Belatedly, Sickle-cell disease is now being given some of the global attention it both needs and deserves and June 19, 2009 was recognised as the first Sickle-cell Disease World Day.
Sickle-cell disease is an inherited disease in which haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying pigment found in our red blood cells, is abnormal. Haemoglobin is the substance that makes your blood red. About 10 per cent of Jamaicans have the sickle-cell gene.
Normal red blood cells, with normal haemoglobin, are disk shaped and flexible, able to squeeze through the smallest blood vessels in the body. On the other hand, sickle cells, because of their abnormal sickle or crescent shape, can block small blood vessels and impede the flow of blood. This reduces the oxygen supply to tissues, may damage many organs and cause severe pain, in what doctors call 'painful crises'. While normal red blood cells live for about 120 days, sickle cells with their abnormal haemoglobin die after only 10 to 20 days, causing chronic anaemia. Other common problems include lung and breathing difficulties, chronic leg ulcers and an increased susceptibility to infection.
Sickle-cell anaemia and its many variants like sickle-cell trait are genetic disorders and cannot be "cured" in the conventional sense. However, medical research clearly demonstrates that good nutrition and nutritional supplements can help to moderate some of the problems of sickle-cell anaemia. This can mean fewer problems with anaemia and pain, and improvements in the general health of those with this illness.
NUTRITION AND SICKLE CELL DISEASE
Although many sufferers of sickle-cell disease are told that they can eat anything, I find that a healthy diet emphasising lots of water, fresh fruit and vegetables, along with enough healthy protein, is most valuable. I also suggest supplementing with the cellular nutrition programme. Certain particular supplements, however, provide additional special benefits.
FISH OIL
The membranes of the red cells are made up mostly of fatty substances. Eating unhealthy fats like trans fats make the cell membranes more rigid and unhealthy and increases the tendency for the membranes to rupture. Supplementing with fish oils and eating healthy oils and fats reduce the damage to the cell membranes and the frequency of problems like severe painful episodes. I recommend 3 grams daily of a high-quality fish oil supplement, high in omega-3 fatty acids. In times of stress, one may double this dosage.
VITAMIN E
One of the most important nutrients for sicklers may be vitamin E, a fat-soluble antioxidant that protects the membranes of red blood cells against free radicals. Red blood cells in people deficient in vitamin E, like those in people with sickle-cell anaemia, are more susceptible to free radical damage. Thus, low levels of vitamin E may increase the risk of sickle-cell symptoms. I recommend that sickle-cell sufferers take 1200 iu of high quality natural vitamin E daily.
HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS
A study at the Philadelphia Biomedical Research Institute in the US examined the effects of green tea and garlic extracts on the dehydration of sickle cells. Dehydration of the sickle cells worsens the damage to the cells and may increase the complications of the disease. An antioxidant found in green tea extract, almost completely prevented sickle-cell dehydration. An extract of garlic reduced cellular dehydration by 30 per cent.
Research found that garlic, the amino acid arginine, Pycnogenol, green tea extract, black tea extract, and vitamin E improved the strength of the membranes in sickle cells. Ginseng, ginkgo, and coenzyme Q10 were also found to be helpful. Other herbal antioxidants like schizandra and rosemary may also be useful in sickle-cell disease.
MULTIVITAMINS
In another study at the Philadelphia Biomedical Research Institute, it was found that a combination of several supplements in high doses greatly reduced symptoms of sickle-cell anaemia. Over six months, patients supplemented with 6 grams of vitamin C, 1,200 IU of vitamin E, 6 grams of garlic extract and 1 mg of folic acid.
Meanwhile, the twins of those patients who also had sickle-cell disease took only the folic acid. Those taking the multiple supplements had only one-third the number of painful sickle-cell episodes and felt much more energetic than the other group.
FOLIC ACID and VITAMIN B12
People with sickle-cell anaemia have elevated blood levels of a substance called homocysteine. This is a known risk factor for coronary artery disease, inflammation and circulatory disorders. Research at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, showed that this abnormal elevation of homocysteine in sickle-cell patients responded to a combination of folic acid, vitamin B12 and B complex vitamins, but not to just folic acid as is usually prescribed for these individuals.
MINERALS
Supplementing with the minerals zinc and copper may help to prevent cell damage and accelerate the healing of leg ulcers associated with sickle-cell anaemia.
My message to sickle-cell patients is simple. Yes, you have an inherited disorder. But there is a lot that you can do with a healthy diet and the appropriate nutritional supplements to prevent and control the problems associated with sickle-cell disease.
You may email Dr Vendryes at vendryes@mac.com, or listen to An Ounce of Prevention on POWER 106 FM on Fridays at 8 p.m. The programme streams live on go-jamaica.com.