Multi-Vitamins slow down AIDS..

[digital goldfish]

Apparently..

Am sure there is a woo just ready to jump on this band wagon..

If it's true, then there are far reaching implications, but without seeing the research, who can tell..

http://www.healthtalk.ca/aids_vitamin_06012004_3493.php

Multivitamin supplements taken once a day can delay the progression of HIV disease, according to new research.

In a 8 year study consisting of 1078 pregnant women from Tanzania infected with HIV, researchers found that vitamins significantly slowed down the progression of HIV and provided a low-cost means of delaying the initiation of antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected women.

edited to add paper's URL: http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/351/1/23

 

[Deetee]

They make a case for the underlying beneficial effects. I doubt that in a well nourished population there would be much impact.

Nevertheless, you are right, and before to long the Woos will all be claiming vitamins are the cure for AIDS (but only their own brand of very expensive ones) and there is no need for toxic antiretroviral drugs.

They will all completely ignore this vital comment from the paper:
The benefits with respect to immunologic and virologic outcomes in our study were small relative to the effects of triple antiretroviral therapy.

 

[Soapy Sam]

"...vitamins significantly slowed down the progression of HIV and provided a low-cost means of delaying the initiation of antiretroviral therapy ..."

Does this strike others as being just somewhat unethical?

 

[Rolfe]

Well if you don't have the drugs to go round, it might be better than nothing.

Rolfe.

 

[anonimouse]

That paper also said that current therapies (antiretrovirals and the like) were still several times more effective at slowing the progression of HIV than vitamin therapy. They were quick to mention that vitamins were NOT a replacement for current AIDS drugs.

Also keep in mind the study was done in Tanzania, where nutritional and vitamin deficiencies are commonplace. I'd surmise that it's less likely that vitamin therapy would be successful in places where those deficiencies are more rare.

 

[TeaBag420]

Also keep in mind the study was done in Tanzania, where nutritional and vitamin deficiencies are commonplace.

Because the folks there are colored, or because you can back up your assertion? Do they also wear bones in their noses? Where did you learn so much about Tanzania?

 

[Rob Lister]

Because the folks there are colored, or because you can back up your assertion? Do they also wear bones in their noses? Where did you learn so much about Tanzania?

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/tz.html

It doesn't say anything about bones in their noses but it does indicate they are not the best fed people in the world

snip

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 44.39 years
male: 43.2 years
female: 45.61 years (2004 est.)

Maybe I'm misunderstanding your point.

 

[Abdul Alhazred]

Just about everyone in the USA takes a vitamin pill every day.

So it "slows down" AIDS? It's still certain horrible die too young death. No?

 

[Benguin]

According to the world bank 29% of under 5s in Tanzania are malnourished.

I'd say thats not so good.

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