MS and elevated liver enzymes

cheerleader · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 6:39 pm Post subject: MS and elevated liver enzymes

Dear Dim...
I wanted to start this thread and dedicate it to your lovely wife and my husband- two MSers who have had elevated liver enzymes without cause.

Jeff was not drinking alcohol or taking any medication when he was diagnosed with MS in March '07. He had not received steroids or Copaxone, and was not taking any supplements. His blood test showed liver enzymes (AST and ALT) elevated 10x normal. He was jaundiced, and his eyes were yellowed. His neuro said there was no link to his MS flare, but I couldn't imagine that a previously perfectly healthy man could have such serious symptoms as a "coincidence." She simply shrugged her shoulders.

I began to research....

Multiple Sclerosis Linked to Abnormal Liver Test Results-

The liver is the organ responsible for plasma synthesis, drug detoxification and digestion. Diseases of the liver include hepatitis and cirrhosis.

To make the link, the researchers used data from the Sylvia Lawry Centre for MS Research in Germany, the largest database of MS clinical trial information in the world. In all, medical information from 813 people with MS enrolled in various clinical trials from North America, Australia and Europe was analyzed. The study was funded by the MS Society of Canada.

Over a two-year period, there was an over three-fold increased risk of a person with MS having an elevated liver test result compared to expectations. An elevated test result indicates that liver enzymes have leaked out of their cells. This leakage into the blood stream may be an indicator of liver cell damage.
http://www.mssociety.ca/en/releases/nr_20061101.htm

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The risk of an abnormal liver test in 813 patients with multiple sclerosis or clinically isolated syndrome enrolled in placebo arms of clinical trials was greater than expected for alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (relative risk [RR] 3.7; 95% CI: 2.3 to 6.0) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (RR 2.2; 95% CI: 1.3 to 3.6), although not alkaline phosphatase (AP) or total bilirubin, at first presentation. Abnormal test results were associated with higher body mass index (ALT only), male gender (ALT only), and a relapsing-remitting (vs secondary-progressive) course (ALT and AST only).
http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/abstract/67/7/1291

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I began to theorize....what if my husband's liver (and the livers of all of these other MSers) was unable to process all of the toxins and waste in his body, and his system was so overloaded that his immune system went haywire, trying to rid itself of waste. And the neuros weren't even looking into this.

That's when I put together his supplement program, asked holistic docs for help, and turned into the google queen...second only to the fabulous Jimmylegs Smile

The liver cleanses the blood for the entire body. If it is not working, fatigued, or impeded, the liver enzymes will skyrocket, and most MSers will have a flare.

Milk thistle is quite effective in cleansing the liver. So is curcumin, and there are also commerically produced liver cleanses that are quite good. They work. Jeff's enzymes were normal in a month.

Jeff's liver enzymes have remained normal, even with Copaxone and the various meds he is now on. Is a coincidence that he hasn't had a flare up of his MS since we've kept an eye on his liver enzymes? I do not think so. I attribute his health to an entire system which is working well to keep toxins out of his blood. We continue to do monthly liver cleanses.

I don't understand MS; the mechanism of axonal destruction and T-cells and B-cells is beyond me...but I do know that the body is one organism. Neuros need to look at the body as a whole!

To clean livers world-wide!
AC
_________________
Husband diagnosed RRMS March 2007
pursuing endothelial healing
Copaxone, Swank, supplements, laughter

jimmylegs · Family Elder Joined: Mar 12, 2006 Posts: 2006

oh come ON cheer, i'm sure there's some total nerd out there who is the real google queen and nowhere near as cool as either of us or any other thisismers Wink

good info regardless, all part of the big pic Very Happy

DIM · Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 12:23 am Post subject:

Thank you very much AC, unfortunately wife's enzymes weren't as high previously at least ALT (but we haven't previous blood tests except a month before) and my concern is if LDN caused this as I don't want her to stop it, is the best think she does for her MS!
As with Jeff she has only the ALT-AST elevated not other enzymes
I'll buy silybum extract and some other herbs and if I remember right there is a Japanese company that has a very good product, I search it through the forum.
Could the vitamins-supps contribute to this, I read that liver needs most of the supps she takes in order to work effectively but other references say supps may load the liver?

cheerleader · Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 8:07 am Post subject:

Hi Dimitris-
Yes, supplements can cause a rise in liver enzymes, as can acetaminophen, LDN or alcohol. But if the liver is working effectively, and with normal doses, these shouldn't be an issue.

I still think the liver might be implicated as part of MS, for some people. You are wise to keep an eye on your wife's enzyme numbers.

hope this helps!
AC
_________________
Husband diagnosed RRMS March 2007
pursuing endothelial healing
Copaxone, Swank, supplements, laughter

DIM · Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 9:37 am Post subject:

I have asked many others that take LDN at 3gr/day and no one has liver problems or they don't know it.
On the other hand my wife last years was jaundiced and this probably means she already had elevated hepatic enzymes due to MS as you say, I may wait 2-3 weeks on silymarin, curcumin, liquorice extracts and see her next blood tests this time with more liver parameters than ALT, AST.
Thanks again for your explaination!

DIM · Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 3:04 am Post subject:

AC this partially explains the elevated liver enzymes in our cases:
http://www.springerlink.com/content/j6186jt1v45t0p21/fulltext.pdf

DIM · Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 4:02 am Post subject:

By the way both Chlamydia Pneumoniae and EBV elevate liver enzymes (as other viruses/bacterials do) and can cause liver damage in extreme cobditions so higher than normal hepatic enzymes some days or even weeks after an infection is quite often and suits wife's case!

cheerleader · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 8:44 pm Post subject:

Hi Dimitris-

Hope your wife's liver enzymes are resolving.
I'm now looking into Hemochromatosis, excess iron in the body. May be contributing to my husband's MS. Excess iron can cross the blood/brain barrier and cause many neurological problems, as well as elevating liver enzymes.

http://www.liverfoundation.org/education/info/hemochromatosis/

Will let you know after blood tests.
Here's a good site explaining iron overload-
It's much more common than most of us realize!

http://www.ironoverload.org/

AC
_________________
Husband diagnosed RRMS March 2007
pursuing endothelial healing
Copaxone, Swank, supplements, laughter

Terry · Family Elder Joined: Oct 27, 2007 Posts: 272

Hi Cheer,
I read somewhere...sometime.... Smile

that excess iron has been found in the brain of some MSers even though the blood levels were normal. This wouldn't account for liver issues I'm sure, but I thought it interesting nonetheless.
Terry

jimmylegs · Family Elder Joined: Mar 12, 2006 Posts: 2006

i've also read that having inflammatory conditions can make iron test levels come back artificially high.
the brain/bbb idea has got me looking into connections between iron and zinc. if the iron is high, could part of that be because the zinc is lower than it should be, both for the sake of bbb impermeability, and brain function?

jimmylegs · Family Elder Joined: Mar 12, 2006 Posts: 2006

ew... lookit:

A postmortem study of 12 elderly women found a negative association between plasma Zn 1 y before death and the number of senile and diffuse plaques in their brains (Tully et al. 1995 ).

cheerleader · Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 7:59 am Post subject:

Terry and Jimmy...
thanks for more info.
This is one of those hmmm moments for me. The liver cleanses the blood, and if it's not getting everything, or if it is overwhelmed or sick, enzymes go up, and things that shouldn't get thru the BBB. Iron is one of those things. This isn't as large an issue for women, because the "cure" for hemochromatosis is taking blood out with regular blood draws. Women have the "gift" Smile

of menstruation, and are more apt to be anemic, rather than have too much iron. Men get this 5 to 1.

Jeff has these wacky petechia on his legs (little pinprick blood spots) since his dx, and also up and down liver enzymes. I'm trying to connect the dots, so to speak. He's due for some blood work next month.

AC
_________________
Husband diagnosed RRMS March 2007
pursuing endothelial healing
Copaxone, Swank, supplements, laughter

DIM · Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 9:59 pm Post subject:

I don't know if wife's iron is excess AC but what I am sure is that she currently has normal haematocrit where previously she has had it at the lower side, if that means she has more iron now I can't tell for sure but next time I add it to her blood tests!
Copper plays also huge role in MS as it causes inflammation in high doses.

DIM · Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 4:18 pm Post subject:

cheerleader · Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 8:09 am Post subject:

Hi Dimitris,
I'm so sorry Katerina has been having a rough time. The fatigue is the most difficult part for Jeff. If he wasn't on his meds (provigil) he would sleep thru the day. Before meds he fell asleep driving! He has recently found a wonderful natural energy boost from quercetin- that may help Katerina after her cold.

"Quercetin has many health promoting effects, including improvement of cardiovascular health, reducing risk for cancer. Quercetin has anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects. All these activities are caused by the strong antioxidant action of quercetin. It will help to combat free radicals molecules, which can damage cells.
As many other flavonoids, quercetin prevents the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol.
The anti-inflammatory action of quercetin is caused by the inhibition of enzymes, such as lipoxygenase, and the inhibition of inflammatory mediators. Quercetin also inhibits the release of histamine, which causes congestion, by basophils and mast cells."

http://www.phytochemicals.info/phytochemicals/quercetin.php

Jeff's liver enzymes have been up only once again since his diagnosis, and most of his petechiae have faded to orange, but I still am trying to put all the pieces together. He's pretty stable, but deals with daily leg pain, fatigue and brain fog. It's certainly not fun. Hang in there, Dim!
best,
AC
_________________
Husband diagnosed RRMS March 2007
pursuing endothelial healing
Copaxone, Swank, supplements, laughter