What dietary taboos should you pay attention to regarding hepatitis B?

Absolutely avoid alcohol, don’t take tonics/liver-protecting health products without permission, and avoid a long-term diet high in oil, sugar, and salt. As long as your liver function is stable, there is basically no big difference from the diet of ordinary people. There is absolutely no need to eat this or touch that.

I met a 28-year-old boy two years ago when I was doing hepatitis B science popularization in the community. After he was diagnosed with trichosantheria, the elderly at home told him to avoid food. He even stopped beef, seafood, and eggs. He drank white porridge and vegetables every day. In half a year, he lost 12 pounds. When he went for a follow-up examination, his transaminase was twice as high as when the problem was first discovered. This was because his nutrition could not keep up with his immunity, which gave the virus a chance to cause trouble.

Let’s start with the least controversial point about avoiding alcohol. Whether it’s white wine, beer, or red wine, even the low-alcohol fruit wine and sparkling wine currently on the market, as long as it contains alcohol, you absolutely cannot touch it. Many people think that "it's okay to drink less." However, the liver cells of hepatitis B patients carry the virus for a long time, and the basic load is higher than that of ordinary people. Alcohol enters the body entirely through liver metabolism, which is equivalent to forcing extra heavy work on workers who are already working hard. Over time, it is easy to induce liver damage and even accelerate the progression of cirrhosis. This is something that all infectious diseases doctors will repeatedly emphasize, and there is no room for bargaining.

Let’s talk about the much debated issue of “should we take liver-protecting products?” There are currently two opinions on the Internet. One is that taking liver-protecting tablets and liver-protecting tea all year round can improve liver function, and the other is that you should not take any supplements. In fact, both of these opinions are a bit extreme. I met a patient in the outpatient clinic before. I heard that an imported liver protection tablet can "repair liver cells". I bought it and took it for more than half a year. As a result, my originally stable liver function soared to three times the normal upper limit. It was found that it was drug-induced liver damage. In fact, whether it is health products, traditional Chinese medicine or home remedies, as long as you eat them, they will be metabolized by the liver. If you really have abnormal liver function and need to take liver-protective drugs, they must be prescribed by an infectious disease doctor after evaluation. It is safe to buy products that you buy randomly, no matter how awesome you are, don’t put them in your mouth, as they will put a burden on the liver.

As for a diet high in oil and sugar, that doesn’t mean you can’t eat hot pot, milk tea, barbecue, etc. When your liver function is stable, it’s perfectly fine to have a meal with friends to satisfy your cravings occasionally. But you may be worried about eating takeaways that are heavy in oil and salt all year round, which will cause you to develop fatty liver. If you have hepatitis B and add fatty liver, the risk of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis will be more than three times higher than that of ordinary hepatitis B patients. There was a male patient in his 40s who had been fighting against hepatitis B virus for five or six years and had been very stable. Later, he changed jobs and socialized and ate takeout every day. He developed severe fatty liver in two years. When he was re-examined, there were already signs of early fibrosis. Fortunately, he later adjusted his diet and exercised, and it took more than a year to reverse the disease.

As for the "taboos" that many elderly people say about not eating mutton, spicy food, and seafood, there is actually no scientific basis at all. As long as you are not allergic to these foods and have no discomfort after eating them, it is perfectly fine to eat them normally. Unless the liver has progressed to the decompensated stage of cirrhosis, it is necessary to limit the intake of protein and salt according to medical advice. Ordinary hepatitis B virus carriers and patients with stable liver function should pay attention to the intake of eggs, milk, high-quality protein, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Only when the nutrition can keep up with the immunity, it is more conducive to the long-term stability of the condition.

In fact, to put it bluntly, the core of the dietary taboos for hepatitis B is "don't add trouble to the liver." You don't have to put a bunch of unnecessary shackles on yourself. Eat happily and have balanced nutrition, which is more effective than any messy taboos.