G6PD book guide

Table Of Contents

I. About Glucose-6- Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) Deficiency

G6PD deficiency is a genetic disorder that most often affects males. It happens when the
body doesn't have enough of an enzyme called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase
(G6PD).

G6PD helps red blood cells work. It also protects them from substances in the blood that
could harm them.

In people with G6PD deficiency, either the red blood cells do not make enough G6PD or
what they do make doesn't work as it should. Without enough G6PD to protect them,
the red blood cells break apart. This is called hemolysis (hih-MOL-ih-sis). When many
red blood cells are destroyed, a person can develop hemolytic (hee-meh-LIH-tik)
anemia. This can cause tiredness, dizziness, and other symptoms.

Red blood cells that don't have enough G6PD are sensitive to some medicines, foods,
and infections. When these things trigger a quick loss of red blood cells over a short
time, it's called a hemolytic crisis. In these cases, the symptoms stop when the cause is
gone. In rare cases, G6PD deficiency leads to chronic anemia regardless of exposure to
triggers.

Triggers of hemolysis in kids with G6PD deficiency include:

 illness, such as bacterial and viral infections

 some painkillers and fever-lowering drugs
 some antibiotics (most often those with "sulf" in their names)
 some antimalarial drugs (most often those with "quine" in their names)
 fava beans (also called broad beans)
 naphthalene (a chemical found in mothballs and moth crystals). Mothballs can be
very harmful if a child swallows one.

II. Signs & Symptoms of G6PD Deficiency

Most people with G6PD deficiency don't have any symptoms. Others might have
symptoms of hemolytic anemia if many RBCs are destroyed.

These can include:

 paleness (in darker-skinned kids, paleness is sometimes best seen in the mouth,
especially on the lips or tongue)
 extreme tiredness or dizziness
  fast heartbeat
 fast breathing or shortness of breath
 jaundice (the skin and eyes look yellow)
 an enlarged spleen
 dark, tea-colored pee

Mild symptoms usually don't need medical treatment. As the body makes new red
blood cells, the anemia will improve. If symptoms are more severe, a child may need
care in a hospital.

III. Causes of G6PD Deficiency?

G6PD deficiency is inherited. Children who have it are born with it because it was
passed down in genes from one or both of the parents. The gene responsible for this
condition is on the X chromosome.

IV. What Can Parents Do?

The best way to care for a child with G6PD deficiency is to inform yourself well, limit
exposure to anything that triggers symptoms such as food, drugs and other chemicals
and teach your child the importance of self-discipline in following the avoid lists.

With the right care, G6PD deficiency should not keep a child from living a healthy,
active life.

V. Foods to avoid
 Fava Beans (Broad Beans)
 Legumes
 Kidney beans
 Lima beans
 Black beans
 Refried beans
 Lima beans
 Kidney beans
 Soybeans
 Alfalfa sprouts
 Peanuts
 Licorice
 Carob
 Peas
 Lentils
 Soy
 Tofu
 Bean curds
 Hummus
 Soy Beans
 Food products with soy (a lot of packaged products have it): Miso soup, tofu, soy
protein and the countless packaged foods with soy derivatives.
 Black & Green tea and their extracts
 Blueberries
 Bitter Gourd (Ampalaya)
 Garden eggs (Eggplant)
 Sulfites
i. Sulfite foods include very common ones like dried fruits, wine, wine
vinegar, pickled foods, shrimp and even trail mix.
ii. Many people besides those who have G6PDD have a sulfite sensitivity.
iii. Ingredients with sulfite to look for on food labels include:
1. Sulfur dioxide
2. Potassium bisulfite or potassium metabisulfite
3. Sodium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite, or sodium sulfite

iv. The following foods list of sulfite containing foods and ingredients are
good to avoid for G6PDD:
1. Baked goods
2. Soup mixes
3. Jams
4. Canned vegetables
5. Pickled foods
6. Gravies
7. Dried fruit
8. Potato chips
9. Trail mix
10. Beer and wine
11. Vegetable juices
12. Sparkling grape juice
13. Apple cider
14. Bottled lemon juice and lime juice
15. Tea
16. Many condiments
17. Molasses
18. Fresh or frozen shrimp
19. Guacamole
20. Maraschino cherries
21. Dehydrated, pre-cut, or peeled potatoes

 Menthol & Mints: chewing gum, mints, vapors, sprays, etc.

 Packaged meat
 Canned fish
 Margarine
 Packaged salad dressings
 Hot dogs
  Dried potatoes and potato chips
 Low fat cheese
 Sausage and other processed meats
 Sweet & sour sauce
 Worcestershire sauce
 Ascorbic acid
 Packaged Gluten Free Foods
 Tonic water
 Bitter melon
 Simple carbohydrates: corn syrup, white flour and refined sugar
 Peanut containing foods
 Vitamin K:Vitamin K3 may be tied with hemolytic anemia.
 Artificial Blue Coloring: Blue food colorings like Toluidine Blue are dangerous
for those with g6pd. All artificial dyes could be g6pd deficiency triggers.
 Chinese Herbs:
i. Certain Chinese herbs like Rhizoma coptidis, Flos Ionicerae and Calculus
Boris have been known to cause hemolytic responses in people with
g6pdd.

VI. Drugs to avoid

VII. Chemicals to avoid

 Methylene Blue
 Arsine
 Phenylhydrazine
 Toluidine blue
 Trinitrotoluene
 Aniline dyes

Household common chemicals that need to be avoided, like mothballs

(naphthalene), hair dyes, henna tattoos, menthol containing cleaners, rubs and also
pesticides.

VIII. Note:
 Whether you should avoid any of these would depend on your enzyme deficit
level and mutation

IX. Sources
 https://www.g6pd.org/en/G6PDDeficiency/
 https://kidshealth.org/
 https://nutritionadventures.com/
 https://www.webmd.com/