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# Hepatitis C virus carriers need sufficient vitamin A
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/hepatitis_c_vitamin_a_033130940/
- Published: 2013-03-31T10:39:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:15:36.000Z
- Description: A Hepatology study reported median serum vitamin A of 256 ng/mL in hepatitis C carriers against 742 ng/mL in healthy people. Vitamin A affects interferon receptor expression, which may partly explain poor treatment response, though the deficiency could result from the infection rather than cause it.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Vitamins, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

By Jimmy Downs

Sunday March 31, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study in Hepatology suggests that maintaining a high level of serum vitamin A may help treat hepatitis C.

Pierluigi Toniutto from Department of Medical Sciences Clinical and Experimental, Internal Medicine, Medical Liver Transplantation Unit, University of Udine in Italy and colleagues found vitamin A levels were much lower in hepatitis C virus carriers, compared to that in those without the viral infection.

Researchers found median serum vitamin A in hepatitis C virus positive patients were 256 ng/mL, compared to 742 ng/mL in healthy individuals.

The study report says that vitamin A modulates the expression of type 1 interferon receptor which enhances the antireplication effect of interferon on hepatitis C virus. This explains in part why patients with lower vitamin A are more likely to be nonresponsive to treatment.

However, vitamin A deficiency may not be a cause for the non-responsiveness of the hepatitis C treatment, but a result from the infection. More research is needed to clarify this confusion.

Vitamin A is found in sweet potato, carrots, spinach, kale, collard greens, turnip greens, Swiss chard, winter squash, mustard greens, and romaine lettuce.