Ammonium is a nitrogenous product resulting from the digestive process, usually removed from the body through the liver. If the values are high, this alteration usually depends on a problem with liver function. However, there are some ways to lower them and improve liver function, including taking certain medications, consuming supplements, and dietary changes. By combining these methods you have the ability to contain ammonium levels in the blood.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Lowering Ammonium Levels with Drugs
Step 1. See your doctor
In most cases, people learn from their doctor about the need to lower ammonium levels. Since such an increase is usually associated with a particular health problem, the rebalancing of this substance within the body is part of a general treatment plan.
When the ammonium concentration is high, it can indicate a number of diseases, including advanced liver cirrhosis, Reye's syndrome, and severe forms of hepatitis. If you have one of these conditions, you will have to try at all costs to reduce them
Step 2. Undergo some diagnostic tests
Before taking medications, you need to check the problem. Using appropriate tests you will be able to measure the amount of ammonium in your blood, then a blood sample will be taken.
- Normal ammonia levels range from 15 to 45 μ / dL (11 to 32 μmol / L).
- They momentarily increase after physical activity, especially after an intense and long workout, such as running over long distances. Therefore, you should avoid playing sports and smoking before the exam.
Step 3. Take the lactulose
Lactulose is a sugar used in the treatment of constipation, also used to treat high ammonia. It works by clearing ammonium from the blood by moving it to the colon. Once it reaches this part of the intestine, it is eliminated from the body via the stool.
- Follow your doctor's instructions regarding the times and doses needed to excrete ammonium. Typically, 2-3 tablespoons (30-45 ml) of lactulose per day are enough.
- Lactulose comes in the form of a liquid to be taken generally orally. However, if the ammonia is quite high and you are hospitalized, it could be administered via enema directly into the digestive system.
- Lactulose drugs are the only ones used to lower ammonia. However, they are produced by different pharmaceutical companies, so they have various trade names, including Duphalac, Laevolac, Diacolon, Normase and Epalfen.
Step 4. Manage side effects
Although lactulose lowers the ammonium concentration in the blood, it also causes numerous side effects, including diarrhea, bloating and nausea. Medicines that contain it are formulated to treat constipation, so they draw water from the body to the stool. For this reason they favor the expulsion of liquid fecal matter and other digestive complications. Consult your doctor to limit these unwanted side effects.
- Stay hydrated while taking lactulose. Since it takes a lot of water out of the body, you should replenish lost fluids to avoid dehydration.
- If the side effects are severe and disabling, tell your doctor. They may indicate the need to review the posology.
Method 2 of 3: Reduce Ammonium Levels Through Diet
Step 1. Consume probiotics
They are good bacteria that help you digest food and protect you from disease by allowing the gut to digest and eliminate ammonium more effectively. Some probiotic-rich foods to add to your diet include fermented dairy products, such as kefir, and other foods that have undergone the fermentation process, such as sauerkraut.
For example, try eating a pot of yogurt a day. It is full of probiotics and can aid digestion and improve overall health conditions
Step 2. Reduce your intake of animal proteins
Proteins from red meat tend to increase this imbalance more than other animal proteins. If you have high ammonia, you may want to eat other types of meat, including chicken.
Step 3. Consider a vegetarian diet
Vegetable proteins, such as those in beans, are digested more slowly than animal proteins, so the body has more time to dispose of the ammonium it produces during the digestion process. In light of this, you should opt for plant proteins if you want to keep the concentration of this nitrogen product low.
In addition, a vegetarian diet provides more fiber and amino acids, which help to rebalance ammonia
Step 4. Limit your protein intake if symptoms are severe
Ammonium derives largely from the metabolism of food proteins. Therefore, limit your intake if you are experiencing particularly high levels of ammonia, which you can usually detect through a flare-up of symptoms.
For example, if you have liver disorders accompanied by abnormal brain activity, you should moderate your protein intake during the healing process
Method 3 of 3: Use Supplements to Lower Ammonia
Step 1. Take a zinc supplement
Zinc plays an important role in increasing the amount of ammonium the body is able to excrete. Ask your doctor if a zinc supplement can help you rebalance these values.
Patients with liver disease tend to have lower zinc levels. Since this mineral helps to expel ammonium, a supplement is a valuable aid in managing the problem
Step 2. Ask your doctor if you can take a multivitamin
High ammonia indicates a malfunction of the body. Therefore various health problems may arise due to a lack of essential vitamins and minerals. To counter this risk, ask your doctor if you can take a multivitamin that can provide you with the nutrients you need on a daily basis.
Thanks to the doctor's recommendation on the product to choose and on the dosage to observe, you will avoid taking anything that could further compromise liver function and the concentration of ammonium in the blood. For example, vitamin A in fairly high doses can be toxic to the liver
Step 3. Take a glutamine supplement
This substance has been shown to lower ammonia in athletes who play endurance sports. Consult your doctor to find out if it helps in managing your problem.
