WASHINGTON ― Patients with HIV, the virusthat causes AIDS, often develop vitamindeficiencies. A new study has found that givingthese patients a multivitamin with a mineralsupplement helps improve their immunity andslows the disease's progression.
Sub-Saharan Africa has always been the center ofthe AIDS epidemic. In Botswana, despiteaggressive prevention campaigns, one out ofevery four adults is infected with HIV. ProfessorMarianna Baum based her latest research there.
Baum recruited almost 900 newly infected adults who had not yet received the anti-AIDS drugsthat target the virus.
These adults were then divided into groups that randomly received different combinations ofvitamins B, C and E, the mineral selenium or a placebo.
Most patients with HIV become deficient in these vitamins, which help boost immunity. Baumsaid she initially thought the multivitamins alone or selenium alone would be effective instrengthening the immune system, but found that to be incorrect.
“We were surprised to find that only the combination was effective,” said Baum.
Research shows that when people with HIV receive anti-retroviral drugs shortly after infection,they can remain healthy and are less likely to pass the virus to their sex partners. For manycountries, however, the cost of these anti-AIDS drugs is still prohibitive.
Baum said the vitamin and mineral combination therapy should help low income countriesbetter control the virus.
“A simple multivitamin supplementation with selenium provided early in HIV disease can actuallyslow the HIV disease progression and it is safe. It is low cost and it should be provided veryearly in HIV infection,” said Baum.
Baum said the supplements are not meant to replace anti-retroviral therapy, but can helpthose who cannot obtain the drugs.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, a world renowned expert on AIDS, disagrees.
"I haven’t read the paper, but having taken care of HIV-infected individuals for three decades, Iwould doubt that vitamins are going to have a major effect on suppressing the virus," saidFauci.
Fauci said vitamin and mineral supplements may make a patient generally healthier, but theonly thing that truly works to suppress HIV is anti-retroviral therapy.
Baum's study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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