AIDS post-HIV : beat of a different drummer - AltHeal

oxidative stress. HIV-infected patients have
selenium and vitamin A deficiencies compared to
u n a ffected controls and may benefit from supplementation.
[The Enzymatic Antioxidant System in
Blood and Glutathione Status in Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-Infected Patients:
E ffects of Supplementation With Selenium or B-
C a rotene. Delmas-Beauvieux, Marie-Christine,
M.D., et al, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
1996;64:101-107. Address: M-C Delmas-
Beauvieux, Laboratoire Biochimie Medicale A,
Universite Bordeaux II, 146 Rue Leo Saignat,
33077 Bordeaux, France]
Selenium and T Cells
With selenium deficiency, helper T cell numbers are
diminished, and increase in response to supplementation
[Shils M et al. Selenium deficiency and
immune functions in home TPN patients.
P resentation at the American Society of Clinical
Nutrition, 1983].
Selenium Could Influence the Course of
Immunodeficiency in a Dose-dependent Manner
Selenium inhibits reverse transcriptase activity in
RNA-virus-infected animals. AIDS patients
frequently have selenium deficiency with increased
levels of malondialdehyde, a marker of lipid peroxidation.
Selenium could influence the course of HIVinduced
disease at all stages in a dose-dependent
m a n n e r. Theoretic dosages range between 400
mcg/day to 8 mg/d for rapid body replenishment of
selenium stores. For continuous administration, the
selenium dose should not exceed 1 mg/d.
Simultaneous selenium supplementation may
potentiate the efficacy of AIDS vaccines and other
biological or prophylactic therapies. Selenium
supplementation may also reduce the toxicity of
drug treatments in AIDS. [Selenium in the
Maintenance and Therapy of HIV-Infected Patients.
S c h r a u z e r, Gerhard, N. and Sacher, Juliane,
Chemico-Biological Interactions, 1994;91:199-205.
A d d ress: Gerhard N. Schrauzer, University of
C a l i f o rnia, San Diego, Department of Chemistry
and Biochemistry, 0314, La Jolla, CA 92093 U.S.A.]
Selenium Deficiency
Compared with normals, those diagnosed as HIV+
have evidence of selenium deficiency as determined
by reduced glutathione peroxidase activity.
[Dworkin BM et al: Selenium deficiency in the
A c q u i red Immunodeficiency Syndrome (Aids). J
P a rent and Ent Nutr 10:405-407, 1986. Dworkin
BM et al: Abnormalities of blood selenium and
glutathione peroxidase activity in patients with Aids
s y n d rome and Aids-related complex. Biol Tr a c e
Elem Res 15:167-177, 1988]
Selenium Deficiency
Selenium deficiency causes a heart muscle disease
(congestive cardiomyopathy). Selenium deficiency
is known to be common among Aids patients.
Eight Aids patients examined at autopsy were all
found to be abnormal, with changes related to
those found in cardiomyopathy. [Dworkin BM et al:
Reduced cardiac selenium content in the acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome. J Parent Ent Nutr
13(6):644-7, 1989]
Selenium Deficiency
This study evaluated 12 patients with AIDS and
compared them to normal controls and found low
plasma and red blood selenium levels. Selenium is
important in the activity of the enzyme glutathione
peroxidase. In another study, 12 AIDS patients and
8 AIDS-Related- Complex (ARC) patients
compared with normal controls had reduced blood
selenium and glutathione peroxidase levels.
Glutathione peroxidase levels were decreased by
45% in AIDS patients and 27% in ARC versus
c o n t rol patients. Both plasma selenium and
glutathione peroxidase levels were correlated with
total lymphocyte counts. Cardiac selenium levels,
upon autopsy in AIDS patients, were significantly
less than controls. Two of the cases autopsied had
evidence of cardiomyopathy consistent with that
found in Keshan's disease, a type of card i o m y-
opathy associated with low blood selenium levels.
Inadequate selenium intake in 1 survey was found
in 17% of clinically stable HIV positive outpatients
c o m p a red to 71% of inpatients with AIDS. The
author concludes selenium deficiency is common
in HIV patients as documented by low plasma and
red blood cell selenium, diminished glutathione
p e roxidase and low cardiac selenium levels.
Selenium deficiency appears to be part of proteincalorie
malnutrition common in AIDS patients.
[Selenium Deficiency and HIV Infection and the
A c q u i red Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
Dworkin, Brad M., Chemico- Biological
Interactions, 1994;91:181-186. Address: Brad M.
Dworkin, Section of Nutrition, The Sarah C. Upham
Division of Gastro e n t e ro l o g y, New York Medical
College, Valhalla, NY 10595, U.S.A.]
Selenium Improves Energ y, GI Problems, Skin
Infections, Body Weight and Slows Down Loss of
CD4 Cells
In a 1988 pilot study with HIV-infected pts. with
ARC or AIDS, pts. showed subjective improvement
and tolerated the selenium-yeast preparation very
well. [Present indications are that selenium supplementation
increases the energ y, reduces gastro i n-
testinal problems and skin infections, pre v e n t s
weight loss, improves mood and appears to slow
down the loss of CD4 cells. Gerhard N. Schrauzer,
P rofessor Emeritus, University of California, San
Diego - interviewed in Clinical Pearls News 7(4),
April, 1997].
Selenium Supplementation and Immune
Responses
53
CONTINUUM vol 6, no 1/2