Carrie Louise Daenell, ND

Most people do not think about Hepatitis C as an issue of concern for the mature members of our society. While people of all ages contract Hepatitis C and could benefit from preventative therapies, it is the grandmothers and grandfathers that comprise the majority of the Hepatitis C patients in my practice. Why? Because Hepatitis C is a silent disease.

It is possible to carry it for twenty to thirty years before symptoms become obvious. Therefore a person that contracted it at the age of twenty, back in 1970, may be just starting to experience symptoms at the age of 50. Early symptoms are often limited to digestive upset, fatigue and depression. These symptoms are so common among us that they do not lead a physician to automatically test for Hepatitis C.

Routine health screening does not, at present, include Hepatitis C. Therefore, there are likely to be far more people silently carrying Hepatitis C without knowing it, than there are people with a confirmed diagnosis. According to Dr. Gregory T. Everson, director of Hepatology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 3.9 million Americans are infected with this virus. This phenomenon will undoubtedly manifest as an explosion of diagnoses in the coming decade.

It is known that Hepatitis C can be transmitted through needle-stick injuries, IV drug use with shared needles, blood transfusions prior to 1990, hemodialysis, and body piercing or tattooing. It is suspected that it may also be transmitted through sexual activity and from mother to child at birth. Unfortunately, many people receiving blood transfusions for procedures as common as c-section deliveries, received contaminated blood. This is because it was not until the 1980's that the virus was even identified, and it was not until 1990 that the first test for the virus became available. Tattooing and experimental IV drug use were also coming into popularity in the seventies. Without a name for the disease, authorities did not know to caution people against its spread. Perhaps most frustrating of all, there are people testing positive for Hepatitis C with no known history of risk factors.

If it is silent anyway, why be tested? The dangerous manifestations of Hepatitis C include liver cirrhosis and cancer. Because this is often a disease of gradual progression; and because the mechanism of injury involves damage that can be slowed and prevented by anti-oxidants, natural anti-inflammatory agents, natural anti-viral agents, cancer-preventative supportive supplements, and fibrinolytic herbal combinations, it will be to your benefit to know if you carry the virus. (Note: Fibrinolytic means "breaking down fibrous tissue." Fibrous changes in the liver lead to permanent scarring, also known as cirrhosis) So far, there is no vaccination against, and no cure for Hepatitis C. Drug therapy includes interferon and interferon in combination with Ribavirin. Success rates on these therapies are not as high as we had hoped, and side effects can be daunting. However, there is much to be done naturally in order to facilitate optimal health in the face of Hepatitis C.

Why consider a biopsy or genotyping? First, it might trouble you, and it might set your mind at ease. You may have been infected with Hepatitis C for 30 years, get your biopsy results, and find that you have mild inflammation. If you have only mild inflammation without fibrosis, cirrhosis or cancer after thirty years, you can reasonably hope to live a long life that is free of the complications of end-stage Hepatitis C.

Secondly, when it comes to natural therapies, there are two distict advantages to knowing the results of your liver biopsy. They include choosing appropriate therapies and monitoring your results. If you have mild inflammation, for example, your therapy choices may be more focussed upon anti-oxidants, anti-virals and anti-inflammatory supplements. You will not have to pursue the anti-fibrotic herbs and the supplements known to be cancer preventative. If you do have some fibrosing, you will want to pursue herbs that prevent further damage, and that may reverse the process. Fibrosis leads to cirrhosis. Fibrosis, however, is much easier to treat than cirrhosis. The biopsy results that you get today will help you determine the progress of your treatment as the years progress. For example, if you have moderate fibrosing on your biopsy today and you treat that fibrosis with herbs specific for reversing that fibrosis, your results in 3 years will demonstrate their effectiveness. If your three year biopsy shows mild fibrosis, you can rest assured that you are moving in the right direction at the right dosage. Conversely, if it hasn't progressed, but has remained at the moderate level, you may want to be more aggressive with your therapy. You haven't gotten worse, however, you aren't reversing the state of fibrosis either.

Who cares what your genotype is? You do. There are certain Hepatitis C genotypes that are known to be more aggressive. This information will help you match the level of disease aggression with the level of supportive intervention. Further, it is known that certain genotypes respond more favorably to interferon and combination drug therapy than others. This information allows you to make a more informed decision about whether or not to undergo drug therapy.

I am a firm believer that people challenged with disease states have much more to gain by increased access to information regarding their bodies and their health, than by trying to manage the physical and psychological challenges without all the facts. Often the unknown yeilds much more anxiety than the truth. The unknown can be an infinite set of negative possiblities, while the truth is finite. I encourage you to inform yourself, so that you can take an active and decisive role in the care of your health. Natural therapies that decrease oxidative damage and inflammation, and support healthy liver function include: Anti-oxidants - vitamin A, C, E, alpha lipoic acid, co Q10, grape seed extract, milk thistle, N-acetyl cystein, selenium and zinc (note: zinc must be limited to15mg of supplemented zinc per day in order to prevent the progression of opportunistic infections associated with HIV), milk thistle, licorice root and beta-sitosterols. Some herbs are dangerous to the Hepatitis C infected liver. Do not self-treat with herbs without the support of a health care practitioner educated on the topic of herbal therapies. Herbs are natural combinations of chemicals. Some of them are completely safe for the liver. Others actually protect and support the liver. However, as with any chemicals, some of them have the power to harm the liver, especially the liver that is challenged with a Hepatitis C infection. This is one of the many reasons that I would encourage anyone, which is self-medicating with natural substances, to enlist the help of a trained professional. Natural substances are potent. That is why they work. If they are potent to help then conversely they may be potent to harm. Check every supplement that you are currently taking for the following herbs. They are known to be harmful to the liver of a person with Hepatitis C: Atractylis gummifera, Azadirachza indica, Berberis vulgaris (an antimicrobial herb), Calliepsis laureola, Cassia angustifolia (senna - used for constipation), Crotaiaria, Corydalis, Hedeoma pulegoides, Heliotropium, Larrea tridentate (chaparral or Creosote) Lycopodium serratum (herb is dangerous also known as Chinese Jin Bu Huan, homeopathic is safe), Mentha pulegoides, Sassafras albidum, Scuteileria (Skullcap), Stephania, Symphytum officinale (Comfrey herb is dangerous, homeopathic is safe) Teucrium chamaedrys (mint) Tusilago farfara (Peppermint) Valeriana officinalis (Valerian, Hops, Gentian - sleep and digestive herbs), Viscum alba (Mistletoe - cancer herb) and Pennyroyal. If anything that you are taking contains one of these herbs, discontinue it immediately.

Dietary changes to support liver health include the following considerations: Any substance that is not a nutrient taxes the liver. Hepatitis C is more aggressive when the liver is forced to process chemicals, colorings, preservatives, pesticides, herbicides, drugs, alcohol, caffeine, tobacco products, hydrogenated oils such as those found in margarine, and rancid oils such as those present in fried foods. The most success diet to follow would be one of whole, organic and natural foods, and clean water.

If you have reason to suspect that you may be at risk for a Hepatitis C infection, discuss it with your primary care physician. They will run the appropriate tests to rule this out, or if need be, to diagnose you appropriately and refer you to the care of a hepatologist or gastroenterologist.

For more information on Hepatitis C, contact the Hep C Connection. Their national office is located in Denver at 1177 Grant St. Suite #200 (303) 860-0800. I work with people facing the challenges of Hepatitis C from all over the country.

If you are interested in developing a consulting relationship with me, contact my office at (303) 399-8050, or by email.