Making sure that you get the right vitamins is so important with liver disease. It’s essential to know that a damaged or inflamed liver cannot handle too many vitamins. In fact, taking too many, or the wrong dose can actually cause more harm than good.

When my liver crashed, the doctor gave me a lot of instructions, and I was so surprised to hear that NO Vitamins was on the top of the list. Weren’t they good for you? I was totally baffled. I had to do a lot of research to find out exactly what is best for the liver. Some websites claimed that herbs were the cure for cirrhosis. We have to be smart and look at the whole picture of who is saying what. My research on the world wide web was scattered far and wide.

What I found, as I’m sure you have discovered, is that the way each body tolerates and uses vitamins and supplements greatly varies. In addition, the method of harvesting, manufacturing, and packaging can affect the strength and purity. So my doctor said NO to everything. He was thinking of Bubba Don’s Herb Farm where the weeds were thrown in with the herbs and it was all labeled good. Meanwhile I’m reading like crazy, fading fast with End Stage Liver Disease, and fighting to get out of bed. I was NOT going to lay there and wait to die. I had to have some control.

So, I made my list of what vitamins and supplements I felt were absolutely necessary for liver health and function. I dug deep in research and then I cross-referenced. That death sentence was like getting on a roller coaster that had steep drops, neck breaking curves, and no restraining bar. I grabbed at everything. I took the list to my gastroenterologist. He was not that impressed, telling me that I could take a low iron children’s multi-vitamin and a milk thistle brand that he approved of. (Do not take milk thistle while on treatment.) I could take vitamin K 2 or 3 times a week when bruising was extreme.

Please do not ignore the importance of knowing what the liver-safe vitamins and supplements with cirrhosis are. They are a vital link to your wellness. All my love and my best wishes to you in your nutritional health, Karen :)

For Karen’s list of liver-friendly vitamins and supplements, and to read this entire blog entry, visit IHelpC.com