Date: Thu, 06 Oct 2005 14:26:44 -0000
From: "Sebastian" <sebastien.goulet@...>
Subject: HIV and Vitamins/Supplementation

Hey Guys,

It came to my attention that several of my friends that have HIV are 
not aware of certain basic vitamins/supplements that should be taken 
in order for your body to function properly and help fight the 
infection. Thanks to my HIV specialist and Naturopath, I was given 
info on what we should take and why, in order to keep ourselves 
healthy. Here's a breakdown … hope you find the information useful!

By the way, I take all of these in the morning with breakfast.

First and foremost, you should take a Multi-Vitamin in addition to 
all the supplements listed below. Multi-Vitamins all contain trace 
elements that are beneficial for your body, but remember that not 
all multis are created equal. Your best bet is to avoid the ones you 
buy at the pharmacy and check out your nearest health-food store. I 
personally take Progressive Brand, Active Men's formula, which is 
one of the most recommended by our HIV clinics. (Not sure if it's 
available in the US)

One of the most important families of supplements you can take is 
anti-oxidants. These help maintain your cells by keeping off some of 
the free radicals in your system. Here's what you should take, and 
the recommended doses:

Vitamin E: 800IU/day

N-acetylcysteine (NAC): 1000mg/day

Alpha Lipoic Acid: anywhere from 100mg to 500mg/day. This has the 
added benefit of reducing damage to the nervous system and your 
brain's neurotransmitters if you take the higher doses.

Coenzyme Q10: 60mg/day. Probably the best thing you can add to your 
supplementation, Coenzyme Q10 is a very powerful anti-oxidant that 
has been proven to reduce liver and heart disease, gum disease, 
reduce wrinkles (no kidding!), and improve muscle performance. The 
catch? $60-$75 for a bottle that'll last you a month. Ouch.

Ok, so we got that covered. What else should you take?

Vitamin C: 1000mg/day. This helps with general bone, teeth, 
cartilage and cell production)

Selenium: 50mcg/day. The HIV virus uses Selenium to reproduce 
therefore, depleting your system of this mineral.

Vitamin B12: 1cc/week, injectable. (Although I heard you can't get 
that over the counter in the US, like you can in Canada so may have 
to ask your doctor.) This helps greatly with mood and energy.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: 1000mg/day.  Yep, your grandmother was right … 
Cod Liver oil IS good for you. Helps with the better function of 
your heart, your liver and helps lower your cholesterol. Although 
you can get it from Flaxseed or Evening primrose oils, these are not 
absorbed fully by your body and you don't get the benefits of fish 
oils.

So that's my daily vitamin regiment … hope this helps guide you in 
your choices. By the way, I also learned that HIV+ people should 
completely avoid Echinacea (as it messes up your immune system) and 
especially St-John's Wort if you're on meds, as it decreases the 
effects of Protease Inhibitors and Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors.

Sebastian.