VITAMIN A MAY BOOST STANDARD TREATMENT/Fatty Liver

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VITAMIN A MAY BOOST STANDARD TREATMENT/Fatty Liver

VITAMIN A MAY BOOSTSTANDARD TREATMENT

Researchers did a small study on 42 patients to see if adding vitamin A to standardtreatment (pegylated interferon plus ribavirin)would improve the response rates.

Caution: The treatment did not include aplacebo, and the doses of vitamin A werequite high, so one would probably not wantto add high doses without the results of thistrial being confirmed.

The recommended daily dose of vitamin A in the US is 2310 to3000 IU daily and the vitamin can be toxic.The study was presented as an abstract, but has not yet been published in a journalwhere it has been reviewed by other experts, so the results should be taken as preliminary.The results of the trial were impressive.After 48 weeks of treatment, 61% of those who added 30,000 IU daily of vitamin A tostandard treatment achieved an SVR (sustained viral response) compared to42.9% of those taking standard treatment alone. Even at 12 weeks into treatment, 70%taking the vitamin A were virus free, compared to about 40% of those on standardtreatment alone.

There were no side effects from the high dose vitamin A.Researchers had noted in earlier studies that retinoic acid had a positive effect onliver cancer cells in vitro and increased the effect of IFN and RBV.A placebo-controlled trial is planned.,

Source:

Sato S, et al.

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"Retinol supplements antiviral action of pegylated interferon and ribavirincombination therapy in patients with chronichepatitis C: Prospective pilot study" DDW 2010;Abstract T2004.

,VITAMIN E FORFATTY LIVER?

,Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH or fatty liver) can turn into cirrhosis. At thistime, there is no treatment for the condition.Researchers studied 247 non-diabetic patients with NASH, and divided them into 3pioglitazone, a second group received 800 IU a day of vitamin E, and a third groupreceived a placebo.Treatment lasted for 96 weeks.

The researchers hoped to find improvement basedon standard scores for steatosis, lobular inflammation, hepatocellular ballooning,and fibrosis (scarring). 43% of patients in the vitamin E group showed improvementin fatty liver, compared to 34% of those taking pioglitazone and 19% taking placebo.AST and ALT levels were reduced in the vitamin E and the pioglitazone groups,compared to placebo, and both of those treatments showed reduced steatosis andinflammation, but no improvement in fibrosis or portal inflammation. Pioglitazone hadimproved insulin resistance, patients gained more weight than the other two groups. Theinsulin resistance returned to baseline levels after treatment, but the weight did not...

The researchers concluded that vitamin E treatment was better than placebo forNASH patients without diabetes, and that there was some benefit related to pioglitazone,as well. It is thought that the patients will relapse if they discontinue the treatments./.

Source:

Arun J. Sanyal, M.D, et al, NEJM April28 2010

..ALAURSO FOR NASH

nThere are approved treatments for NASH, but many patients do not respond, so researchersin Prague studied the effects of ALAURSO, which is 400 mg daily of alphalipoicacid (found naturally in your body, and in health food stores) and 300 mg daily ursodeoxycholicacid (UDCA or ursodiol) in 10 patients with NASH, who in addition to alow-calorie diet, took the products for 6 months. None of these patients had Hep B orC. None consumed alcohol, and none had gallbladder stones. All had biopsies beforeand after treatment. While 10 patients took 400 mg of alpha-lipoic acid, 10 other patientsreceived placebos and ate a low-calorie diet..

The diet alone improved the severity of the NASH.No change was seen in liver enzymes in the placebo group, but there was a notabledrop in those taking ALAURSO. AST dropped an average of 17 mg/dL, ALTdropped about 17mg/dL, and GGT dropped about 13.5 mg/dL..

Fibrosis increased in the placebo group, and declined in the ALAURSO group. Researchersbelieve that R-enantiomer, found naturally in alpha-lipoic acid, may be solelyresponsible for the benefits of the drug.Note: This study used very few subjects.The results are preliminary. They have not been peer-reviewed.Please tell your doctor if you are taking supplementsm.

Source: MedPage TodayPublished: May 16, 2010 (via natap.org )

http://Hepatitis Cnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2010/06/vitamin-may-boost-standard.html