• Selenium

Selenium & Aids

Scientists now believe that Aids may be associated with a number of nutritional deficiencies (1). However, one nutrient in particular has been shown to be of special significance - selenium. Selenium is known to be an important anti-oxidant and depletion of this nutrient is thought to impair a patient’s immune response and thus increasing the risk of cancer and heart disease.(2)

Researchers at the University of California have shown that 55 - 70 mcg of selenium per day which is thought to be the current levels to maintain health, may not be sufficient to meet the requirements of patients suffering from diseases who need higher levels to help combat illness. For example, patients suffering from chronic gut failure exhibited sub-normal antibody responses whilst taking 50mcg of selenium a day, but when they increased the dosage to 200mcg a day the immune response normalised. (3)

In another study (4) involving 19 symptomatic HIV positive male patients, a daily supplement of 400mcg of selenium was found to raise blood selenium levels within 70 days and led to 14 (74%) experiencing improvements in their symptoms ranging from improved digestion, better appetite and reduced recurrent illness. Four of the men reported improvement in oral candidiasis. Four of the men experienced no change and only one man deteriorated.

Scientists at the University of Georgia, USA (5) have demonstrated that there is a progressive depletion of selenium in AIDS patients which occurs not only due to impaired absorption, but also the virus itself seems to sequester selenium in patients. The scientists stated that these findings together with the results of previous research "should offer various opportunities for new approaches to anti-HIV therapy."

References:
(1) See ALTERNATIVES in health Vol 1:4 p.13.
(2) See ALTERNATIVES in health Vol 1:2 p.10.
(3)Schrauzer G.N. et al Selenium in the maintenance and therapy of HIV infected patients. Cehmico Biological Interactions 1994: 91, 199-205. From AIDS and lack of selenium - is there a link? The Bulletin of the Nutritional Health Foundation. July 1995
(4)AIDS and lack of selenium - is there a link? The Bulletin of the Nutritional Health Foundation. July 1995. p.3.
(5) Taylor E.W. et al. A basis for new approaches for the chemotherapy of AIDS. Advance ACS Abstracts, American Clinical Soc. July 1994: 2-18.