoided and the patients are back at work, carrying out their normal activities, and feeling healthy. The author offers a more conservative approach to the treatment of hepatitis C, that is exceedingly less expensive. One year of the triple antioxidant therapy described in this paper costs less than $2,000, as compared to mor than $300,000 a year for liver transplant surgery. It appears reasonable, that prior to liver transplant surgery evaluation, or during the transplant evaluation process, the conservative triple antioxidant treatment approach should be considered. If these is a significant betterment in the patient's condition, liver transplant surgery may be avoided.

Publication Types:
Case Reports

PMID: 10554539 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Guest]

Dolev

I actually tried the triple antioxidant therapy for two years along with an aggressive natural diet. My beginning viral count was 49000 and AST and ALT were 25. However, it was too much for me to maintain the diet and slowly my viral count and liver counts rose. When I began the interferon treatment my AST and ALT were in the fifties and my viral count was 650000.

If I would of read the complete the complete study , I may have been more successful . I was not aware of the extra supplements that were also used in the study. http://janis7hepc.com/Nutrition/Berkson ... 0Study.htm

Patients and Method: The 3 basic antioxidants there were used in this report are alpha-lipoic acid (thioctic acid), silymarin and selenium (selenomethionine). The alpha-lipoic acid product was manufactured by Asta Medica at Frankfurt Am Main, Germany. The silymarin was a product distributed by NOW Foods of Bloomingdale, Illinois, and the selenium was encapsulated by Metabolic Maintenance Products Inc., of Sisters, Oregon.
The 3 patients were selected at random from a group of approximately 50 chronic hepatitis C charts at the Integrative Medical Center of New Mexico in Las Cruces. Each patient was maintained on a dose of 600 mg. Of alpha-lipoic acid a day in 2 divided portions of 300 mg. each. The silymarin dose was 900 mg. Per day in 3 divided portions of 300 mg. The selenomethiomine dose was 400 mcg in 2 divided portions of 200 mcg.
Because alpha-lipoic acid depletes some of the B vitamins, the patients were prescribed 2 B-100 capsules a day. In addition, each patient also took between 1,000 and 6,000 mg. Of vitamin C, 400 IU of vitamin E, and a mineral supplement. The patients were also requested to eat a daily diet that included at least 6 servings of fresh vegetables and fruits, only 4 oz or less of meat per meal, and 8 glasses of fresh water.
It was also suggested that the patients reduce their stress levels, and take part in an exercise program that included at least a 1-mile walk 3 times a week. The patients followed the nutritional supplement program carefully, however, it is not clearly known whether the other regimens were correctly followed.

[KENT]

[J.Lilinoe]

Hi Kent,
That is sure good news about your dad's blood pressure being within the normal range after 30 years. My mom has wrestled with HBP for just as long so I too am sending her a jar of Vit C soft gel caps (she likes the gel caps) and recommending the same dose of around 6 to 10 grams per day. She takes a beta blocker for her HBP which she must be weaned from it over time if her doctor decides to stop it. Can you please let us know how your dad does with his HBP medication? All the best to you and your dad.
JL

[ofonorow]

My viral load was 600, which is down from 650,000. My liver panel was normal and curiously my white blood count was 4.0 and red blood count was 4.1. This is a significant rise from a baseline of 3.3. I believe the rise is related to taking lypo-spheric vitamin c in addition to taking bowel tolerance levels of vitamin c.

I may have missed it, but you didn't say what your bowel tolerance amount of vitamin C was?

Also, we'd be interested to know what kind of vitamin C you are taking. And, it is very interesting that you have added lyposheric C to "bowel tolerance" levels. (A recent communication with Dr. Hickey has recommended this method - adding LypoSpheric C after you reach bowel tolerance, because when you are sick, you can already absorb so much vitamin C ordinary vitamin C. In other words, this may be the way to increase blood levels of ascorbate above the levels produced by bowel tolerance.)

[KENT]

Owen

I take Lypo-spheric vitamin c package 4 times daily
I take 30 to 50 grams of powdered vitamin c from Trader Joes.
2 B complex 100
1500 mg NAC
300 mcg selenium
1000 mg milk thistle
3 grams lysine
300 mg Green tea extract
900 mg Alpha Lopic acid
800 iu Vitamin E succinate
2 servings of primal defense.

Given that I have not really paid close attention to the relationship between lypo=spheric vitamin c and the addition to 30 to 50 grams of powder vitamin c . I do see that the amount of lypo-
spheric vitamin c having much influence on my bowel tolerance levels of powdered vitamin c. I believe I am taking the same amount of powdered vitamin c as I was before I started taking lypo-sheric vitamin C.
I hope this helpful

Ken

[Guest]

Given that I have not really paid close attention to the relationship between lypo=spheric vitamin c and the addition to 30 to 50 grams of powder vitamin c . I do see that the amount of lypo-
spheric vitamin c having much influence on my bowel tolerance levels of powdered vitamin c. I believe I am taking the same amount of powdered vitamin c as I was before I started taking lypo-sheric vitamin C.

I hope this helpful

Ken[/quote]

Major correction- I meant to convey -I see no relationship between bowel tolerance of vitamin c and taking lypo-spheric vitamin c . That is lypo-spheric vitamin c seem to me to be a very power bonus of vitamin c.

ken