Importance of vitamin and mineral supplementation in HIV/AIDS patients to improve their nutritional and immunological status

Abstract

Nutrition intervention aimed at preventing or reversing weight loss and wasting in HIV infection may help to improve quality of life and prolong survival. Micronutrient supplementation may help to strengthen the immune system and reduce the severity and impact of opportunistic infections in people living with HIV / AIDS. HIV contributes to malnutrition for physiological reasons related to the infection itself. HIV /AIDS, being a disease of the immune system, new strategies, including specific dietary nutrients (nutrient supplementation) to improve immune functions, quality of life and prolong survival in infected individuals, could provide additional/alternative approaches for therapeutic treatment in HIV infected subjects. Several vitamins and minerals are important in fighting HIV infection and its resultant effects, hence nutritional supplementation has been advocated. This review focuses on the importance of vitamin/mineral supplementation in HIV / AIDS subjects.