Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 28, 2024, 01:15:45 pm

Login with username, password and session length


Members
Stats
  • Total Posts: 772946
  • Total Topics: 66310
  • Online Today: 391
  • Online Ever: 5484
  • (June 18, 2021, 11:15:29 pm)
Users Online
Users: 0
Guests: 348
Total: 348

Welcome


Welcome to the POZ Community Forums, a round-the-clock discussion area for people with HIV/AIDS, their friends/family/caregivers, and others concerned about HIV/AIDS.  Click on the links below to browse our various forums; scroll down for a glance at the most recent posts; or join in the conversation yourself by registering on the left side of this page.

Privacy Warning:  Please realize that these forums are open to all, and are fully searchable via Google and other search engines. If you are HIV positive and disclose this in our forums, then it is almost the same thing as telling the whole world (or at least the World Wide Web). If this concerns you, then do not use a username or avatar that are self-identifying in any way. We do not allow the deletion of anything you post in these forums, so think before you post.

  • The information shared in these forums, by moderators and members, is designed to complement, not replace, the relationship between an individual and his/her own physician.

  • All members of these forums are, by default, not considered to be licensed medical providers. If otherwise, users must clearly define themselves as such.

  • Forums members must behave at all times with respect and honesty. Posting guidelines, including time-out and banning policies, have been established by the moderators of these forums. Click here for “Do I Have HIV?” posting guidelines. Click here for posting guidelines pertaining to all other POZ community forums.

  • We ask all forums members to provide references for health/medical/scientific information they provide, when it is not a personal experience being discussed. Please provide hyperlinks with full URLs or full citations of published works not available via the Internet. Additionally, all forums members must post information which are true and correct to their knowledge.

  • Product advertisement—including links; banners; editorial content; and clinical trial, study or survey participation—is strictly prohibited by forums members unless permission has been secured from POZ.

To change forums navigation language settings, click here (members only), Register now

Para cambiar sus preferencias de los foros en español, haz clic aquí (sólo miembros), Regístrate ahora

Finished Reading This? You can collapse this or any other box on this page by clicking the symbol in each box.

Author Topic: Vitamin D said to help reduce progression of HIV when taken in higher doses  (Read 8383 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Boze

  • Member
  • Posts: 477
I have a few questions for the article:

1) Why are they mentioning a study that's 6 months old?
2) What exactly is the dose that helps?


However - I do think that what HIV+ individuals consume can have an effect on the progress of the disease, so think such studies are worthwhile to keep track of.

http://www.examiner.com/x-33110-Mind-and-Body-Examiner~y2010m6d27-Vitamin-D-said-to-help-reduce-progression-of-HIV-when-taken-in-higher-doses

Vitamin D said to help reduce progression of HIV when taken in higher doses

June 27, 11:23 AM · Dr. KC Kelly - Mind and Body Examiner
A new study led by Mehta S at Harvard School of Public Health and published in the Jan 2010 issue of PLoS One stated that taking high doses of Vitamin D may slow the progression of the HIV disease. It may also reduce the risk of death in people with HIV.

Vitamin D has been known to help the immune system stay strong. In the study mentioned above, the researchers collected and analyzed data on 884 HIV-infected pregnant women over a time span of approximately 70 months. These women were enrolled in a trial of multivitamin supplementation in Tanzania. Those who had lower than 32 ng/mL of serum vitamin D were 25 percent more likely to experience HIV disease progression to stage III or greater, compared to those who were given much higher levels of vitamin D.

The higher doses of vitamin D also helped these women with anemia (the women taking the lower vitamin D doses were 47 percent more likely to develop severe anemia during the follow-up compared to those with adequate vitamin D levels). Vitamin D is also said to help prevent swine fle, certain cancers, diabetes and heart disease, according to Dr. John Cannell, a vitamin D expert at vitamin D Council.

Vitamin D did not seem to have an association with T-cell counts; however, the women who took the higher amounts of vitamin D had a 42 percent lower risk of death than those who took much lower doses of vitamin D.

==========
Aug08 - Seroconversion
Mar10 - Diagnosis; cd4 690 - VL 19,000
Apr10 - cd4 600
May10 - VL 4,500
Jun10 - started Atripla ; VL 113
Jul 10 - UD vl, CD4 590
Aug 10 - UD, CD4 810, 52%
Nov 10 - UD, CD4 980

Offline mecch

  • Member
  • Posts: 13,455
  • red pill? or blue pill?
Are these women in the study in Tanzania on HAART? 
“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx

Offline leatherman

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 8,593
  • Google and HIV meds are Your Friends
Are these women in the study in Tanzania on HAART? 
no

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0008770
"At the time of the study, ART was not available to most women in Tanzania, including participants in the trial."

"Our study provides initial support for a potentially beneficial effect of adequate vitamin D status on HIV disease and related outcomes. If confirmed in randomized controlled trials, vitamin D supplementation could be a simple and low cost method to prolong the time to initiation of anti-retroviral therapy in HIV-infected patients, particularly in resource-limited settings. Evidence from larger studies and randomized trials is urgently needed to examine the effects of vitamin D in HIV-infected patients and its interaction with ART."
leatherman (aka Michael)

We were standing all alone
You were leaning in to speak to me
Acting like a mover shaker
Dancing to Madonna then you kissed me
And I think about it all the time
- Darren Hayes, "Chained to You"

Offline mecch

  • Member
  • Posts: 13,455
  • red pill? or blue pill?
Ironic a Harvard team can conduct such research and depressing it needs to.

(Harvard has an endowment of billions and billions of dollars. Obama and Bush are both graduates. Its depressing its public policy institute needs to research such a dire state of affairs in Africa. Not saying it should not do the research, but its just horrible. Why people have to progress to AIDS and the minor effect on Vit D on all that, it boggles the mind.  It reminds me of Tuskegee. The research team isn't morally wrong, as were Tuskegee.  But, viewed from a certain distance, its just gross.)

And Boze I dont see how it has much applicability to someone living in a country where HAART is available.
« Last Edit: June 28, 2010, 01:01:41 am by mecch »
“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx

Offline Boze

  • Member
  • Posts: 477
Ironic a Harvard team can conduct such research and depressing it needs to.

(Harvard has an endowment of billions and billions of dollars. Obama and Bush are both graduates. Its depressing its public policy institute needs to research such a dire state of affairs in Africa. Not saying it should not do the research, but its just horrible. Why people have to progress to AIDS and the minor effect on Vit D on all that, it boggles the mind.  It reminds me of Tuskegee. The research team isn't morally wrong, as were Tuskegee.  But, viewed from a certain distance, its just gross.)

And Boze I dont see how it has much applicability to someone living in a country where HAART is available.

Well you raised two interesting points. I'll deal with second - I think it's relevant for those people who live in countries with HAART availability who want to prolong their HAART-free time. I know I have a difference of opinion with a few folks as to whether any supplements can have an effect on how long a person can remain HAART-free - but I think studies like this are relevant to the discussion.

On the issue of Harvard having billions in endowment while people in Tanzania don't have access to HAART - it reminds me of the philosophical position espoused by Peter Singer (Australian philosopher). It can be read here: http://people.brandeis.edu/~teuber/singermag.html

His basic idea is that it's immoral for people in the West to enjoy any non-basic goods (like buying a new TV while old one is working) while someone in Africa is dying from hunger. I find his position untenable (for a number of reasons) - but I think it's worthwhile to consider. To extend it here - I think Harvard is as guilty of not spending money on HAART and instead of conducting a study on efficacy of Vitamin D (with billions in endowment) as any of us who spend money on non-essential things instead of donating it to charity that would buy HAART. I.e. - driving a new car or a new TV, going out to restaurants or even going to a beach vacation. Therefore only those who donate a large portion of their income (Peter Singer donates 20%) have the moral standing to accuse Harvard of not doing enough (which is different from accusing drug companies who could be selling drugs at cost).
==========
Aug08 - Seroconversion
Mar10 - Diagnosis; cd4 690 - VL 19,000
Apr10 - cd4 600
May10 - VL 4,500
Jun10 - started Atripla ; VL 113
Jul 10 - UD vl, CD4 590
Aug 10 - UD, CD4 810, 52%
Nov 10 - UD, CD4 980

Offline leatherman

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 8,593
  • Google and HIV meds are Your Friends
Ironic a Harvard team can conduct such research and depressing it needs to.
according to the data though, this research was conducted during 1995-1997, when HAART was just beginning to be used in developed countries and we were just beginning to see revelant data to the effectiveness of HAART. It does't surprise me at all that while drug regimens were just being developed in placing like America, that places like Tanzania were using things like Vit D (and hence having these studies) to try to prolong lives until the drugs could make their way into less-developed countries.

On the issue of Harvard having billions in endowment while people in Tanzania don't have access to HAART
It wasn't so much that people in Tanzania didn't have access to HAART as HAART regimens were then just being developed.
leatherman (aka Michael)

We were standing all alone
You were leaning in to speak to me
Acting like a mover shaker
Dancing to Madonna then you kissed me
And I think about it all the time
- Darren Hayes, "Chained to You"

Offline mecch

  • Member
  • Posts: 13,455
  • red pill? or blue pill?
If the research is that old, why are we even discussing it.  ???
“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx

Offline Hellraiser

  • Member
  • Posts: 4,155
  • Semi-misanthropic
If the research is that old, why are we even discussing it.  ???

Because, and Boze please don't be offended by this, Boze has a hardon for finding backing for his claim that supplements help slow down the process of HIV infection.

Offline leatherman

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 8,593
  • Google and HIV meds are Your Friends
If the research is that old, why are we even discussing it.  ???
actually because Vitamin D is the latest "in thing" ;)

this Tanzania data from the late 90s has recently been put together with data (about vit D), from as far back as 1975 to 2009, and published just back in Jan 2010 shows that Vit D taken before HAART will slow down the progression of HIV.
leatherman (aka Michael)

We were standing all alone
You were leaning in to speak to me
Acting like a mover shaker
Dancing to Madonna then you kissed me
And I think about it all the time
- Darren Hayes, "Chained to You"

Offline leatherman

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 8,593
  • Google and HIV meds are Your Friends
Boze has a hardon for finding backing for his claim that supplements help slow down the process of HIV infection.
yes, i was surprised in that previous thread that Boze was given such grief.

It would seem obvious that staying healthier longer and preserving your immune system for as long as possible would postpone the damage of HIV. Isn't that exactly part of the reason some people progress faster than others, in that some people have an immune system that fights the HIV longer than other people's immune system which barely put up a fight? Hence keeping your immune system as bolstered as possible should/would prevent the immune system failure that leads to beginning HIV meds.

Clearly, this research shows that high Vit D, before HAART, can postpone the need for HAART for some amount of time.

Notice at no time did I say that this vitamin, or any supplement, would replace HAART or prevent HAART from being needed to fight the HIV virus, only that Vit D has been shown to slow the progess of the HIV allowing people to wait a longer period of time before needing to start HAART.
leatherman (aka Michael)

We were standing all alone
You were leaning in to speak to me
Acting like a mover shaker
Dancing to Madonna then you kissed me
And I think about it all the time
- Darren Hayes, "Chained to You"

Offline Merlin

  • Member
  • Posts: 642
  • As My WILL, So MOTE It Be !
Pardon me, but seems just so Queer Eye for The St8 Guy, to give 'em these little bastards inside and outside our bodies a nice sun tan before zapping them with HART lasers. Yes Paris, that's hot !  :D;);D

Seriously, they said the same stuff with Selenium too. Over the last 5 years since my diagnosis, I no longer hold my breath over such similar studies. Just stay healthy as best as one can and be moderate and consistent about it. Now that's hot ! ;)
I'll leave Hatred to those not strong enough to Love.

                            +++

Believe & The Power Of The Mind Transforms.
Make It Happen...

                            +++

I blame them for nothing.
I forgive them for everything.

---->> Mary J. Blige on dysfuctional parents

Offline Boze

  • Member
  • Posts: 477
Because, and Boze please don't be offended by this, Boze has a hardon for finding backing for his claim that supplements help slow down the process of HIV infection.

No worries, I'm a very hard guy to offend :)

I really do think that such cheap and effective supplements can help some people. The problem is we don't know what works for who - to which I say, take them all.
==========
Aug08 - Seroconversion
Mar10 - Diagnosis; cd4 690 - VL 19,000
Apr10 - cd4 600
May10 - VL 4,500
Jun10 - started Atripla ; VL 113
Jul 10 - UD vl, CD4 590
Aug 10 - UD, CD4 810, 52%
Nov 10 - UD, CD4 980

Offline mecch

  • Member
  • Posts: 13,455
  • red pill? or blue pill?
I agree that in a perfect world we would expect more research into everyday remedies and traditional "non-medical establishment" treatments.
“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx

 


Terms of Membership for these forums
 

© 2024 Smart + Strong. All Rights Reserved.   terms of use and your privacy
Smart + Strong® is a registered trademark of CDM Publishing, LLC.