|
Home
Basic Message
Laboratory Tests
Viral Load
When to start treatment?
Treatments
Anti-HIV Drugs
Drugs and Doses
Side Effects
Treatment Changes
Salvage Therapy
Infections
Vaccinations
Lipodystrophy
Micronutrition
Women & HIV
Glossary
| |
MICRONUTRITION
Vitamins
& Supplements
Long
term studies have shown that it is a good idea to take at least one multivitamin
and mineral supplement each day that contains one to two times the
recommended daily intake (RDA). The tables below gives the vitamins and
supplements that have been seen to be deficient in people with HIV, and the
recommended supplementation in certain disease conditions associated with HIV.
The possible benefits have been noted in various clinical trials.
This
information should not be used for treating a health problem or a disease. It is
not a substitute for professional care.
High
doses of certain supplements can cause difficulties These are:
 |
Vitamin
A: doses above 9,000 mcg in men and 7,500 mcg in women can be toxic |
|
Vitamin
C in high doses (3-4 g a day) can cause kidney stones |
|
Vitamin
E in doses above 800 mg a day can cause adverse effects |
|
Zinc
doses above 75 mg a day has been linked to copper deficiency, neutropenia
and anaemia |
|
Selenium:
more than 750 mcg a day is associated with immune suppression |
|
Vitamin
B6: more than 2 g a day is associated with nerve damage |
While
taking care to note the adverse effects of high doses, the benefits should not
be diminished. Your clinic or GP may be able to provide you with more
information.
Herbalism
Herbalism
uses plants and herbs to treat illness. It dates back over three thousand years.
Although the clinical research into herbal treatments is just beginning the
benefits of these remedies is well established.
In
HIV disease herbal remedies can help to eliminate toxins (e.g. milk thistle) and
boost the immune system (e.g. echinacea).
You
are best advised to see a professional herbalist if considering herbal remedies.
One company Solgar TM produce very reliable herbal formulations with
percentage dosages clearly marked.
Herb
and Drug Interactions
The
following information, while not fully verified, suggests certain circumstances
in which using herbs may cause concern. Please use it in an advisory manner.
|
Echinacea,if
used for more than eight consecutive weeks, could cause liver toxicity and
should not be used with drugs such as anabolic steroids, amiodarone and
methotrexate which are toxic to the liver as the affect may be additive. |
|
Feverfew,
garlic, ginger, ginseng, and ginkgo biloba all affect bleeding time and
should not be taken by patients using warfarin or by patients that have
decreased platelet counts. |
|
St
John's wort should not be taken with monoamine oxidase inhibitors or
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors like Prozac and Paxil until more
information is available. |
|
Liquorice,
plantain, hawthorn and ginseng may interfere with digoxin therapy and
valerian root should not be taken when barbiturates are used because it
could cause an increase in the barbiturate effects. |
|
Evening
primrose oil and borage are contraindicated in patients taking
anticonvulsants (eg clonazepam). |
|
lmmunostimulants
such as echinacea and zinc should not be given with immuno suppressants such
as corticosteroids (like prednisone) and cyclosporine and are
contraindicated in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, systemic
lupus erythematosus and autoimmune hepatiitis. |
VITAMINS
AND SUPPLEMENTS
|
Supplement |
How
to take it |
Possible
Benefits |
|
Vitamin
A |
Antioxidant
Take
as beta-carotene
Dose
with rest periods e.g. take for 20 days out of 30 |
Reduces
risk of certain cancers
Vit
A deficiency associated with mortality in HIV
Increases
natural killer cells |
|
Vitamin
B6 |
Take
in B complex formula
Take
first thing in the morning
50
mg a day |
Small
CD4 increases
AZT
reduces B6 levels
Reduces
risk of developing AIDS |
|
Vitamin
B12 |
Take
in B complex formula
Take
first thing in the morning |
Helps
with peripheral neuropathy
Reduces
risk of neutropenia and anaemia |
|
Vitamin
C |
Antioxidant
Take
with food1 gram a day |
May
help herpes lesions to heal
Anti-HIV
activity enhanced with NAC (in vitro) |
|
Vitamin
E |
Antioxidant300
– 600 iu a day |
Improves
antiviral effect of AZT
With
selenium improve white cell counts |
|
L-carnitine |
Amino
Acid
Take
between meals1.5 – 3 g a day |
Deficiencies
noted in people with AIDS
Can
help reduce triglycerides |
|
NAC
N-acetyl
cysteine |
Antioxidant
Take
with a carbohydrate meal 600 – 1800 mg a day |
Increases
levels of glutathione
Low
glutathione levels are associated with poor survival |
|
Selenium |
Antioxidant
Take
with food 200 mcg a day |
Low
levels seen in HIV positive people
Used
to treat recurrent pancreatitis with other antioxidants |
|
Zinc |
Antioxidant15
– 30 mg a day |
Low
serum zinc a predictor of CD4 decline |
RECOMMENDED SUPPLEMENTATION IN DISEASE
CONDITIONS
|
Condition |
Supplement |
Amount |
Dosage |
|
|
NAC
= N-acetyl cysteine |
Mcg
= microgram
Mg
= milligram
G
= gram
Iu
= international units |
d
= day
AM
= morning
B
= breakfast
D
= dinner
bm
= between meals
wf
= with food |
|
Preventing
Lipodystrophy |
L-carnitine |
500
mg |
3
– 6/d bm |
|
Reversing
Lipodystrophy |
L-carnitine
B-complex
50
L-glutamine
NAC |
500
mg
5
g
600
mg |
2/d
bm
1/d
AM
2.5g
B, 2.5 g D
2/d
wf |
|
Neuropathy |
Vit.
B6
Vit.
B12
L-carnitine
Lipoic
Acid |
200
mg
15
mcg
500
mg
200
mg |
1/d
1/d
1
– 2/d bm
2
– 3/d wf |
|
Lowering
lipids(see pages 5-6) |
Lecithin
Lipoic
Acid |
1200
mg
200
mg |
1
– 6/d wf
2
– 3/d wf |
|
Liver
care |
Lipoic
Acid
Vit.
C
Vit.
E
B-complex
50
L-carnitine
NAC
L-glutamine
Milk
thistle |
200
mg
1
g
400
iu
500
mg
600
mg
5
g
300
mg |
1/d
wf
1
– 2/d wf
1
–2/d wf
1/d
AM
2
– 4/d bm
2
– 3/d wf
1
– 2/d B D
1
– 3/d wf |
|
Candida
(thrush) |
Acidophilus |
|
1
– 2/d bm |
|
Herpes
simplex |
Lysine |
1000
mg |
2/d
wf |
|
Fatigue |
Vit.
B12
Multivitamin |
250
mcg |
1/d
AM
2/d
B D |
|
HIV |
Multivitamin
Beta
carotene
Vit.
C
Vit.
B12
Vit.
B6
L-glutamine
NAC
Coenzyme
Q 10
Garlic |
10,000
iu
500
mg
250
mcg
100
mg
5
g
600
mg
60
mg
600
mg |
2/d
B D
2
–3/d wf
2/d
B D
1/d
AM
1/d
AM
1/d
2/d
2/d
4/d |
HERBS
|
Herb |
Comment |
Possible
effects |
|
Aloe Vera |
Contains
acemannan |
May increase
CD8 cells |
|
Astragalus |
Used in TCM |
Shown to
reverse immunosuppression in rats |
|
Bitter Melon |
Used in TCM |
Diabetes
treatmentAntibacterial effect |
|
Calcium
Spirulan |
Extract of
blue-green algae Spirulina |
In vitro
inhibition of HIV |
|
Compound Q |
Protein from
root of Chinese cucumber used in TCM |
IV
administration available in USStopped CD4 decline with AZT/ddI |
|
Echinacea |
Taken 20
days in 30 day period |
Immune
stimulant |
|
Garlic |
Contains
allicin &.adenosine |
AntibacterialLowers
cholesterol |
|
Hypericin
St. John’s
Wort |
Extracts
containing 0.14 – 4.4% available |
Anti-HIV
effects seen in animal studies |
|
Iscador |
Mistletoe
extract |
Possible
immune modulating, anti-viral effects |
|
Kombucha
mushroom |
Used in TCM |
Immune
stimulant
Antibiotic
effects
|
|
Siberian
ginseng |
Do not
confuse with panax (Chinese or Korean) ginseng |
Shown to
stimulate activity of CD4 & CD8 cellsMay increase resistance to viral
infections |
|
SPV-30 |
Extract from
the European boxwood |
Anti-HIV
effect |
|
Silybum
marianum |
Extract of
milk thistle300 mg powder 1-3 times a day with food |
Liver
cleansing effects |
|
Tea tree oil |
Extract from
Australian shrub |
Antiseptic/antifungal
properties when used topically |
|
