Ferritin Levels and Hepatitis C Symptoms

I have found two very interesting bits of information that could have significint effects on Hepatitis C Symptoms and the functioning of the disease. It is in relation to the "Ferritin Levels" of a person with hep C. "Ferritin" is a protein that itself has high levels of iron found in the intestines, liver and spleen. It is the main way iron is stored in the body. High levels of iron for Hep C patients is not good. As I understand it, the virus attaches to the iron molecule resulting in free-radical damage to liver cells.

First, watch this video from the author Lloyd Wright who has written several books on Hepatitis C and has a blog and web site also. Watch this and then read the quotes following and I think it will all make a lot of sense to you.

Now check out these quotes from University of Chicago Press and authored by the Deptartment of Medicine at the University of Connecticut Health Center. They certainly fall right in line with what Mr Wright said in the video.

There is growing evidence that mildly increased amounts of iron in the liver can increase hepatic injury, particularly if combined with other hepatotoxic factors, such as alcohol use, use of porphyrogenic drugs, or chronic viral hepatitis...

Mean serum levels of ferritin and iron... were significantly higher among subjects with HCV infection...than among subjects without liver disease... HCV infection is significantly associated with higher serum levels of ferritin and iron in the US population.
Quote is from Here and edited for ease of reading

From another source here is some additional information that says taking the iron out of the system can be of benefit to the person with Hep C.

Reduction of serum iron has been shown to normalize liver enzyme levels, which are elevated during periods of active liver damage (Fong TL et al 1998). Iron depletion therapy has also been shown to improve the response to conventional medicines used to treat hepatitis (Fargion S et al 1997). The only effective way to decrease serum iron is to have an iron loss, as occurs when donating blood. Hepatitis C patients cannot donate blood for common use, but their blood can still be removed, although it must be discarded.
Quote from Here

I have stated before I am not a health professional but these sources independently support one another and it might be worth talking to your doctor about if you deem them with enough credibility. It would certainly seem worth the effort to get the ferritin tests if it could effect the Hepatitis C Symptoms or the long term progression of the disease.

If you are possibly at risk, early diagnosis of the virus, even before you have hepatitis c symptoms is extremely important. The earlier you know if you have Hep C, the more you can do. There is a FDA approved test that you can take in the privacy of your own home. You send it out for testing and get the results over the phone. No doctor visits involved. Find out for sure, click here for details.

Disclaimer—The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your health care professional. You should not use the information in this article for self-diagnosis or to replace any prescriptive medication. You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem.

Powered by ScribeFire.