How HIV affects nutrition
Nutritional issues are common in HIV disease. At some point, almost everyone living with HIV will face challenges in maintaining good nutrition. Problems can be related to HIV infection itself and to the effects of anti-HIV therapy, also called HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy). For example, the virus can infect some of the immune cells in the intestines, causing local inflammation and making it more difficult to absorb nutrients and medicines. This can result in weight loss or vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Also, the nutritional needs of people with HIV are greater because the body has to work overtime to deal with a chronic viral infection and to fight off opportunistic infections. People co-infected with hepatitis C, which attacks the liver, are even more at risk of nutritional problems because the liver has a central role in processing all nutrients and most drugs. Finally, poor appetite, fatigue, nausea and other side effects of medications can make it hard to eat well.
No comments:
Post a Comment