G6PD Deficiency Diet

Last Updated: Dec 18, 2013 | By Lynette

G6PD deficiency occurs wen your !ody does not produce ade"uate a#ounts of $%ucose&
6&pospate deydro$enase, an en'y#e tat assists proper red !%ood ce%% function( )is
inerited condition affects a!out *00 #i%%ion peop%e wor%dwide, accordin$ to te
Dep%oy#ent +ea%t and ,a#i%y -eadiness Li!rary( .%tou$ cronic stress, infections
and prescription #edications can initiate e#o%ytic episodes && periods wen a %ac/ of te
G6PD en'y#e can cause fati$ue, 0aundice, dar/ urine or an e%e1ated eart rate && you can
a%so e2perience tese potentia%%y %ife&treatenin$ sy#pto#s after in$estin$ certain foods(
)erefore, it is wise to fo%%ow te reco##ended G6PD diet to re#ain asy#pto#atic(
Approved Foods
3onsu#e fats fro# natura% fat sources suc as coconut oi%, o%i1e oi%, pa%# oi% or ani#a%
fat( 4!tain your 1ita#ins and #inera%s fro# natura% sources suc as !one stoc/ soups(
-ound out your diet wit proteins and car!oydrates not found on te G6PD Deficiency
for!idden foods %ist(
Forbidden Foods
Do not consu#e foods or supp%e#ents tat contain %ar$e a#ounts of 56ta#in 3,
a%so ca%%ed ascor!ic acid, or artificia% !%ue dyes( Do not eat #ento%, or #ento%&
containin$ foods suc as !reat #ints or candy( Do not eat legumes, such as lima beans,
fava beans, kidney beans or soybeans( Avoid any soy-containing products, such as
tofu, bean curds, miso or textured soy protein. Look out for less easily recognizable
legumes such as alfalfa sprouts, peanuts, licorice or carob. Some legumes -- such as
fava beans -- cause severe hemolysis -- but several other legumes, beans and pulses
cause %ess se1ere e#o%ysis tat, wi%e #i%d enou$ to e1ade initia% detection, can sti%%
da#a$e your ea%t(
.dditiona% foods for!idden !y G6PDDeficiency(or$ inc%ude peas suc as $reen
peas, fie%d peas and !%ac/&eyed peas, !eans suc as !%ac/ !eans or refried !eans and
edi!%e pods suc as 3inese pea pods and snow peas( Do not drin/ tonic water or eat
!itter #e%on, a 1e$eta!%e co##on in .frican and .sian cuisine( ,ina%%y, do not eat
refined su$ar, i$&fructose corn syrup or wite f%our(
hat is !"#$ $eficiency%
Un%ess your ci%d as !een dia$nosed wit G6PD Deficiency, you71e pro!a!%y
ne1er eard of it !efore( 8et it is incredi!%y co##on & accordin$ to$6pddeficiency(or$,
around 600 #i%%ion peop%e wor%dwide are G6PD deficient(
G6PD Deficiency is a condition !a!y inerits & it cannot !e 7cau$t7( 6t is passed
down !y one or !ot parents( )e condition is present in 1arious etnic $roups, !ut is
#ost co##on in tose wit 9editerranean erita$e and in .frican .#ericans( 6n areas of
te wor%d were G6PD Deficiency is co##on, !a!ies are screened for te condition at
!irt(
G6PD stands for te en'y#e 7$%ucose&6&pospate deydro$enase7 & and
indi1idua%s wit G6PD Deficiency do not a1e enou$ of tis en'y#e in teir !odies, or
te G6PD tey D4 #a/e isn7t functionin$ proper%y(
G6PD is critica% to te nor#a% function of red !%ood ce%%s( )us, G6PD Deficiency
can %ead to a condition ca%%ed e#o%ytic ane#ia :a for# of ane#ia caused !y te
destruction of red !%ood ce%%s; wen an affected indi1idua% is e2posed to certain foods,
infections or #edications :co%%ecti1e%y /nown as 7tri$$ers7;(
)ese 7tri$$ers7 can cause unwe%co#e !yproducts to accu#u%ate in te !ody and da#a$e
red !%ood ce%%s( Usua%%y, te G6PD en'y#e in te !ody P-4)<3)= te red !%ood ce%%s
fro# da#a$e !y tese !yproducts((( !ut wen an indi1idua% is G6PD deficient, tat %ayer
of protection is not tere in sufficient "uantity( =u!se"uent%y, te indi1idua% !e$ins to
disp%ay te sy#pto#s of ane#ia, wic #ay inc%ude
pale skin
extreme fatigue
rapid breathing
rapid heartbeat
&aundice '(here the skin and eyes become yello()
enlarged spleen
dark colored urine
9any peop%e wit G6PD Deficiency disp%ay no sy#pto#s at a%% unti% .,)<- te red
!%ood ce%%s a1e !een da#a$ed !y one of te 7tri$$ers7((((
certain foods 'particularly broad beans*fava beans, (hich are not only
harmful to +A, but may also act as a trigger (hen merely touched)
certain medications
bacterial or viral infection
)e $ood news is tat & in #ost cases & re#o1in$ te 7tri$$er7 is a%% tat7s needed to
e%i#inate te sy#pto#s, usua%%y witin a few wee/s( 4n%y rare%y does G6PD Deficiency
%ead to cronic :on$oin$; ane#ia(
.s %on$ as you ta/e care to a1oid te tri$$ers, your !a!y sou%d !e a!%e to %ead a nor#a%,
ea%ty %ife(
-ore about !"#$ $eficiency .triggers.
6nfections %i/e =a%#one%%a and <(co%i can act as tri$$ers for G6PD deficient
indi1idua%s, so it is i#portant to prepare your o#e#ade !a!y food wit scrupu%ous care,
to a1oid te $rowt of !acteria( )is inc%udes te correct coo/in$, stora$e, and reeatin$
of !a!y7s #ea%s(
/ther foods to avoid if your child has !"#$ $eficiency
6n addition to te foods #entioned in te %ist a!o1e & wic #ay contain su%fites &
oter foods tat sou%d !e a1oided, or on%y introduced under te $uidance of your ci%d7
doctor, are(((
,a1a !eans :a%so /nown as !road !eans; and possi!%y .LL %e$u#es(
Peanut !utter
=oy and soy products %i/e tofu & soy does not affect a%% indi1idua%s wit G6PD
Deficiency, !ut you sou%d certain%y $et te $o&aead fro# your doctor !efore
introducin$ it to your !a!y(
B%ue!erries :and products containin$ te#, %i/e !%ue!erry yo$urt;
Bitter #e%on>#e%on $ourd
=o#e 3inese er!s
.rtificia% ascor!ic acid
.rtificia% food co%our :particu%ar%y !%ue;
9ento% :can !e in certain candy and tootpaste;
.rtificia% food preser1ati1es
9ost prepared 3inese and ?orean food :tis is !ecause it often contains sauces
#ade wit soy or !ean paste;
Should 0 give my baby an iron supplement%
6t is 3-U36.L tat you spea/ to your doctor !efore $i1in$ .@8 supp%e#ents to
your !a!y & particu%ar%y iron supp%e#ents(
+e#o%ytic ane#ia can cause iron to !e re%eased into te !%oodstrea#, so offerin$
additiona% iron can cause !a!y7s %e1e%s to !eco#e dan$erous%y i$
A healthy diet... a healthy future1
)o su##ari'e: a typica%%y ea%ty diet & ric in fruits and 1e$eta!%es :wit te e2ceptions
noted ear%ier in tis artic%e; & is !est for your !a!y( )is #eans a%so a1oidin$ artificia%
in$redients & a wise #o1e in te diet of .@8 !a!yA