Summary This study investigated whether a specific micronutrient supplementation is effective and safe in delaying the progression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. 878 HIV-infected adults were investigated. Over the period of 2 years, the study participants took a single supplement containing multivitamins and selenium. The supplement was found to be effective in reducing the…
Summary Decreased blood levels of vitamin B12 often occur in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and can contribute to nervous system disorders that are frequently attributed to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This study evaluated the effect of vitamin B12 administration in a patient with AIDS and dementia. As it turned out, treatment…
Summary This study examined the effects of multivitamin and vitamin A supplements on the body weight of immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected pregnant women. 1075 pregnant, HIV-positive women were given multivitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, and vitamins B-6, B-12, C, and E), vitamin A, multivitamins including vitamin A, or no supplementation on a daily basis. Weight…
Summary This study determined blood levels of vitamin A and beta-carotene in pregnant women with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Blood concentrations of vitamin A and beta-carotene were measured in 74 pregnant women tested positive for HIV and in 148 pregnant women without HIV in the first trimester. Comparisons were made among the two groups.…
Summary Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients suffer from oxidative stress, which is characterized by an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the ability of the body to counteract their harmful effects. This study assessed the effect of an antioxidant vitamin supplementation on HIV-infected persons. 49 HIV-positive patients were given either vitamin E and…
Summary This study evaluated the effects of vitamin A on the gut function of infants of HIV-infected mothers. 238 infants of HIV-infected women who were administered vitamin A during pregnancy were included. When infants were 1, 6 and 14 weeks of age intestinal function tests were performed. The results showed that vitamin A supplementation of…
Summary This study evaluated the effects of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a green tea compound, on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. In the first stage of infection HIV attacks CD4 cells that normally support the immune system function. The interaction between HIV and CD4 cells is made possible by the so called gp120 molecule that is…
Summary This study evaluated the effects of vitamin A supplementation in children born to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women. 118 offspring of HIV-infected women were included in this investigation. The results showed that vitamin A supplementation for children of HIV-infected women appeared to be beneficial, particularly for diarrhea among HIV-infected children. More details can be…
Summary This study evaluated the effectiveness of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a green tea compound, against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The experiments confirmed that EGCG is effective in inhibiting CD4-gp120 binding, which is the initial step of HIV entry into the cells. In the first stage of infection HIV attacks CD4 cells that normally support…
Summary This study evaluated the effects of vitamin C uptake on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The experiments were performed with HIV-infected and uninfected cells. The results showed that exposure to high concentrations of vitamin C decreased the growth (proliferation) and survival of the HIV-infected cells. Further details can be found in the study. References C…
Summary This study evaluated the effect of vitamin A deficiency in mothers infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). 474 HIV-infected mothers and their infants were followed from pregnancy through the infants’ 12th month of life. Of the 474 HIV-infected pregnant women, 63% were deficient in vitamin A. The mothers were divided into six groups according…
Summary Conventional drugs used to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) infection can increase the activation of the virus. This review analyzed studies on the effect of the natural amino acid arginine in fighting AIDS/HIV infection. The results showed that arginine did not increase HIV activation. The researchers concluded that these observations, together…
Summary This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of supplemental arginine in persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). 11 HIV-infected adults received either arginine or a placebo for 14 days. The results showed that short-term arginine supplementation is safe for persons with HIV/AIDS. Further details can be found in the…
Summary This study examined the effects of a daily intake of micronutrient supplements containing vitamin A, multivitamins (vitamins B, C, and E) or both on progression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). 1078 pregnant women infected with HIV were investigated. The results showed that multivitamin supplements delayed the virus progression and the initiation of antiretroviral therapy…
Summary This study determined whether vitamin A supplements reduce the number of deaths among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected and uninfected children. 687 children with pneumonia were given vitamin A or a placebo. Their blood was then tested for HIV. Among HIV-infected children, vitamin A supplements reduced deaths – regardless of their cause – by 63%.Among…
Summary It has been reported that vitamin B12 deficiency is common among patients infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Based on this observation, the present scientific publication focused on the relationship between vitamin B12 deficiency and nervous system disorders in HIV-infected patients. The authors found that vitamin B12 deficiency may be a frequent and…
Summary Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is a pro-inflammatory factor whose levels are elevated in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This study evaluated the effect of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) on virus activation following treatment with inflammatory factors. The experiments were performed with cells. The results showed that vitamin C reduced…
Summary This study evaluated the blood levels of vitamin B12 in HIV patients who were treated with the anti-viral drug zidovudine. 200 HIV-infected persons were investigated. The results showed that decreased vitamin B12 levels were frequently found in HIV patients treated with the anti-viral therapy. Further details can be found in the study. References O…
Summary This study investigated the effects of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and its calcium salt (Ca-ascorbate), glutathione (GSH) and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The experiments were performed with cells. The results showed that continuous presence of vitamin C was necessary for HIV suppression. Furthermore, NAC conferred a synergistic effect when tested simultaneously…