Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a condition in which the immune system becomes severely weakened and loses its ability to fight infections. Although some scientists, including a Nobel Prize-winning chemist, have questioned whether or not the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has actually been proven to cause AIDS. Most researchers do believe that HIV causes AIDS.
AIDS is an extremely complex disorder, and no cure is currently available. Certain drugs appear to be capable of slowing the progression of the disease. In addition, various nutritional factors may be helpful. However, because of the complicated nature of this disorder, medical supervision is strongly recommended with regard to dietary changes and nutritional supplements. People who have been infected with HIV are hereafter referred to as “HIV-positive.”
What are the symptoms of HIV and AIDS?
HIV causes a broad spectrum of clinical problems, which often mimic other diseases. Within a few weeks of infection, some people may experience flu-like signs and symptoms, including fever, malaise, rash, joint pain, and generalized swelling of the lymph nodes. These acute manifestations usually disappear, and many people remain asymptomatic for long periods. AIDS, the clinical syndrome associated with HIV infection, produces symptoms throughout the body related to opportunistic infections, tumors, and other immune-deficiency complications.
How is it treated?
Three main classes of antiviral drugs are used to treat HIV infection: nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and protease inhibitors. Several other investigational drugs are also used. Treatment with two to four of these drugs is standard. Treatment of the complications of AIDS is specific to the infection or complication present, and frequently includes antibiotics, anti-fungal medications, corticosteroids, and heart drugs.
Dietary changes that may be helpful:
People with AIDS often lose significant amounts of weight or suffer from recurrent diarrhea. A diet high in protein and total calories may help a person maintain his or her body weight. In addition, whole foods are preferable to refined and processed foods. Whole foods contain larger amounts of many vitamins and minerals, and people with HIV infection tend to suffer from multiple nutritional deficiencies.
Lifestyle changes that may be helpful:
Loss of strength and lean body mass are frequent complications in people with AIDS. Drug therapy with anabolic steroids is sometimes used to counteract these losses. Preliminary trials suggest that progressive resistance training (i.e., weight training) may be used as an alternative or adjunct to steroids in this disease. In a preliminary trial, people with HIV who did progressive resistance training three times per week for eight weeks had significant increases in their lean body mass. Exercise of any type three to four times per week or more has been associated with slower progression to AIDS at one year and with a slower progression to death from AIDS at one year in men.
Nutritional supplements that may be helpful:
Because people with HIV infection or AIDS often have multiple nutritional deficiencies, a broad-spectrum nutritional supplement may be beneficial. In one trial, HIV-positive men who took a multivitamin-mineral supplement had slower onset of AIDS, compared with men who did not take a supplement. Use of a multivitamin by pregnant and breast-feeding Tanzanian women with HIV did not affect the risk of transmission of HIV from mother to child, either in utero, during birth, or from breast-feeding. |
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