In 95 HIV positive patients, higher rates of death and opportunistic
infection corresponded with lower levels of serum selenium. Serum selenium was
predictive of the prognosis of HIV patients irrespective of their CD4 cell
count. Constans J et al: Serum selenium predicts outcome in HIV infection. J
Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol 10(3):392, 1995.
Compared with normals, those diagnosed as HIV+ have evidence of selenium
deficiency as determined by reduced glutathione peroxidase activity. Dworkin
BM et al: Selenium deficiency in the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
(Aids). J Parent and Ent Nutr 10:405-407, 1986
Dworkin BM et al: Abnormalities of blood selenium and glutathione
peroxidase activity in patients with Aids syndrome and Aids-related complex. Biol
Trace Elem Res 15:167-177, 1988
Selenium deficiency causes a heart muscle disease (congestive
cardiomyopathy). Selenium deficiency is known to be common among Aids
patients. Eight Aids patients examined at autopsy were all found to be
abnormal, with changes related to those found in cardiomyopathy. Dworkin BM et
al: Reduced cardiac selenium content in the acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome. J Parent Ent Nutr 13(6):644-7, 1989
Low zinc status has been demonstrated in Aids sufferers and may cause
thymic hormone failure. Fabris N et al: Aids, zinc deficiency and thymic
hormone failure. JAMA 259(6):839-840, 1988
A survey of vitamin supplement use and circulating concentrations of 22
nutrients and glutathione in 64 HIV+ men and women, revealed lower mean
circulating concentrations of several nutrients compared with controls. The
authors conclude that the low magnesium levels may be particularly relevant to
symptoms such as fatigue and that the abnormal nutrient levels may contribute
to the pathogenesis of the disease. Skurnick JH et al: Micronutrient profiles
in HIV-1-infected heterosexual adults. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum
Retrovirol 12(1):75-83, 1996.
Mortality from Aids was compared with diet in 281 HIV positive individuals
between 1984 and 1992. Those with the highest intake (from food and
supplements) of vitamin B1 had a relative risk (RR) of dying during that
period, of only 60% compared with those on the lowest intakes. For vitamin B2
the RR was 59%, for B3 57%, and for beta-carotene 60%. For vitamin B6 taken at
levels more than twice the RDA the RR of death was 60%. Zinc supplementation
was associated with a higher risk of mortality at all levels. Tang AM et al:
Effects of micronutrient intake on survival in human immunodeficiency virus
type 1 infection. Am J Epidemiol 143(12):1244-56, 1996.
Compared with controls, 21 HIV+ patients were found to have higher
concentrations of reduced homocysteine (which could contribute to free radical
damage), normal total homocysteine, but lower concentrations of the amino acid
methionine in plasma. There was a significant correlation between low
methionine concentrations and a low CD4+ cell count. Muller F et al: Elevated
plasma concentration of reduced homocysteine in patients with human
immunodeficiency virus infection. Muller F et al: Am J Clin Nutr 63(2):242-8,
1996.
A group of Aids patients with cryptosporidium infection were given liquid
allicin (garlic extract) mixed with water daily. This resulted in less diarrhoea
and stabilized or increased body weight. Several patients showed negative tests
for cryptosporidium parasites on follow-up. Garlic for cryptosporidiosis?
Treat Rev 22:11, 1996.
Ten HIV+ patients with severely low natural killer cell activity, abnormal
helper-to-suppressor T-cell ratios (both these parameters are indicators of
advanced Aids, probably with short life expectancy) and opportunistic infections
such as cryptosporidial diarrhoea were given 5 grams daily for 6 weeks and then
10 grams daily for 6 weeks of an aged garlic extract. 3 patients died before the
trial ended, but 7 of the 10 experienced a return to normal natural-killer cell
activity by the end of the 12 weeks. Chronic diarrhoea and candidiasis also
improved. Abdullah T et al: Garlic as an antimicrobial and immune modulator in
AIDS. Int Conf AIDS (Canada) 5:466 (ISBN 0-662-56670-X), 1989.
Coenzyme Q10 levels were found to be severely depressed in Aids patients.
Supplementation with 200 mg per day produced encouraging clinical results
Langsjoen PH et al: Treatment of patients with human immunodeficiency virus
infection with coenzyme Q10. Biomed and Clin Aspects of CoQ10 6:409-416,
1991.
Supplementation with selenium and antioxidant vitamins brings symptomatic
improvements in Aids sufferers and may slow the course of the disease
Schrauzer GN et al: Selenium in the maintenance and therapy of HIV-infected
patients. Chem Biol Interact 91(2-3):199-205, 1994.
Decreased vitamin B12 levels occur in up to 20% of Aids patients, and may
result in dementia symptoms diagnosed as Aids dementia. These symptoms resolved
in two months in one patient diagnosed with Aids dementia who was treated with
vitamin B12. Herzlich BC et al: Reversal of apparent Aids dementia complex
following treatment with vitamin B12. J Inern Med 233(6):495-7, 1993.
Aids patients suffer from reduced zinc bioavailability. Since zinc deficiency
is associated with immune abnormalities and an increased susceptibility to
infectious diseases, zinc supplements were administered for 30 days to
AZT-treated stage III and stage IV Aids patients. Body weight increased or
stabilized, the CD4+ cell count increased and the frequency of opportunistic
infections was reduced in the following 24 months. Mocchegiani E et al: Benefit
of oral zinc supplementation as an adjunct to zidovudine (AZT) therapy against
opportunistic infections in AIDS. Int J Immunopharmacol 17(9):719-27, 1995.
Progression to full-blown Aids was compared with diet in 281 HIV positive
individuals between 1984 and 1990. Those with the highest intake (from food and
supplements) of vitamin C had a relative risk (RR) of progressing to Aids during
that period, of only 55% compared with those on the lowest intakes. For vitamin
B1 the RR was 60%, and for B3 52%. A moderate (but not high) vitamin A intake
was also protective, with a RR of 55%. High zinc intakes were associated with an
increased risk of progression to Aids. Tang AM et al: Dietary micronutrient
intake and the risk of progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (Aids)
in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected homosexual men. Am J
Epidemiol 138(11):937-51, 1993.
