Nutrition and AIDS PDF

Preface

In May of 1999, the World Health Organization announced that AIDS was the most deadly infectious disease worldwide. In addition it is now the fourth leading cause of premature death in the U.S.A. A wide variety of retroviruses infects a broad spectrum of animals, including HIV-1 which infects humans. Progression to disease, ARC or AIDS, seems variable in humans. In Africa, where nutritional problems are widespread, progression is accelerated. The reasons for the large differences in the rates of progression to disease in adults after infection are unclear. The hypotheses that various foods, nutrients, and nutrient deficiencies affect this process offer opportunities for lifestyle changes to influence progression to AIDS.

Clearly, immunosuppressive conditions like protein malnutrition or low selenium intake reduce resistance to some pathogens, while high intakes of vitamins stimulate immune functions, increasing resistance to infection. Dietary cofactors offer avenues to attack retroviral diseases and serve as tools to understand the mechanisms of action. As we develop greater knowledge of how nutrients modify the physiology and immunology of HIV-1-infected individuals, we will better understand retroviruses and their roles in immunosuppression.

It is now timely to look at dietary materials, supplements, and foods that may benefit or treat AIDS as well as nutrient deficiencies that may accelerate progression to AIDS and death. As HIV infection progresses to AIDS and death, a significant component is undernutrition. Starvation works as a potent immunosuppressant.

Nutritional supports could thus help maintain health in the HIV-infected patient by repleting lost nutrients, compensating for nutritional damage done by the retrovirus- induced immunodeficiency, and stimulating the remaining immune system and cells for better host defenses. Unconventional dietary therapies are being used by AIDS patients.

The goal of this book is to define recent advances in understanding the nutritional deficiencies of AIDS patients and explore the ways nutritional and dietary changes and herbal medicines benefit or harm them. A large variety of alternative herbal and dietary remedies have been proposed, and some have been tested in animals and people to stimulate immune defenses or compensate for changes induced by HIV infection. Animal models are clearly useful in testing novel remedies. Conversely, a number of drugs and ingested and inhaled substances such as cocaine, alcohol, and other immunosuppressive compounds can adversely impact damaged immune systems.

The overall goal of this book is to provide the most current, concise scientific appraisal of the efficacy of nutrients, foods, and herbal (alternative) medicines in preventing or treating AIDS and its symptoms and improving the quality of life.