Drinking everyday of tea from soursop leaves amd moringa.. Does it affect our liver? My sgot/ast now is high from...

Understanding Your Questions About Soursop Tea and Your High AST Results

I can help you understand what your elevated AST means and address your concerns about these herbal teas. Let me break this down into two important topics.

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1) Soursop and Moringa Tea: Potential Liver Effects

What You Need to Know About Herbal Supplements During Lymphoma Treatment

According to NCCN Guidelines for Patients with Marginal Zone Lymphomas, there's an important warning about herbal supplements:

Certain herbal supplements can interfere with cancer treatment and affect how your liver processes medications. The NCCN specifically lists supplements to be cautious about, including:

• Turmeric
• Ginkgo biloba
• Green tea extract
• St. John's Wort
• Antioxidants

While soursop and moringa aren't specifically named in the major NCCN guidelines I have access to, this is a critical gap you need to address with your care team.

Why This Matters for Your Liver

Your liver is responsible for:

• Processing all your cancer medications
• Breaking down herbal compounds
• Filtering your blood

Daily consumption of any herbal tea—especially while undergoing lymphoma treatment—can potentially:

• Interact with your medications
• Add stress to your liver function
• Affect how well your treatment works

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2) Your High AST/SGOT Result: What This Means

Understanding Your Lab Value

AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase), also called SGOT, is an enzyme found mainly in your liver and heart. When this value is elevated, it signals that:

• Your liver cells may be releasing this enzyme into your bloodstream
• This typically indicates some degree of liver stress or inflammation
• It could be from multiple causes (treatment side effects, infection, medication interaction, or the cancer itself)

Normal Range Context

• Normal AST range: Usually 10-40 units per liter (varies by lab)
• Your result: You mentioned it's high, but I'd need to see the actual number to explain how elevated it is

What Can Cause High AST in Lymphoma Patients

According to NCCN Guidelines for Patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphomas, several factors can affect liver function:

1. Cancer treatment side effects - Chemotherapy and immunotherapy can stress the liver
2. Medication interactions - Especially with herbal supplements
3. Infection - Lymphoma patients have weakened immune systems
4. The lymphoma itself - If cancer has spread to the liver
5. Herbal supplement accumulation - Daily consumption of soursop/moringa could contribute

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Critical Questions You MUST Ask Your Oncology Team

This is urgent because your AST is already elevated:

1. "What is my exact AST value, and how much higher than normal is it?"

2. "Are soursop tea and moringa safe for me to drink while on my lymphoma treatment?"

3. "Could these herbal teas be interacting with my medications or contributing to my elevated AST?"

4. "Should I stop drinking these teas immediately, or can I continue?"

5. "Do I need additional liver function tests (like ALT, bilirubin, albumin) to understand what's causing the elevation?"

6. "Is my elevated AST from my treatment, my cancer, an infection, or something else?"

7. "What foods and supplements should I avoid right now?"

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What You Should Do NOW

⚠️ STOP or PAUSE the daily soursop and moringa tea

• Don't wait for your next appointment
• Call your oncology team TODAY or tomorrow
• Tell them: "I've been drinking soursop and moringa tea daily, and my AST is now high. Should I stop?"

Why This Matters

According to NCCN Guidelines, it's "critical to speak with your care team about any supplements you may be taking." The guidelines emphasize: "Bring a list with you to every visit."

Your elevated AST + daily herbal tea consumption = a combination that needs immediate professional evaluation.

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Summary: What Has Strong Evidence vs. What Needs Your Doctor's Input

| Topic | Evidence Level | Action | |-------|-----------------|--------| | Herbal supplements can affect liver function | ✅ Strong (NCCN Guidelines) | Stop daily tea, call your doctor | | High AST indicates liver stress | ✅ Strong (Medical fact) | Get exact number, discuss with team | | Soursop/moringa specifically | ⚠️ Limited in my sources | Ask your oncologist directly | | Interaction with YOUR specific treatment | ⚠️ Needs individual assessment | Your care team must evaluate |

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Key Takeaway

Your elevated AST is a warning sign that something is stressing your liver. Combined with daily herbal tea consumption, this needs immediate attention from your oncology team. Don't wait—call them today.

Your liver is working hard to process your cancer treatment. Adding herbal supplements without medical clearance could be making things harder, not easier.

This information is for educational purposes only. Always consult your healthcare team for personalized medical advice and decisions.