Home Remedies for G6PD Deficiency

There is no home remedy that treats G6PD deficiency. At home, the aim is to avoid triggers and to recognise problems early.

What helps

• Know your triggers and keep a written list of medicines and foods to avoid. Carry it, or a G6PD card, to every appointment and pharmacy.
• Tell every doctor, dentist and pharmacist that you have G6PD deficiency before taking any new medicine.
• Read labels. Check with a pharmacist before using any new medicine, herbal product or supplement.
• Treat fevers and infections early, and see a doctor if you feel unwell, since infections can trigger haemolysis.
• Drink enough fluids during illness.
• Rest during illness and recovery.
• Avoid fava (broad) beans and products made from them.
• Keep naphthalene mothballs away from clothes, cupboards and children. Use alternatives such as cedar or lavender sachets.

What not to do

• Do not self-medicate with painkillers, antibiotics or antimalarials without checking.
• Do not use home or herbal treatments for jaundice or dark urine.
• Do not take supplements in large doses, including high-dose vitamin C, without your doctor's advice.
• Do not apply henna to infants with G6PD deficiency. Some reports link henna use to haemolysis in affected babies, and the evidence is debated, so it is safest to avoid it and ask your doctor.

Newborns

Watch for yellow skin or eyes in the first week. A yellow baby needs prompt medical assessment.

See a doctor the same day if

You have dark urine, yellow eyes, severe weakness, breathlessness, or symptoms after a new medicine. For emergencies, call 112 or 102.