*TREATING AIDS WITH NUTRITION

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TREATING AIDS WITH NUTRITION

by Harold D. Foster PhD

University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

 

(Reprinted with permission of the author)

WHAT REALLY CAUSES AIDS?

AIDS is a deficiency disease caused by HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus).

HIV-1 contains a gene that is virtually identical to that which allows humans to

produce the enzyme, glutathione peroxidase. As the virus is replicated, it

begins to seriously compete with its host for the four nutrients needed to make

this enzyme, specifically the trace element selenium and the three amino acids,

glutamine, cysteine and tryptophan. As infection increases, serious deficiencies

of these nutrients develop. Inadequate selenium causes the immune system to

collapse, the thyroid to malfunction and depression to develop. Glutamine

deficiency leads to muscle wasting and diarrhea. Shortages of cysteine result in

skin problems such as psoriasis and greater susceptibility to infection. A lack

of tryptophan causes diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia and ultimately death. It

becomes easy for other pathogens to infect the patient. In short, the infected

person has developed the disorder we call AIDS.

The treatment of HIV/AIDS, therefore, should always include diets elevated in

these four nutrients to reverse such deficiencies. Details of how this might be

done are available in the more detailed discussion that follows and in the book

" What Really Causes AIDS " that is freely available at

www.hdfoster.com/WhatReallyCausesAIDS.pdf (Editor's note: I urge all Newsletter

readers to download Dr. Foster's important (and free) book.)

 

If HIV-1 causes AIDS by depressing body selenium, cysteine, glutamine and

tryptophan then the way to treat this disorder is obviously diets enriched in

these nutrients1-2. But how much of each is required? What are the ideal levels

of selenium, cysteine, glutamine, and tryptophan in the human body?

 

AIDS AND SELENIUM

A study by Shamberger and Willis3 discovered that healthy US individuals,

between 50 and 71 years old, averaged 21.7 micrograms of selenium per 100

millilitres of blood. This compared with cancer patients of the same age range

who were found to have only 16.2 micrograms per 100 millilitres. Furthermore, in

a subsequent paper, the same authors4 described a comparison of selenium levels

in the blood of people from 19 US cities. These were highest in Rapid City,

South Dakota and lowest in Lima, Ohio; 25.6 and 15.7 micrograms per 100

millilitres respectively. Interestingly, Shamberger and Willis found a clear

inverse relationship between cancer death rates in these cities and blood

selenium levels. The higher the selenium, the lower the cancer mortality. To

illustrate, in Rapid City, where blood selenium levels were highest, the annual

cancer death rate per 100,000 people, during the period 1962 to 1966, was 94.0.

In contrast, in Lima, Ohio the cancer mortality rate for this

time period was exactly double this at 188.0. This strongly suggests that it is

far better to have a blood selenium level of 25.6 micrograms per 100 millilitres

than one of 15.7. Such US regional differences in blood selenium levels were

almost certainly a reflection of variations in the local soil content of this

mineral.

 

AIDS AND AMINO ACIDS

Braverman and Pfeiffer5 have published data on various blood amino acid levels

in both healthy adult males and females. For cysteine such levels range from 6

to 14 micromoles per 100 millilitres for men and 5 to 13 for women. Blood levels

for glutamine given by these authors vary from 45 to 105 micromoles per 100

millilitres for adult males and from 40 to 90 for adult females. Similarly, the

figures quoted for tryptophan in blood for both men and women vary from 4 to 25

micromoles per 100 millilitres. It would seem logical to attempt to achieve the

higher ends of these ranges.

 

FOODS

Naturally, one way to elevate body levels of selenium and the three amino

acids is to eat foods in which they most commonly occur. " What Really Causes

AIDS " is freely available at www.hdfoster.com/WhatReallyCausesAIDS.pdf and

contains appendices ranking foods according to their selenium and amino acid

content. (Selenium content depends largely on the soil where the food was

grown.) Below are some examples of foods that are normally elevated in at least

one of the key nutrients: Selenium, Cysteine, Glutamine, and Tryptophan.

 

Selenium: Brazil nuts, garlic, mushrooms, liver, whole wheat, barley, egg

noodles, fish and shellfish, soybean meal, brewers' yeast.

 

Cysteine: Brazil nuts, garlic, onions, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, poultry,

egg yolks, yogurt, wheat germ.

 

Glutamine: Brazil nuts, wild game, wheat germ, oats, granola, cottage cheese,

ricotta.

 

Tryptophan: Almonds, cashews, poultry, anchovies, eggs, cottage cheese and

other unripened cheeses, oats, granola, brewers' yeast, bananas, pineapple,

yogurt.

 

(Editor's note: see also: http://www.doctoryourself.com/prozac.html)

 

SUPPLEMENTS

 

SELENIUM

 

There has been considerable debate over which form of selenium should be taken

as a supplement. Organically-bound selenium, for example, in brewer’s yeast, is

considerably more effective in raising blood concentrations of this trace

element than is sodium-selenite. (Passwater RA (1980). Selenium as food and

medicine. New Canaan,CT:Keats Publishing.pp 183-196.) How much selenium should

be taken daily by HIV-positive individuals is subject to discussion. Perhaps the

most logical comments have come from Dr. Will Taylor6

 

" ®esearch has shown that there are problems in nutrient absorption even in

asymptomatic HIV+ individuals, the suggestion has been made that HIV patients

need to take larger amounts of vitamins than uninfected individuals to attain

the same blood levels. Since the USDA states that nutritional supplementation in

the range of 50-200 micrograms (mcg) of Selenium (Se) daily is safe and

effective for healthy individuals, a dose of 400 mcg seems reasonable for

HIV-infected individuals, if they do have impaired absorption. For an AIDS

patient who is demonstrably deficient in Se, an even higher daily dose (up to

800 mcg) for a brief period of time (say several weeks) to get their blood

levels up, followed by a decrease to 400 mcg is an effective strategy that was

used in one published clinical study involving AIDS patients. This question of

dose level naturally arouses concerns, because in the past so much has been made

of the potential toxicity of Se. I believe that the danger

of serious toxicity with Se supplementation has been exaggerated. The threat of

serious acute toxicity with supplementation is in my opinion nonexistent at

doses less than 1000 mcg per day in some individuals. Thus, doses in the 400 mcg

range are undoubtedly safe. In any case, the signs of chronic Se toxicity -

garlic odour of breath and sweat, metallic taste in mouth, brittle hair and

fingernails - are very distinctive, and easily reversed by lowering the dose. "

 

I have nothing to add. Dr. Taylor seems to be correct as usual.

 

GLUTAMINE

 

Glutamine supplements, normally in the form of 500 milligram tablets, are

readily available in health food stores. AIDS patients are known to be very

deficient in glutamine. In a Harvard study7 of HIV-seropositive individuals who

were largely asymptomatic, glutamine serum levels were found to be very

depressed, even though they showed no sign of AIDS. Despite the fact that a

subgroup was given 20 grams (20,000 milligrams, that is 5 teaspoons) of

glutamine daily in small doses over 24 hours for one month, glutamine blood

levels remained depressed. Patients8 were then given 40 grams of glutamine per

day, an amount usually reserved for bone-marrow transplant patients fighting off

infection.

 

Pressman and Buff9 probably provided the best advice on the therapeutic use of

glutamine as a supplement when they wrote:

 

" Glutamine may also help treat serious diarrhea caused by AIDS or by other

intestinal problems such as ulcerative colitis. Fairly large doses of glutamine,

as high as 40,000 milligrams, may be

needed. The glutamine improves the absorption of water through the colon,

which helps relieve the diarrhea. Dosages that high should be taken under

supervision, and only by those with diarrhea caused by a serious medical

problem. Don’t treat minor diarrhea from indigestion or a 24-hour stomach virus

with glutamine. "

 

As Shabert and Ehrlich10 point out:

 

" There are very specific instances in which giving glutamine to a sick

individual would not be indicated. Individuals who have severe cirrhosis of the

liver, Reye’s syndrome, or another metabolic disorder that can lead to an

accumulation of ammonia in the blood are at an increased risk for encephalopathy

or coma. The basic problem is an inability to clear the body of excess nitrogen,

which is converted to ammonia and ultimately causes brain swelling and

brain-cell death. When the liver is severely damaged or when hepatic coma is

imminent, glutamine is not effective and would cause only further damage to the

brain. "

 

CYSTEINE

 

Cysteine supplements have been used for many years by orthomolecular

physicians to treat diseases as diverse as stroke, manic depression, asthma, and

schizophrenic psychosis. Cysteine, however, is a poorly absorbed amino acid and

has to be given in fairly large doses. To quote Braverman and Pfeiffer5:

 

" When we determine that cysteine supplementation is necessary, we usually

begin with a dose of 500 mg/day. (Starting with a larger amount can lead to

indigestion). Gradually, we may increase the dose to 3 or 4 g per day.

Meanwhile, we keep an eye on serum cystine values. We find that, as cystine

levels return to normal, low plasma levels of zinc, folic acid and taurine also

return to normal. Some researchers have used as much as 7 g per day of cysteine.

It should be noted that extremely high doses of cysteine, probably greater than

7 g daily, can be harmful. Patients with cystinuria, an hereditary disorder

characterized by excretion of large amounts of cystine and other amino acids in

the urine, are at increased risk of forming cystine gallstones. We would suggest

a limit of 500 mg of cysteine twice per day except under medical supervision.

Vitamin C may prevent cysteine toxicity. "

 

Indeed cysteine should always be taken with high dose vitamin C and vitamins

B1, B6, and E which improve its efficacy9. Other recommended supplements are

magnesium and zinc, deficiencies of which are detrimental to glutathione

metabolism. In magnesium deficiency, for example, one of the enzymes that is

required in glutatione synthesis, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, is lowered.

Zinc and magnesium supplements, therefore, may enhance glutathione synthesis

under specific conditions5. However, it is known that diabetics should avoid

cysteine supplementation because it can block the effects of insulin by altering

its chemical structure. That is, cysteine breaks some S-S cross-link bonds,

changing insulin’s molecular shape. Some orthomolecular physicians prefer to

describe N-acetyl-cysteine for the treatment of AIDS. This is because AIDS

patients usually have digestive absorption problems. It is easier for them to

take N-acetyl-cysteine than either cysteine or glutathione.

Physicians treating AIDS patients generally recommend fairly high daily doses

of N-acetyl-cysteine, in the range of 1,800 to 2,400 milligrams, taken at

regular intervals, in three or four divided doses9.

 

TRYPTOPHAN

 

Tryptophan is the least abundant essential amino acid in foods. Deficiencies

of it are known to be linked with a wide range of health problems including

Hartnup’s disease, pellagra, depression, hypertension, anorexia, insomnia, and

overly aggressive behaviour. Tryptophan supplements of up to 3 grams daily have

been used also to control intractable pain. This amino acid is used by the body

for the biosynthesis of niacin, serotonin, and various proteins. As a result,

deficiencies of tryptophan, seen in individuals who are HIV-seropositive, seem

to result in a variety of symptoms including those associated with pellagra;

namely dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia5,11

 

L-tryptophan is the most desirable supplement form since all other metabolites

of tryptophan, with the exception of niacin, have significant side effects.

Braverman and Pfeiffer5 explain that:

 

" Infusions of tryptophan can raise serum tryptophan six to ten times in normal

persons without apparent side effects. Oral loading (4 grams) to normal controls

can increase plasma levels up to four times normal within two hours. Twelve

grams daily to manic patients can maintain plasma levels at three times normal. "

 

They further describe giving seven patients 2 grams of tryptophan daily for 6

weeks. Their plasma tryptophan levels were by then nearly double those of a

control group of 96 patients.

 

Unlike selenium, cysteine, and glutamine, tryptophan is not readily available

in health food stores. In the fall of 1989, the FDA recalled all L-tryptophan,

stating it caused the rare and deadly condition Eosinophilia-Myalgia Syndrome

(EMS)12. On March 22, 1990 the FDA completely banned the public sale of

L-tryptophan.

 

The truth appears to be that one faulty batch of tryptophan probably caused

the death of 37 people, and permanently disabled 1,500 more. It is clear,

however, that this was due not to the amino acid itself but to a contaminant in

it, produced as a result of the use of genetically engineered bacteria in its

production13. Banning the sale of tryptophan, because of the world’s first

genetic engineering disaster, was like banning the sale of whiskey because of

deaths due to a bad batch of moonshine. However, it is still possible to buy

5-Hydroxy Tryptophan (5-HTP), derived from the seeds of Griffonia simplicifolia,

a medicinal plant traditionally used in Ghana, Cameroon, and Côte d’Ivoire14.

This supplement should not be taken by anyone using SSRI (serotonin reuptake) or

MAO (monoamine oxidase) inhibitor prescription medications15. 5-Hydroxy

Tryptophan is formed by the addition of a hydroxyl group (OH) to tryptophan, by

the enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase and is the

intermediate in the natural synthesis of tryptophan to serotonin16. In

addition, another tryptophan metabolite, niacin, is available in any health food

store. It should also be recalled that there are 400 milligrams of tryptophan in

a cup of wheat germ, while low fat cottage cheese contains 300 milligrams per

cup. There are also some 600 milligrams of tryptophan in a pound of turkey or

chicken. In most countries, if not available in health food stores, tryptophan

can be prescribed by a physician. Indeed, it is strongly suggested that anyone

attempting to reverse selenium, cysteine, glutamine, and tryptophan deficiencies

caused by HIV infection should do so under the supervision of an orthomolecular

(nutritional) physician. (Editor's note: I do not maintain a database of such

physicians. I recommend an internet search.)

 

More information, including cited references, is available at:

 

http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/aids.selenium.html

http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/aids.selenium2.html

http://www.hdfoster.com/WhatReallyCausesAIDS.pdf

http://www.lookforhelp.com

 

REFERENCES

 

1. Foster, H.D. (2002). What Really Causes AIDS. Victoria: Trafford

Publishing.

 

2. Foster, H.D. (2004). How HIV-1 causes AIDS: Implications for prevention and

treatment. Medical Hypotheses, 62, 549-553.

 

3. Shamberger, R., and Willis, C. (1980). Journal of the National Cancer

Institute, 44, 931. Cited by Passwater, R.A. (1980). Selenium as food and

medicine. New Canaan, CT: Keats, p.18.

 

4. Shamberger, R. and Willis, C. (1971). CRC critical reviews in clinical

laboratory sciences, 211-221. Cited by Passwater, op.cit., pp.21-22.

 

5. Braverman, E.R. (with Pfeiffer, C.C.)(1987). The healing nutrients within:

Facts, findings and new research on amino acids. New Canaan: Keats Publishing.

 

6. Taylor, E.W. (1997). Selenium and viral diseases: Facts and hypotheses.

Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, 12(4), 227-239.

 

7. Young, L.C., Gatzen, C., Wilmore, K., and Wilmore, D.W. (1992). Glutamine

(Gln) supplementation fails to increase plasma Gln levels in asymptomatic HIV+

individuals. Journal of the American Medical Association, 92 (Suppl), A-88.

 

8. Robinson, M.K., Hong, R.W., and Wilmore, D.W. (1992). Glutathione

deficiency and HIV infection. Letter to the editor, The Lancet, 339, 1603-1604.

 

9. Pressman, A.H. (with Buff, S.)(1997). The GSH phenomenon: Nature’s most

powerful oxidant and healing agent glutathione. New York: St. Martin’s Press, p.

135.

 

10. Shabert, J., and Ehrlich, N. (1994). The ultimate nutrient glutamine: The

essential nonessential amino acid. Garden City Park, NY: Avery Publishing Group,

p.46.

 

11. Fuchs, D., Moller, A.A., Reibnegger, G., Stockle, E., Werner, E.R., and

Wachter, H. (1990). Decreased serum tryptophan in patients with HIV-1 infection

correlates with increased serum neopterin with neurologic/psychiatric symptoms.

Journal of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, 3(9), 873-876.

 

12. Manders, D.W. (1995). The FDA ban of L-tryptophan: Politics, profits and

Prozac. Science Policy, 26(2). Reprinted on Cognitive Enhancement Research

Institute website: http://www.ceri.com/trypto.htm .

 

13. Boyens, I. (1999). The skeleton in the GMO closet: Did genetic engineering

cause the tryptophan-EMS disaster of 1989? From Unnatural harvest: How corporate

science is secretly altering our food. Toronto: Doubleday Canada. (See

http://www.aquarianonline.com/Eco/UnnaturalHarvest.html)

 

14. People and Plants Online. Medicinal Plant Use in Africa.

(http://www/rbgkew.org.uk/peopleplants/wp1/africa1.htm)

 

15. http://www/painstresscenter.com/5htp.html .

 

16. http://store./vitanet/5htp60capsules.html .

 

Reprinted from the book FIRE YOUR DOCTOR, copyright 2004 and prior years by

Andrew Saul, 23 Greenridge Crescent, Hamlin, NY 14464 USA

 

 

 

" To be nobody-but-myself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to

make me everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being

can fight, and never stop fighting. " -e.e. cummings-

 

 

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