American Foundation for AIDS ResearchImportant note: Information in this article was accurate in August 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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Managing Diarrhea


Project Inform Perspectives 30 - August, 2000

Two recent studies show that using supplements is helpful in treating diarrhea associated with the use of nelfinavir (Viracept), the most common side effect of this protease inhibitor. In one study, people took two psyllium husk fiber bars one hour before bedtime with a large glass of water. Almost all participants showed improvements and the severity of diarrhea was reduced. In the second study, people took 500mg of calcium supplements twice a day (total daily dose of 1,000mg). All participants reported dramatic improvements while two thirds of them reported a resolution of their diarrhea. The improvement noted with the husk fiber bars is consistent with earlier recommendations that called for the use of soluble fibers as a tool for combating the diarrhea.

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