Re: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels in

[Guest guest]

WHY then did my alt/ast fall to half of what it was and stayed down lower even way before I started tx? Makes me wonder.. cuz my alt/ ast were 148/153 at diagnosis and after 2 weeks of MT, they were 80/68.... but the form I used was the siliphos bound MT and it had gota kola, schizzandra , green tea in it too.. hmmmm,,, maybe I just have weird physiology.. wrote: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to

conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the

products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed

previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal

medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that “the levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,†indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the

data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. “Currently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,†they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo,

Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie

[Guest guest]

WHY then did my alt/ast fall to half of what it was and stayed down lower even way before I started tx? Makes me wonder.. cuz my alt/ ast were 148/153 at diagnosis and after 2 weeks of MT, they were 80/68.... but the form I used was the siliphos bound MT and it had gota kola, schizzandra , green tea in it too.. hmmmm,,, maybe I just have weird physiology.. wrote: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to

conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the

products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed

previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal

medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that “the levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,†indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the

data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. “Currently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,†they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo,

Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie

[Guest guest]

My gastro, when asked, also said milk thistle could help. Doc are famous for being vague, but for a doc, he said quite a mouthful.

Is this a new finding?? It's like the amount of water that's proper, one day we should guzzle, the next we are taking a life-threatening risk if we guzzle. New findings are a GOOD thing, but for us old fogies, it's unsettling when a 180% turn is made. I just get dizzy with it all. lol

Please do not take offense, I'm just stating my feelings on the changes that occur.

Sharon in NW WashingtonAll I have seen teaches me to trust in the Creator for all that I have not seen. Ralph Waldo Emerson

wrote:

Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that â?othe levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,â? indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. â?oCurrently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,â? they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie

[Guest guest]

My gastro, when asked, also said milk thistle could help. Doc are famous for being vague, but for a doc, he said quite a mouthful.

Is this a new finding?? It's like the amount of water that's proper, one day we should guzzle, the next we are taking a life-threatening risk if we guzzle. New findings are a GOOD thing, but for us old fogies, it's unsettling when a 180% turn is made. I just get dizzy with it all. lol

Please do not take offense, I'm just stating my feelings on the changes that occur.

Sharon in NW WashingtonAll I have seen teaches me to trust in the Creator for all that I have not seen. Ralph Waldo Emerson

wrote:

Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that â?othe levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,â? indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. â?oCurrently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,â? they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie

[Guest guest]

Well sharon, I think that they really DONT know,, and the tests and trials they do are always swung the way they are originally wanted ,, and the outcome typically does seem to be exactly what they hoped for... I remember when trans fats were the BEST thing to eat, now they are the worst,, remember oat bran?, the as you say, not drinking enough water was bad , now drinking too much is bad,, I dont think they really know,,, and we can't always trust the tests because they ARE skewed many times to effect the outcomes to what they WANT them to be.. SHARON CROSBY wrote: My gastro, when asked, also said milk thistle could help. Doc are famous for being vague, but for a doc, he said quite a mouthful. Is this a new finding?? It's like the amount of water that's proper, one day we should guzzle, the next we are taking a life-threatening risk if we guzzle. New

findings are a GOOD thing, but for us old fogies, it's unsettling when a 180% turn is made. I just get dizzy with it all. lol Please do not take offense, I'm just stating my feelings on the changes that occur. Sharon in NW WashingtonAll I have seen teaches me to trust in the Creator for all that I have not seen. Ralph Waldo Emerson <elizabethnv1earthlink (DOT) net>

wrote: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon

for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with

non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for

interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently,

some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that â?othe levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,â? indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number

of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. â?oCurrently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,â? they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February,

2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie Jackie

[Guest guest]

Well sharon, I think that they really DONT know,, and the tests and trials they do are always swung the way they are originally wanted ,, and the outcome typically does seem to be exactly what they hoped for... I remember when trans fats were the BEST thing to eat, now they are the worst,, remember oat bran?, the as you say, not drinking enough water was bad , now drinking too much is bad,, I dont think they really know,,, and we can't always trust the tests because they ARE skewed many times to effect the outcomes to what they WANT them to be.. SHARON CROSBY wrote: My gastro, when asked, also said milk thistle could help. Doc are famous for being vague, but for a doc, he said quite a mouthful. Is this a new finding?? It's like the amount of water that's proper, one day we should guzzle, the next we are taking a life-threatening risk if we guzzle. New

findings are a GOOD thing, but for us old fogies, it's unsettling when a 180% turn is made. I just get dizzy with it all. lol Please do not take offense, I'm just stating my feelings on the changes that occur. Sharon in NW WashingtonAll I have seen teaches me to trust in the Creator for all that I have not seen. Ralph Waldo Emerson <elizabethnv1earthlink (DOT) net>

wrote: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon

for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with

non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for

interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently,

some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that â?othe levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,â? indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number

of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. â?oCurrently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,â? they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February,

2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie Jackie

[Guest guest]

I found this portion interesting: < However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver painanorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users. > wrote: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National

Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals

taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated

interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals.

Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado,

Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that “the levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,†indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. “Currently in progress, therefore, is a

properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,†they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.

[Guest guest]

I'm having a foggy week. I'm sooo tired and achy. I ned to have my thyroid levels tested again. I agree, it depends on who is PAYING for the test. Stats can be made to tell the ignorant unwahsed public anything. (grin) I have to go take a nap. I've been sleeping about 12 hours a day. I remember when my thyroid first went off, years ago, I hurt and slept sooo much. Sharon in NW WashingtonAll I have seen teaches me to trust in the Creator for all that I have not seen. Ralph Waldo Emerson Re: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels in Well sharon, I think that they really DONT know,, and the tests and trials they do are always swung the way they are originally wanted ,, and the outcome typically does seem to be exactly what they hoped for... I remember when trans fats were the BEST thing to eat, now they are the worst,, remember oat bran?, the as you say, not drinking enough water was bad , now drinking too much is bad,, I dont think they really know,,, and we can't always trust the tests because they ARE skewed many times to effect the outcomes to what they WANT them to be..

[Guest guest]

THERE YA GO!!!! Follow the money and one can better interpret the facts. lol Sharon in NW WashingtonAll I have seen teaches me to trust in the Creator for all that I have not seen. Ralph Waldo Emerson Re: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inI found this portion interesting: < However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver painanorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users. > wrote:Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that â?othe levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,â? indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. â?oCurrently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,â? they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.

[Guest guest]

THERE YA GO!!!! Follow the money and one can better interpret the facts. lol Sharon in NW WashingtonAll I have seen teaches me to trust in the Creator for all that I have not seen. Ralph Waldo Emerson Re: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inI found this portion interesting: < However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver painanorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users. > wrote:Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that â?othe levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,â? indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. â?oCurrently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,â? they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.

[Guest guest]



I don't know if this study is accurate or not , it stands to reason it isn't cause mt has proved itself . I just posted the study results , cause it's my job lol

Re: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels in

WHY then did my alt/ast fall to half of what it was and stayed down lower even way before I started tx? Makes me wonder.. cuz my alt/ ast were 148/153 at diagnosis and after 2 weeks of MT, they were 80/68.... but the form I used was the siliphos bound MT and it had gota kola, schizzandra , green tea in it too.. hmmmm,,, maybe I just have weird physiology..

<elizabethnv1earthlink (DOT) net> wrote:

Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that “the levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,†indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. “Currently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,†they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie

[Guest guest]



I don't know if this study is accurate or not , it stands to reason it isn't cause mt has proved itself . I just posted the study results , cause it's my job lol

Re: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels in

WHY then did my alt/ast fall to half of what it was and stayed down lower even way before I started tx? Makes me wonder.. cuz my alt/ ast were 148/153 at diagnosis and after 2 weeks of MT, they were 80/68.... but the form I used was the siliphos bound MT and it had gota kola, schizzandra , green tea in it too.. hmmmm,,, maybe I just have weird physiology..

<elizabethnv1earthlink (DOT) net> wrote:

Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that “the levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,†indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. “Currently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,†they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie

[Guest guest]



I don't know if this study is accurate or not , it stands to reason it isn't cause mt has proved itself . I just posted the study results , cause it's my job lol

Re: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels in

WHY then did my alt/ast fall to half of what it was and stayed down lower even way before I started tx? Makes me wonder.. cuz my alt/ ast were 148/153 at diagnosis and after 2 weeks of MT, they were 80/68.... but the form I used was the siliphos bound MT and it had gota kola, schizzandra , green tea in it too.. hmmmm,,, maybe I just have weird physiology..

<elizabethnv1earthlink (DOT) net> wrote:

Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that “the levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,†indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. “Currently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,†they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie

[Guest guest]

As the researcher for this group it is my job to post recent studies on things that effect us and this is just one of them . I don't take offense sweety , even I think this one is a little off but have to do some more digging . This is a new study .,

Re: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels in

My gastro, when asked, also said milk thistle could help. Doc are famous for being vague, but for a doc, he said quite a mouthful.

Is this a new finding?? It's like the amount of water that's proper, one day we should guzzle, the next we are taking a life-threatening risk if we guzzle. New findings are a GOOD thing, but for us old fogies, it's unsettling when a 180% turn is made. I just get dizzy with it all. lol

Please do not take offense, I'm just stating my feelings on the changes that occur.

Sharon in NW WashingtonAll I have seen teaches me to trust in the Creator for all that I have not seen. Ralph Waldo Emerson

<elizabethnv1earthlink (DOT) net> wrote:

Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that â?othe levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,â? indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. â?oCurrently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,â? they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie

[Guest guest]

As the researcher for this group it is my job to post recent studies on things that effect us and this is just one of them . I don't take offense sweety , even I think this one is a little off but have to do some more digging . This is a new study .,

Re: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels in

My gastro, when asked, also said milk thistle could help. Doc are famous for being vague, but for a doc, he said quite a mouthful.

Is this a new finding?? It's like the amount of water that's proper, one day we should guzzle, the next we are taking a life-threatening risk if we guzzle. New findings are a GOOD thing, but for us old fogies, it's unsettling when a 180% turn is made. I just get dizzy with it all. lol

Please do not take offense, I'm just stating my feelings on the changes that occur.

Sharon in NW WashingtonAll I have seen teaches me to trust in the Creator for all that I have not seen. Ralph Waldo Emerson

<elizabethnv1earthlink (DOT) net> wrote:

Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that â?othe levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,â? indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. â?oCurrently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,â? they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie

[Guest guest]

As the researcher for this group it is my job to post recent studies on things that effect us and this is just one of them . I don't take offense sweety , even I think this one is a little off but have to do some more digging . This is a new study .,

Re: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels in

My gastro, when asked, also said milk thistle could help. Doc are famous for being vague, but for a doc, he said quite a mouthful.

Is this a new finding?? It's like the amount of water that's proper, one day we should guzzle, the next we are taking a life-threatening risk if we guzzle. New findings are a GOOD thing, but for us old fogies, it's unsettling when a 180% turn is made. I just get dizzy with it all. lol

Please do not take offense, I'm just stating my feelings on the changes that occur.

Sharon in NW WashingtonAll I have seen teaches me to trust in the Creator for all that I have not seen. Ralph Waldo Emerson

<elizabethnv1earthlink (DOT) net> wrote:

Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that â?othe levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,â? indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. â?oCurrently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,â? they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie

[Guest guest]

I know,, and we do want all the research you can find posted,, I was just asking how they could say this when I KNOW what happened to me and so many others that I know.. Thank you Liz for all the time and effort you put into the group in researching all the info you do.. Its a job you do without pay and shows what a giving person you truely are! I love ya hon me elizabethnv1 wrote:  I don't know if this study is accurate or not , it stands to reason it isn't cause mt has proved itself . I just posted the study results , cause it's my job lol Re: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels in WHY then did my alt/ast fall to half of what it was and stayed down lower even way before I started tx? Makes me wonder.. cuz my alt/ ast were 148/153 at diagnosis and after 2 weeks of MT, they were 80/68.... but the form I used was the siliphos bound MT and it had gota kola, schizzandra , green tea in it

too.. hmmmm,,, maybe I just have weird physiology.. <elizabethnv1earthlink (DOT) net> wrote: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were

patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These

results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to

treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all

prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that “the levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,†indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on

hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. “Currently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,†they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term

Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie Jackie

[Guest guest]

I know,, and we do want all the research you can find posted,, I was just asking how they could say this when I KNOW what happened to me and so many others that I know.. Thank you Liz for all the time and effort you put into the group in researching all the info you do.. Its a job you do without pay and shows what a giving person you truely are! I love ya hon me elizabethnv1 wrote:  I don't know if this study is accurate or not , it stands to reason it isn't cause mt has proved itself . I just posted the study results , cause it's my job lol Re: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels in WHY then did my alt/ast fall to half of what it was and stayed down lower even way before I started tx? Makes me wonder.. cuz my alt/ ast were 148/153 at diagnosis and after 2 weeks of MT, they were 80/68.... but the form I used was the siliphos bound MT and it had gota kola, schizzandra , green tea in it

too.. hmmmm,,, maybe I just have weird physiology.. <elizabethnv1earthlink (DOT) net> wrote: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were

patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These

results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to

treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all

prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that “the levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,†indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on

hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. “Currently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,†they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term

Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie Jackie

[Guest guest]

I know,, and we do want all the research you can find posted,, I was just asking how they could say this when I KNOW what happened to me and so many others that I know.. Thank you Liz for all the time and effort you put into the group in researching all the info you do.. Its a job you do without pay and shows what a giving person you truely are! I love ya hon me elizabethnv1 wrote:  I don't know if this study is accurate or not , it stands to reason it isn't cause mt has proved itself . I just posted the study results , cause it's my job lol Re: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels in WHY then did my alt/ast fall to half of what it was and stayed down lower even way before I started tx? Makes me wonder.. cuz my alt/ ast were 148/153 at diagnosis and after 2 weeks of MT, they were 80/68.... but the form I used was the siliphos bound MT and it had gota kola, schizzandra , green tea in it

too.. hmmmm,,, maybe I just have weird physiology.. <elizabethnv1earthlink (DOT) net> wrote: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were

patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These

results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to

treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all

prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that “the levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,†indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on

hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. “Currently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,†they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term

Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie Jackie

[Guest guest]

Thank ya hun ,, but I tell ya there are times when I just wanna quote " don't shoot the messenger " lol

Re: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels in

WHY then did my alt/ast fall to half of what it was and stayed down lower even way before I started tx? Makes me wonder.. cuz my alt/ ast were 148/153 at diagnosis and after 2 weeks of MT, they were 80/68.... but the form I used was the siliphos bound MT and it had gota kola, schizzandra , green tea in it too.. hmmmm,,, maybe I just have weird physiology..

<elizabethnv1earthlink (DOT) net> wrote:

Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that “the levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,†indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. “Currently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,†they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie

Jackie

[Guest guest]

Thank ya hun ,, but I tell ya there are times when I just wanna quote " don't shoot the messenger " lol

Re: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels in

WHY then did my alt/ast fall to half of what it was and stayed down lower even way before I started tx? Makes me wonder.. cuz my alt/ ast were 148/153 at diagnosis and after 2 weeks of MT, they were 80/68.... but the form I used was the siliphos bound MT and it had gota kola, schizzandra , green tea in it too.. hmmmm,,, maybe I just have weird physiology..

<elizabethnv1earthlink (DOT) net> wrote:

Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that “the levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,†indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. “Currently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,†they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie

Jackie

[Guest guest]

Thank ya hun ,, but I tell ya there are times when I just wanna quote " don't shoot the messenger " lol

Re: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels in

WHY then did my alt/ast fall to half of what it was and stayed down lower even way before I started tx? Makes me wonder.. cuz my alt/ ast were 148/153 at diagnosis and after 2 weeks of MT, they were 80/68.... but the form I used was the siliphos bound MT and it had gota kola, schizzandra , green tea in it too.. hmmmm,,, maybe I just have weird physiology..

<elizabethnv1earthlink (DOT) net> wrote:

Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that “the levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,†indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. “Currently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,†they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie

Jackie

[Guest guest]

yep,,, lots of anecdotal proof, but some wont accept that,, its sad, thats for sure,, Sheena wrote: I found this portion interesting: < However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver painanorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users. > <elizabethnv1earthlink (DOT) net> wrote: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of

enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online

at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and

sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and

therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that “the levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different

between silymarin users and non-users,†indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. “Currently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,†they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08) Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. Jackie

[Guest guest]

Oh I bet you do,, and IM so glad you dont take it 'personally',,, I think that after one has been dealing with this virus so long, we get a bit cynical about stuff,, btw, Sunnihunni emailed me and asked how you were doing and said to tell you hi,, so HI... and I advised her to email you too! lol elizabethnv1 wrote: Thank ya hun ,, but I tell ya there are times when I just wanna quote " don't shoot the messenger " lol Re: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels in WHY then did my alt/ast fall to half of what it was and stayed down lower even way before I started tx? Makes me wonder.. cuz my alt/ ast were 148/153 at diagnosis and after 2 weeks of MT, they were 80/68.... but the form I used was the siliphos bound MT and it had gota kola, schizzandra , green tea in it too.. hmmmm,,, maybe I just have weird physiology.. <elizabethnv1earthlink (DOT) net> wrote: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C,

having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered

the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term

treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of

1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that “the levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,†indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue,

nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. “Currently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,†they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert;

Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie Jackie Jackie

[Guest guest]

I haven't heard from her since right after her hubby's death . She was devastated by it and needed time to heal .

Re: Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels in

WHY then did my alt/ast fall to half of what it was and stayed down lower even way before I started tx? Makes me wonder.. cuz my alt/ ast were 148/153 at diagnosis and after 2 weeks of MT, they were 80/68.... but the form I used was the siliphos bound MT and it had gota kola, schizzandra , green tea in it too.. hmmmm,,, maybe I just have weird physiology..

<elizabethnv1earthlink (DOT) net> wrote:

Silymarin does not affect virus activity or ALT levels inIn a survey of patients with chronic hepatitis C who participated in a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-sponsored long-term treatment trial for patients who had failed to respond previously to antiviral therapy, approximately 40% acknowledged to interviewers at the time of enrollment that they were currently using or had in the recent past used herbal products for health purposes. This information was somewhat surprising because these were patients with advanced liver disease who were clearly committed to conventional antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C, having been so treated previously, some on more than one occasion, but because they had failed to respond, were now willing to accept treatment again with pegylated interferon for another 3 and a half years. Among those who were or had used alternative therapies, silymarin (milk thistle) was the product of choice either on its own or together with other herbal products, representing 72% of all the herbals taken.These findings are in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article was also available online at Wiley Interscience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology).These results do not come from a rigorous scientific study because the products used were self-administered by the patients who entered the trial and no information was obtained on the duration or dose of the herbal taken. Still, in comparing users with non-users, while no difference was found for blood ALT or HCV levels between the two groups, the herbal users did report somewhat fewer symptoms and a better quality of life.The current recommended treatment for patients with HCV infection is combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, it leads to a sustained virological response in only a third to a half of all patients with the predominant form of the infection in the U.S., namely genotype 1, and it can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. The NIH study, referred to as the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial, was designed, therefore, to treat persons with advanced chronic hepatitis C who had failed previous antiviral therapy with the hope that the long-term treatment would reduce progression of the chronic liver disease even if it did not affect the virus itself. The reason for interviewing enrollees in the trial was to determine the extent of use of alternative therapies in this committed group, since the popularity of herbal products has increased in the U.S., many HCV patients choosing to supplement, or even replace, the standard treatment with herbals. Silymarin (milk thistle extract) has been the most popular option for people with liver disease. Although it is the most frequent product utilized, silymarin has not been rigorously studied using accepted scientific approaches, and therefore such studies are clearly required and warranted.For the present survey, researchers interviewed all HALT-C participants on past and current use of all prescription and non-prescription drugs, including herbal medications, dietary supplements and other botanical products. Of 1145 study participants, 56 percent said that they had never used herbal products, while 23 percent were using them currently, some 60 different varieties. Silymarin was by far the most common. Usage was higher among men, among non-Hispanic whites, and among the more highly educated. Interestingly, the researchers also found geographic disparities in silymarin usage. It was most popular in Colorado, Michigan and Southern California and least popular in land and Massachusetts.In comparing the clinical data of silymarin users and non-users, the researchers found that “the levels of HCV RNA were not significantly different between silymarin users and non-users,†indicating no effect on virus activity. Similarly, the product did not alter serum ALT levels, indicating no effect on hepatic inflammation. However, after adjusting for covariates, the data showed that silymarin users reported less fatigue, nausea, liver pain, anorexia, muscle and joint pain and better general health than non-users.The better scores in a small number of symptoms among silymarin users compared to non-users are insufficient to support the value of this alternative therapy, the authors conclude. Compelling information can come only if a scientifically valid study is performed. “Currently in progress, therefore, is a properly designed prospective, randomized, controlled trial in which a fully characterized, purified and standardized silymarin formulation is being evaluated,†they report.This trial is supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and by NIDDK, NIH.Article: Herbal Product Use by Persons Enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (Halt-C) Trial. Seeff, Leonard; Curto, ; Szabo, Gyongyi; Everson, ; Bonkovsky, Herbert; Dienstag, Jules; Shiffman, ; , ; Lok, ; Di Bisceglie, , Lee, ; Ghany, Marc. Hepatology February, 2008.Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial- (01/03/08)Jackie

Jackie

Jackie