Protein Requirements for AIDS Patients

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The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) brings about the problematic, chronic condition generally known as AIDS. The virus targets the immune system and ultimately overwhelms it. Given the limitations of current therapy, it's imperative that a holistic approach be implemented, which involves medication, dietary management and stress management.

Increasing appetite, improving digestion and absorption of nutrients, while stopping catablolism ( i.e. the breakdown) of proteins in the body are all methods inside the dietary management of AIDS. Through good dietary nutrition malnutrition and weighloss may be minimized, which positively affects the immune system. Proteins play a very important role for optimal health especially in AIDS as it replenishes cells, tissues and muscles, aside from its biological and immunological functions. Enough medical literature exists to recommend that an increased protein diet of casein and whey are recommended. Specific amino acids such as glutamine, methionine, arginine, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and hydroxymethyl butyrate (HMB) are vital.

Involuntary body weight-loss is really a frequent manifestation of HIV infection and ultimately affects the majority of patients. Maybe not a absolute consequence of HIV infection but rather a end result of multiple nutritional insults is wasting. A number of etiologies contribute to this wasting, including, hypermetabolism, alterations in metabolism, lessened oral intake, malabsorption, immune mechanisms and endocrine dysfunction. A decreased survival rate is related to the wasting of the lean body mass. It further impairs immune function. Studies have shown that both HIV positive males and females have considerably lower body weight, fat and body cell mass than HIV negative controls, and that a decrease in body weight shows a trend in disease progression.

The amount of weightloss directly correlates to the number of nutrition-related clinical signs and symptoms in each individual. Within immunocompromised patients a preventable morbidity is the result of a low energy intake, deficiency of protein in diet and catabolism of proteins from muscle tissues (Suneeta franklin et al., 1999). As a result a person with HIV or AIDS should consume between 0.8 - 1 g of easily digestible and high quality protein per pound of body weight equivalent to 1.8 -2.2 g body weight (Bristol, 1995). A whey protein concentrate (WPC) when used like a treatment for AIDS-related wasting syndrome has the ability to combat the negative effects of oxidative stress, improve T-cell function and T-cell survival, and even aid within the management of HIV replication.

Whey proteins are made of a-lactalbumin and

Categories: aids