AEGiS-CATIE: Selenium study finds dramatic results

Selenium study finds dramatic results

TreatmentUpdate84 - Vol. 9, No. 10 - pp. 4-5; December, 1997
Sean Hosein

Vitamins and minerals have different functions in the body. B-complex vitamins, for example, help release energy from food and iron helps red blood cells transport oxygen. Other minerals, particularly copper, manganese, selenium and zinc are used by the body to make antioxidant enzymes. These enzymes help protect cells from harmful chemicals produced by "oxidative stress."

There is evidence that oxidative stress occurs at increased levels in people with HIV/AIDS, a fact which can further weaken the immune system. It is therefore not surprising that a deficiency in the nutrients needed to make antioxidants can be linked to reduced survival. This is the case in the present study where the risk of dying "associated with a selenium deficiency is 15 times higher than that associated with a low CD4+ cell count."

Study Details

Researchers enrolled 43 females and 82 males who had as a group an average CD4+ count of 428 cells (27% had less than 200 cells) at the start of the study. Seventy-eight percent of the group were drug-users and were observed by the research team for an average of 3.5 years.

Results

The researchers found that very low levels of certain nutrients--vitamins A, B12, selenium, zinc and protein--were all associated with reduced survival compared to others who did not have such low levels of nutrients. This difference was statistically significant; that is, not likely due to chance alone. In analysing the data the researchers found that a deficiency of selenium was best able to predict survival/death. Few subjects in this study used anti-HIV drugs, but if they did, treatment was AZT alone. Given these facts, it is not surprising that the use of anti-HIV drugs in this study was not associated with a higher chance of survival.

The next step should be to test the impact of supplements of antioxidant nutrients, including selenium, on the immune systems of PHAs. Most supplement regimens use up to 200 microgrammes/day of selenium.

REFERENCES:

1. Taylor EW, Bhat A, Nadimpalli RG, et al. HIV encodes a sequence overlapping env gp41 with highly significant similarity to selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidases. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology 1997;15(5):393-394.

2. Baum MK, Shor-Posner G, Lai S, et al. High risk of HIV-related mortality is associated with selenium deficiency. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology 1997;15(5):370-374.

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ÆGIS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, Elton John AIDS Foundation, iMetrikus, Inc., the National Library of Medicine, and donations from users l This article first appeard in 1997. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

Copyright © 1997 - TreatmentUpdate. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Editor, The Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange, 555 Richmond St. West, Suite 505, Box 1104, Toronto, ON, M5V 3B1 • Phone: 416-203-7122 • Toll Free: 1-800-263-1638 • Fax: 416-203-8284 http://www.catie.ca

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