Comments on: Dietary Supplements May Increase Longevity Of HIV Patients

By: bmsts

bmsts — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 03:46:50 +0000

One more thing. I was forced due to health to get off my meds (all 15 of them!) and getting off them was no picnic either. Ideally you WOULD do it under a Drs. supervision – but most doctors will NOT be supportive of you doing it anyway. So really do your homework as to how to go off/taper off any drug. And realize if you ever DO go off HIV drugs – you can develop resistance that would make your regimen ineffective and dangerous to restart. So don’t just go back ON HIV drugs without getting a resistance test – should that be your path. In other words – utilize your doctor as much as possible – then do your homework and use your brain and intuition.

By: bmsts

bmsts — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 03:41:17 +0000

BTW – I’ve used all the suggestions above – but the spirulina – to great success. But there are many other immune boosting food solutions and overall healthy eating (a learning process) that will also help you. It’s very challenging to change our eating habits – as everyone knows. But if you’re serious – and willing to learn how to eat for health and a greater chance at survival – it’s worth the work! Good luck!

By: bmsts

bmsts — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 03:37:49 +0000

I’m actually surprised to find an article on HIV and suppliments. It’s important for us “lay folk” to remember the confines with which doctors or any “experts” have to operate in giving (or believing) information. I was literally on my deathbed and nutrition/foods brought me back to life. The drugs are HIGHLY toxic (at BEST) and even if they “work” on your CD4′s and decrease viral load (which they did for me), you’ve still got major over-riding health vulnerabilities/issues due to the toxicity of the pharmecueticals. And the real truth is, there is a PAINFUL (and in my view immoral) LACK of research on nutrition – due to the fact they bring no revenue to pharmecuetical companies (you can’t patent Vitamins and the like). I know for a FACT nutrition was what saved my life, elleviated ALL my symptoms within 3.5 yrs(I was in bed with full body shut down /nerve pain for a year and a half, almost died 3 times.) . I’m now back to full health. There ARE solutions and the drugs may make you worse (as they did for me and many others). So it’s really worth doing your own research and do your own trial-and-error and making your OWN decisions for your health. Doctors know just about squat about nutrition so don’t count on them to be your guide for nutrition answers. Mine told me I was “foolish” for going off my meds and using healthy/wholistic home/food remedies. I’m walking today with a full quality of life back. So call me foolish.

By: Beacon Staff

Beacon Staff — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 20:27:57 +0000

Lost,

Chlorella and spirulina are both thought to boost the immune system. However, the studies specific to HIV have so far been conducted on spirulina; it is not clear whether chlorella would have the same benefits. Again, however, you should always consult your physician before starting any new vitamins or supplements; he or she may also have more information on which might be best for you.

By: Lost & Confused

Lost & Confused — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 02:57:06 +0000

Thanks for your reply and could you please tell me what are the difference between Chlorella and Spirulina as both of them are algae so which one works best?

By: Beacon Staff

Beacon Staff — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 13:41:10 +0000

Lost,

In answer to your questions,

1) To our knowledge, alfalfa has not been shown to have the same effects as spirulina. Spirulina is actually an algae, not a plant like alfalfa, so the two may have fairly different effects.

2) Sheep placenta is advertised as an anti-aging supplement, both for its antioxidant properties (similar to glutathione, which is also an antioxidant) and for other ingredients like vitamins, iron, and other amino acids. However, it is not clear whether these claims have been verified in scientific studies.

If you are interested in nutritional supplements and their specific role in HIV, you might want to contact a nutritionist. Some nutritionists specialize in HIV, or they may be able to provide more information on the best supplements for keeping a healthy immune system. Also, if you are taking antiretrovirals, be sure to speak with your physician before starting any supplements, as some of them can interfere with the medications.

Please let us know if we can provide any additional information.

By: Lost & Confused

Lost & Confused — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:42:14 +0000

Waiting for your response still !

By: Lost & Confused

Lost & Confused — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 05:57:10 +0000

I would like to know if it’s possible to take Alfafa instead of Spirulina? Are these products work the same? Furthermore, I read somewhere that the level of Glutathione found in the body would play an important role while fighting against HIV virus as it’s direct cause and effect. What’s the different between Sheep/Ovine Placenta and Glutathione as both of them are contained with Amino Acid. Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks a lot

By: Danyel Williams

Danyel Williams — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 02:53:36 +0000

Please research Maitake mushroom and HIV. This mushroom has kiiled HIV in-vitro. I don’t want to give any false hope, but I have used this for 8 years and have maintained excellent health. I purchase maitake mushroom supplements at Whole Foods or on-line.

By: Beacon Staff

Beacon Staff — Tue, 31 May 2011 20:55:02 +0000

Tina,

There are a lot of studies to try to find supplements that may help prolong life or delay antiretrovirals for people with HIV in the developing world, for the reason you gave (i.e., limited access to antiretrovirals). In addition to the supplements listed above — vitamin B, selenium, and spirulina — there is a little bit of evidence that zinc might help, as well as vitamins C and E. These might be especially helpful if your patient is suffering from nutritional deficiencies.

However, you might want to consult a physician or dietician who specializes in people with HIV, since we are not doctors or experts in the topic. DHIVA, for example, is a group of dieticians based in the U.K. who specialize in HIV and AIDS:

http://dhiva.org.uk/

They may be able to provide you with some additional information. Please let us know if we can provide any other assistance.