Jaundice
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- What is jaundice?
- Symptoms of jaundice
- Causes of jaundice
- Prevention of jaundice
- Risk factors for jaundice
- Complications of jaundice
- When to see a doctor about jaundice
- Diagnosis of jaundice
- Conventional treatment of jaundice
- Alternative/complementary treatment of jaundice
- Living with jaundice
- Caring for someone with jaundice
Alternative/complementary treatment of jaundice
Never try to self-treat or self-diagnose jaundice, as it could be potentially fatal, especially in infants or people with underlying and severe liver disorders.
Always seek medical advice and treatment and apply common sense to avoid getting an infection (hepatitis malaria and Q fever) that may cause jaundice symptoms in the first place.
Alternative / complementary treatments should be viewed only as a way of boosting the immune system to help it fight off infection and prevent recurrence. Always consult with your doctor before trying any of the treatments recommended, as they may adversely conflict with your medications.
Herbs
There are a number of excellent herbs which may help to provide relief for symptoms:
- Astragalus (radix astragali) - animal studies show this herb has a protective effect on the liver, spleen and thymus, which may be of benefit in jaundice as the liver, spleen and thymus are all normally involved and are all unhealthy. The studies showed it had a protective effect on the function of the spleen as well as the thymus (which is where T cells are sent to mature - the T cells are some of the white blood cells the immune system uses to fight infection). Consult a doctor if you want to try this herb, as it could interfere with other medications you are taking
- Echinacea (echinacea purpurea) - studies show that the herb echinacea has anti-viral properties and boosts the immune system to fight infections more effectively. Do not use echinacea if you are using any type of medication, especially the interferon or other chemotherapy medications, as there could be adverse interactions and do not use echinacea for longer than two weeks at a time, because it has an immune-dampening effect if used for too long
- Olive leaf - studies show that olive leaf has very potent anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties and helps to boost the immune system to fight infections more effectively. Speak to your doctor about trying olive leaf extract if you are taking any medications before trying it
- St Mary's thistle (Silybum marianum) - many studies show that the herb St Mary's thistle protects the liver and can even help the liver to regenerate even better than any medications without any of the side effects (there are no reports of toxicity in humans thus far). Studies also show that it helps the bile ducts and spleen in the same manner too. Studies show that St Mary's thistle is very useful in treating liver cirrhosis, all types of hepatitis. Consult a doctor if you want to try this herb, as it could interfere with other medications you are taking
Vitamins
There are a number of vitamins which may help to provide relief for symptoms:
- Folic acid - the B vitamin co-factor folic acid is very important in ensuring the red blood cells are healthy and are of a regular, healthy size, which may not be the case in people with haemolytic anaemia. Folic acid also helps to make new red blood cells work efficiently and properly
- Vitamin A - the potent antioxidant vitamin A is needed by the liver (together with the other antioxidant nutrients) to help it detoxify it from any toxins and thus heal more effectively
- Vitamin B12 - it may be necessary to supplement with vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), especially because the digestive system is involved when the liver is not functioning properly and particularly the stomach may have an inability to produce enough intrinsic factor to help utilise the vitamin B12 from food
- Vitamin C - the potent antioxidant vitamin C is needed by the liver (together with the other antioxidant nutrients) to help it detoxify it from any toxins and thus heal more effectively
- Vitamin E - the potent antioxidant vitamin E helps to prevent haemorrhaging (internal bleeding) and scar formation on the liver, or other organs. Vitamin E also improves circulation in the body
- Vitamin K - the important vitamin K is needed to help the blood clot, so that when there is an injury, the body sends the clotting factors to the point of injury to stem the flow of blood and start the healing process. Some newborns are given an intravenous injection of vitamin K to help their blood clot properly in some hospitals at birth (instead of warfarin)
Minerals
There are no minerals recommended to help to provide relief for symptoms of jaundice.
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Other nutrients
There are a number of other nutrients which may help to provide relief for symptoms:
- Acidophilus - the probiotic acidophilus helps to detoxify the body (and liver) from the effects of excessive ammonia build-up if there is an higher than normal protein intake, either from food or supplements
- Alpha-lipoic acid - the potent antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid is beneficial for the liver to help detoxify it from any toxins
- Carnitine - the amino acid-like substance carnitine helps to transport the fatty acids into the mitochondria for energy to enable the liver to be repair itself
- Co-enzyme Q10 - this powerhouse nutrient helps to enable proper oxygenation and respiration of all the cells in the body. Co-enzyme Q10 also provides maximum energy utilisation by the cells
- Cysteine - many studies show the amino acid cysteine in the form N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is a really potent antioxidant and together with methionine and glutathione helps to detoxify the the liver of any toxins, significantly prevents liver injury and this enables the liver to regenerate and become healthier
- Digestive enzymes - natural digestive enzymes (not animal-based ones) may help people restore proper digestion in people with certain types of jaundice who also have pale stools and whose bile gland is not functioning properly
- Essential amino acids - a formula which contains all of the 9 essential amino acids is necessary to provide the proteins needed to enable the liver to heal properly and reduce the cause of the jaundice
- Glutathione - the amino acid glutathione is a potent antioxidant which helps the liver detoxify and protects it from further damage
- Lecithin - the choline that makes up lecithin is needed by the body to help break down fatty acids, which is impaired when the liver or bile is not functioning normally
- Methionine - the amino acid methionine (together with cysteine and glutathione) helps to detoxify the the liver of any toxins and this enables the liver to regenerate and become healthier
- Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA) - the omega-3 EFA have potent anti-inflammatory properties and also help to ensure there is normal circulation in the body. In addition to this, the omega-3 fatty acids also help the body more effectively handle the fats/oils which are eaten in the diet
- Quinine - the natural substance quinine is used to fight malaria infections and it has now been used to create medication specifically for fighting a malaria infection
Dietary modifications
There are a number of dietary modification strategies which may help to provide relief for symptoms:
- Adequate liquids - it is important to be drinking enough water, diluted fruit juice or herbal tea (such as chamomile, elderberry, peppermint, rosehip) to keep the body well hydrated in order to help it better fight the underlying cause of the jaundice and help the body get rid of the excess bilirubin more quickly
- Avoid drinking any alcohol - drinking alcohol when you have a jaundice from any cause and if you are also taking any type of medication is not recommended. The alcohol can interfere with the action of the medication and it also does not help the body deal with underlying cause of the jaundice
- Increase intake of vegetables - a diet with increased intake of fresh (preferably organic) vegetables (about 5-6 servings per day) is recommended for people with jaundice, to help hydrate the body and provide more antioxidants and other nutrients to help the liver and other digestive organs
- Increase intake of fruits - a diet with increased intake of fresh (preferably organic) fruits (about 3-4 servings per day) is recommended for people with jaundice, to help hydrate the body and provide more antioxidants and other nutrients to help the liver and other digestive organs
- Limit intake of high fat foods - if the liver (or bile ducts) are not functioning properly, they cannot handle fat very effectively. A high fat diet may further exacerbate symptoms, so it is not recommended. Foods high in fat are most high fat dairy foods, most red meats as well as processed and junk foods
Lifestyle modifications
There are a number of lifestyle modifications which may help to provide relief for symptoms:
- Exercise - your doctor will advise you which type of exercises are suitable for your condition and which ones to avoid, especially if they are going to exacerbate your condition
- Protected sex - if you have hepatitis A, B or C, ensure you always practice safe sex because you can easily transfer the infection to your partner(s)
- Rest - it is very important to give the body the best chance at recovery and resting (sleeping or just lying down not being active) will be recommended by your doctor when you have jaundice. Rest allows the body to concentrate its energy on boosting the immune system and using all its resources to getting rid of the excess bilirubin without having to waste resources on other bodily processes
- Stay warm - if you have haemolytic anaemia, you need to ensure you stay warm at all times, especially your toes, fingers and ears need to be kept warm, so turn off the air conditioning, use mittens to take things out of the fridge and rug up on cold days to stay warm
Alternative treatments
There are no other alternative treatments recommended for jaundice.
Always ensure that you notify your medical practitioner of any supplements that you want to take - it may interfere with other medication or conditions you have. Confirm with your doctor it is safe to take BEFORE you try it.
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< 9: conventional treatment 11: living with jaundice > Last reviewed: 29 January 2009 || Last updated: 21 December 2009
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NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
