Standard Process Vitamins

can your liver be affected if you take multivitamins or protein shakes?

i don't know if it's true. i ask because the lobotomist at the clinic took some of my blood and said that something's is wrong with my liver. it was finally confirmed that it was not hepatitis. my doctor's nurse told me that i should avoid milk, alcohol, multivitamins, thermogenics(weight loss pills), protein shakes, etc. anyone have any advice from a doctor's perspective or any medical professional?

Public Comments

1. When someone has a problem with the liver, it takes time to determine the cause. They may see that your blood work has above normal levels for your liver enzymes or your liver functions tests. To be on the safe side, they are telling you not to use these till the cause is found. Here is why: (1)Alcohol is the number one cause of liver problems and it can lead to damage to the liver cells if the person is sensitive to it. If there is already liver damage, then it will increase it. (2)Vitamins are two types, soluble and those insoluble. Some vitamins leave the body faster cause they are soluble (dissolve in fluid)...they are released in the urine... other are not and they can easily build up in the body and go toxic in levels... especially if there is a liver problem. (3) All medications go through the liver first to be broken down, before going to the rest of the body. If the cells of the liver are damaged, they don't do this as good and the medications then needs adjusted to the amount of damage there is. Also, medications can be hard on the liver, more than others. You probably have heard that overdosing on acetaminophen can cause liver damage...well taking acetaminophen with alcohol can cause immediate cell damage. The doctor knows which ones are safer to take than other ones. (4) The body does need a certain amount of proteins...some is only obtained by the foods we eat. However, in liver disease.. there is a condition that develops because the patients liver cannot handle this extra break down of proteins, known as encephalopathy. The proteins, as our body uses them, has a by product produced of ammonia. The liver normally takes this ammonia ,then ,and converts it to urea to be disposed of through our urine. However, if the cells of the liver become damaged, the ammonia isn't converted to urea...it goes out into the blood and pass the blood brain barrier and into the brain. The patient becomes confused, disoriented, and has to be placed on drugs to try and eliminate this ammonia by a different method. All liver patients are told to tell the doctor all medications they are taking, whether over the counter, herbs, herbal teas, proteins, supplements, vitamins, minerals, and even those prescribed by their other doctors. They are also told no alcohol at all. They are warned to stay away from anyone who is sick, has been sick, or is around someone else who is sick....this is to keep them from becoming sick and then having to take additional medications and cause them to heal alot slower. The doctors do three types of blood tests: (1) the liver enzymes will show if there may be damage to the liver cells (2) the liver functions tests show how the cells are working to do the functions they need to to keep the body well (3) viral testing to see if a problem has occurred because of a virus like Hepatitis A,B,C,etc. The doctor will sometimes feel the upper right Quadrant of the abdomen, just under the rib to see if the liver is enlarged. Enlargement of the liver means that inflammation is developing there. The doctor may also order an ultrasound be done to see if the liver is truly enlarged, how the blood is flowing through the liver, if there are any growths or cysts there. The best doctor to be with if you have a definite liver problem is a gastroenterologist or a hepatologist. I hope this information helps you.