Micronutrients & HIV/AIDS

Vitamin A’s anti-oxidant effects and zinc’s direct role in decreasing T-cell lymphocytes are both important in fighting the HIV infection. Research studies have shown that when zinc supplements are given to individuals, the number of T-cell lymphocytes circulating in the blood increases and the ability of lymphocytes to fight infection improves. Zinc supplements have shown to slow the progression of HIV disease, and decrease opportunistic infections.

In children with HIV disease, micronutrient deficiencies are even more detrimental because children’s micronutrient stores are divided between normal growth and development and a constantly challenged immune system that is trying to suppress the virus. Growth and development are compromised by an increased need for nutrients to fight infection.

Antiretroviral Therapy and HIV/AIDS

The HIV disease process itself contributes to the depletion of nutrients through altered metabolism, increased energy demands, malabsorption, impaired nutrient storage, anorexia, and chronic diarrhea. Furthermore, antiretroviral (ARV) drug therapy to treat AIDS has greatly alleviated death rates and opportunistic infections. However, ARV may further exacerbate micronutrient deficiencies through side effects of vomiting and diarrhea. Increased adverse effects of ARV therapy occur especially when HIV patients also suffer from malnutrition or anemia, or when they use antituberculosis therapy. One of the common drugs, zidovudine (AZT), used to treat AIDS is known to make anemia significantly worse during the first three months of therapy. Anemia is also a common side effect of HIV and can lead to a faster HIV disease progression and death.

“It is clear that nutrition is the foundation on which all human progress is built—it profoundly affects life at every stage of development, starting before a child is even born. It helps determine how a child will grow, resist diseases, and learn at school and whether his or her own children will reach their full potential.”