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Clinically proven
to reduce oxidative stress.
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Oxidative Stress and Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a gastrointestinal disease with inflammation of the liver characterized by malaise, joint aches, abdominal pain, vomiting 2-3 times per day for the first 5 days, defecation, loss of appetite, dark urine, fever, hepatomegaly (enlarged liver) and jaundice. Some chronic forms of hepatitis show very few of these signs and are only present when the longstanding inflammation has led to the replacement of liver cells by connective tissue; this disease process is referred to as cirrhosis of the liver. Certain liver function tests can also indicate hepatitis.
Hepatic oxidatively generated DNA damage frequently occurs and is strongly associated with increased iron deposition and hepatic inflammation in patients, suggesting that iron overload is an important mediator of hepatic oxidative stress and disease progression. Hepatitis induced inflammation causes oxidative DNA damage and promotes hepatocarcinogenesis which directly affects the clinical outcome. Lipid peroxidation marker MDA has been shown to be significantly elevated, while antioxidants beta-carotene, retinol and GSH were significantly decreased in patients compared to healthy subjects. It has been suggested oxidative stress biomarkers could potentially be used as a useful clinical diagnostic tool to predict the duration of disease-free survival.
About Hepatitis
- Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver.
- A serious illness in its own right, heptatitis in the presence of HIV can be deadly
- Hepatitis is categorized as either chronic or acute. Acute is usually short-lived, usually less than two months, and liver damage is usually mild. Chronic heptatis persists for long periods of time. It starts out mild and slow to progress but can become more severe; liver damage becomes more extensive and can cause cirrhosis most often resulting in liver failure or even death.
- Currently there are seven known viruses that cause heptatitis:
- Hep A is known as infectious hepatitis and is always acute. It is transmissted by contact with infected feces or food and water that has been contaminated. It is often a result of poor handwashing techniques among food preparation workers in restaurants. The risk of getting Hep A can be reduced with a series of vaccines.
- Hep B is transmitted via sexual contact, saliva, contaminated needles and exposure to infected blood. Often progresses to a chronic state without every showing signs of active hepatitis. The Hep B virus is about 100 times more infectious than the virus that causes AIDS and is transmitted silently. The risk of getting Hep B can be reduced with a series of vaccines.
- Hep C was, at one time, transmitted by receiving blood transfusions, but that is actually now quite rare because of modern blood screening tests. Now Hep C is transmitted primarily by contaminated needles. It can also be transmitted by sexual contact with someone already infected. Hep C is a chronic form of hepatitis and often shows no acute symptoms.
- Hep D can only occur in the presence of Hep B. It replicates by attaching to B.
- Hep E is similar to Hep A – transmitted by contaminated food and water. Once thought to be rare and limited mostly to those who travel, some experts estimate that up to 20% of Americans could be infected.
- Hep G is most often present only in combination with other types of hepatitis such as A, B, or C.
Risk Factors
Generally speaking, you have a greater risk of getting some form of heptatis if you:
- Do not practice proper hygiene
- Have multiple sex partners
- Are a male who has sex with other males
- Sexual contact with already infected hepatitis patient(s)
- Are an injection drug user
- Are an infant born to an infected mother
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