Will herbals, natural “remedies”, Ayurveda or Traditional Chinese Medicine, supplements, or vitamins and minerals control hepatitis B?
We get many people living with chronic hepatitis B asking about various herbals and supplements. The Hepatitis B Foundation does not recommend using these, as they are not FDA approved. Health authorities in different countries also don’t vet the content of such herbs or supplements. This is because they are not tested or regulated for effectiveness, safety, and purity. This lack of regulation means that you do not know what you are getting from dose to dose. The lack of testing means that taking some of these could do more harm to your liver than good.
At best, these “might” be supportive of the liver, but they will not change the course of the virus and the damage to the liver that the virus may be doing. Keep in mind that not everyone needs treatment, but if you do, please talk to a knowledgeable doctor about getting first line antivirals (tenofovir (TDF), tenofovir (TAF) or entecavir) to control and suppress the hepatitis B virus. We know many are often “prescribed” a potentially supportive vitamin complex. Unless you have a vitamin deficiency, you may benefit equally as well by focusing on eating a healthy, well-balanced diet. Here is more information on how to maintain a healthy liver.
There are many people out there trying to sell you a “cure”, but we can assure you that at this time, chronic hepatitis B is not a curable disease. If it sounds too good to be true, it is not true. if this is your first time being diagnosed with hepatitis B, discuss with your doctor whether this is an acute or chronic infection. If this is an acute infection, it is likely that you will resolve the infection without the need for medication or supplements.
Find more Frequently Asked Questions here.
Page updated 02/09/2022