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DESCRIPTION
AIDS is an immune system disorder in which the body's ability to defend itself is greatly diminished. When human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, the virus that causes AIDS) invades key immune cells called T lymphocytes and multiplies, it causes a breakdown in the body's immune system, eventually leading to overwhelming infection and/or cancer - and, ultimately, to death. Most deaths among people with AIDS are not caused by AIDS itself, but by one of the many infections or cancers to which the syndrome makes the body vulnerable. Essentially, AIDS is experienced as a series of various illnesses made possible by the initial HIV infection. It is a monumental modern medical plague.
The origin of HIV is unknown. The earliest documented case of AIDS appeared in 1981, but researchers acknowledge that there may have been unidentified cases in the 1970s. Some investigators have wondered if HIV might be a genetically engineered virus gone awry. Whatever its origin, HIV is a type of virus known as a retrovirus that is spread primarily through sexual or blood-to-blood contact, such as occurs with the sharing of needles by intravenous drug users. It can also be spread by blood transfusion or the use of blood products such as clotting factors, if the blood used for these purposes is infected. Hemophiliacs who require a specific coagulation factor from blood concentrates have historically been especially vulnerable to HIV. In the United States, as well as in many other parts of the world, blood is now screened for the presence of antibodies to HIV - a sign of HIV infection - and is discarded if found to contain them. It is possible, however, that HIV infected blood may occasionally pass through the screening process. HIV antibodies may not show up in the blood for as much as 3 to 6 months after a person is infected, so their presence in blood taken from a person who has contracted the virus recently may not be detectable. Blood products are now subjected to heat to destroy the virus although some AIDS advocates have raised concerns that this process may not be 100 percent effective. Still, according to the American Association of Blood Banks, HIV currently infects only 1 in 676,000 recipients through blood transfusions.
It is possible for dentists and medical workers who come into close contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons to become infected under certain circumstances. This is why paramedics, emergency medical technicians, dentists and dental hygienists, and hospital, clinic, and emergency room personnel - even police officers - now routinely use gloves to prevent contact with blood products or saliva. The practice of wearing gloves also protects patients.
Babies of mothers with HIV can contract the virus during pregnancy or birth, or through breast feeding, although this is not inevitable. In fact, statistics show that most such babies do not contract the virus themselves. According to the 1993 Surgeon-General's report on HIV and AIDS, about 25 percent of these babies do become infected, either before or during birth, resulting in an estimated 1,750 HIV-infected infants annually in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control's Perinatal AIDS Collaborative Transmission Study indicates that medical treatment can reduce perinatal (28 weeks of pregnancy through 28 days after birth) transmission to 11 percent. Scientists do not know what factors influence whether or not a child will become infected, but are working diligently to find the answers. It is known that the use of drug therapy during pregnancy plus bottle-feeding after birth may dramatically decrease the likelihood of mother-to-baby transmission. Extra care should be taken during pregnancy and birth to keep intrusive medical procedures and tests (such as amniocentesis and episiotomies or cesarean deliveries) to a minimum. These procedures may increase the risk of blood or bodily fluid transmission between the infected mother and her baby.
RISK FACTORS FOR AIDS
Since the beginning of the epidemic in the 1980s, a number of health conditions and lifestyle factors have been identified that increase an individual's risk of contracting HIV and developing AIDS. The more factors present, the greater the risk. They include the following:
- Overuse of certain drugs, especially antibiotics and steroids.
- High-risk sexual activity.
- Substance abuse, including the use of alcohol, cigarettes, cocaine, amyl nitrate, marijuana, and other recreational drugs, especially intravenous drug use.
- Pre-existing sexually transmitted disease, especially syphilis.
- A diet high in processed foods, refined sugars, and fat.
- Infection with yeast (Candida albicans) and/or parasites.
Government research shows a rapid HIV test can be used on women during childbirth. An estimated 700,000 children worldwide developed HIV infections last year, most in Africa and from mother-to-child transmission during childbirth or early infancy. Health care providers hope that the rapid test will help to reduce HIV infections in newborns.
Many people who are infected with HIV are not even aware that they have it. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated that one-quarter of the approximately 950,000 HIV-infected people in the United States are not aware that they are infected. There is a new test available called the OraQuick HIV-1 Antibody Test. Because of the potential public health benefits of rapid HIV testing, the CDC and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are working with other officials to make the test widely available. While some people experience mild flu like illness within two to four weeks of exposure to the virus, it generally takes at least two to five years before any symptoms of HIV infection appear. The length of time between an initial HIV infection and a possible diagnosis of AIDS has been estimated to be anywhere from two years to ten years or more. The virus does not lie dormant during this time, however. Instead, it immediately attacks the immune system.
The virus quickly begins producing a billion copies of itself each day, which in turn forces the human immune system to produce the same number of antibodies as an attempted defense against the intruders. Year after year, the body struggles to beat the virus until finally, its overworked immune system simply wears out and AIDS results.
In many cases, the first symptoms are non-specific and variable. One of the most common is a tongue that is coated with white bumps. This is oral thrush, or candidiasis. Candidiasis indicates a compromised immune system. Intestinal parasites are another common problem.
Other possible symptoms include:
- Prolonged, unexplained fatigue.
- Swollen glands.
- Unexplained fever lasting more than 10 days.
- Excessive sweating (especially at night).
- Mouth lesions, including thrush and painful, swollen inflamed gums.
- Sore throat.
- Cough.
- Shortness of breath.
- Changes if bowel habits, including constipation.
- Frequent diarrhea.
- Symptoms of a specific opportunistic infection.
- Tumor.
- Skin rashes or lesions of various types.
- Unintentional weight loss.
- General discomfort or uneasiness (malaise).
- Headache.
- Loss of appetite.
- Swollen lymph nodes.
- An enlarged liver and/or spleen.
Additional symptoms that may be associated with HIV and/or AIDS include:
- Speech impairment.
- Memory loss.
- Joint swelling, joint pain, joint stiffness, bone pain or tenderness.
- A lump or lumps in the groin.
- Genital sores.
- Muscle atrophy.
- Decreasing intellectual function.
- Unusual or strange behavior.
- Anxiety.
- Stress.
- Tension.
- Pruritus (generalized itching).
- Sensitivity to light.
- Decreased vision or blindness, blind spots in the field of vision.
- Chest pain.
If such symptoms become chronic, an individual may be said to have AIDS-related complex (ARC).
No one should assume he or she is infected with HIV just because he or she has one or more of the above symptoms, however. These symptoms can be related to many illnesses, so being tested for HIV is the only way to be sure. This can be done by a health care provider or with a home HIV testing kit. Simple to perform, this tests requires a very small blood sample, obtained by pricking a fingertip. The sample is mailed to a laboratory, which analyzes it and offers a diagnosis by telephone in a matter of days. Each test is identified by a code number (no personal information is attached to any sample), so the test and the results are completely confidential.
To date, the FDA has approved only one home test kit, the Home Access Express HIV-1 Test System from Home Access Health Corporation.
Beware of fraudulent or unproven home HIV test kits. Health care providers say if a kit claims to provide "instant" test results through a visual indicator such as a colored dot on a piece of paper after saliva has been applied, the outcome may be unreliable. If you believe you have used a questionable test kit, contact your health care provider for another test or use the approved test kit.
Further, testing HIV-positive does not mean that one has AIDS. Rather, it means that one has been exposed to HIV, as demonstrated by the presence in the blood of antibodies to the virus. However, a confirmed positive HIV test result is often the earliest indication that the person may eventually develop AIDS. The medical criteria for a diagnosis of full-blown AIDS are quite specific, requiring the presence of one or more opportunistic infections or cancers known to be associated with HIV infection. According to the CDC, these include:
- Pneumoncystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), which is caused by a parasite found in about 60 percent of people with AIDS.
- Candidal esophagitis, esophagitis from herpes simplex virus (HSV) or cytomegalo virus (CMV).
- Primary lymphoma of the central nervous system (CNS).
- Kaposi's sarcoma, an otherwise rare skin cancer.
- Herpes simplex ulcers, extensive in location, lasting for more than one month.
- Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).
- Mycobacterium aviumintracellulare
- Salmonellosis
- Toxoplasmosis of the brain.
- Tuberculosis.
While this list is not all-inclusive, these are the more common AIDS-defining illnesses. Unfortunately, Pneumoncystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) is still common in people infected with HIV. In fact, 30 to 40 percent of people with HIV develop PCP if they wait to get treatment until their T cell counts are around 50 (a normal T cell count is typically 1,000 or more).
Some authorities believe that, although strongly linked to HIV, AIDS must be considered a disease caused by many factors. It may be that HIV is necessary but not sufficient to cause the onset of AIDS - that is, the virus needs help in bringing about immune deficiency. For example, epidemiologists have observed that those infected with both HIV and another retrovirus, such as the less frequently seen but similarly transmitted human T cell lymphoma virus (HTLV) develop the disease far more quickly than those infected with HIV alone. Conversely, some people with signs of full-blown generalized immune deficiency, consistent with a diagnosis of AIDS, actually test negative for HIV antibodies.
To date, only 50 to 60 percent of individuals exposed to HIV, as documented by an antibody test, have actually developed AIDS. This is probably due in part to the disease's long incubation period, but here are some people who have tested positive for HIV for many years and have never developed any symptoms of immunodeficiency. It is believed that a person who becomes infected with HIV is more likely to go on to develop AIDS if his or her immune system is severely suppressed by other factors at the time of exposure and later. The risk of developing AIDS is proportional to the degree of immune suppression and the amount and duration of exposure to HIV. If the immune system is functioning well, it may be possible to avoid developing AIDS, even if one is a member of a high-risk group. Studies have repeatedly shown that immune-compromised persons are at greatest risk of contracting AIDS.
HIV is highly adaptable and capable of changing in form. According to scientists at Oxford University in England, this may be the key to its survival. They say that through subtle mutations, or changes in its genetic structure, HIV evades and ultimately defuses the body's mechanisms for the elimination of infected cells. As a result, it continues to survive despite the immune system's aggressive attacks.
Meanwhile, studies conducted at the Pasteur Institute indicate that the virus may be more hardy and virulent than we have been told. Health authorities have long maintained that the AIDS virus cannot survive without a host, but the Pasteur Institute researchers demonstrated that HIV can survive outside the body, and that it can live for up to eleven days in untreated sewage. Apparently, HIV is not as fragile as has been thought. While there are varying points of view, it is believed it is possible that the virus may live for many days outside the body, even in dried, inactive state, and then become infectious again.
At this time, there is no cure for AIDS. In the United States alone, approximately 850,000 to 950,000 are infected with HIV, including 180,000 to 280,000 who do not know they are infected. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 56 percent of Americans diagnosed with AIDS since 1981 have died. AIDS is now a leading cause of premature death among Americans. In this country, it tends to disproportionately affect members of minority communities, especially African-Americans and Hispanics, and men who have sex with other men. In 2001, HIV/AIDS was among the top three causes of death for African-American men aged 25 to 54 years and among the top four causes of death from African-American women aged 20 to 54 years. It was the number one cause of death form African-American women aged 25 to 34 years. Among Hispanics, in 2001, HIV/AIDS was the third leading cause of death among Hispanic men aged 35 to 44 years and the fourth leading cause of death among Hispanic women in the same age group. Those who abuse drugs and those who engage in sexual intercourse (anal, oral, or vaginal) with persons whose sexual or drug history places them at risk of HIV, with persons whose sex or drug history is unknown, or who have had multiple partners, are likewise considered to be at risk for the disease. In all population groups, young males are more likely than others to have contracted HIV. AIDS education seems to have had some impact on the spread of the virus in the United States, but in recent years, the number of new cases among young people has been rising again, even though they grew up in an atmosphere of widespread concern and awareness about AIDS. The highest percentage of AIDS infections in the United States occurs among the most sexually active age group, people between the ages of 24 and 44.
While safer sex practices have reduced the infection rate of HIV among gay and bisexual men, infections among intravenous (IV) drug users have not fallen, and they - along with their sexual partners - make up 1/3 and 1/2, respectively, of all new HIV cases in the United states. In one survey, 37 percent of HIV-positive and 32 percent of HIV=negative drug users said they were "tired" of having to make sure they don't share needles while shooting up. Meanwhile, the HIV-positive users surveyed were 6.5 times more likely to have unprotected sex if they believed that it was harder than it used to be to transmit AIDS through intercourse.
Sadly, of the 929,985 U.S. AIDS cases reported to date, approximately 9,419 were children under the age of 13. Among adolescents ages 13 to 14, the number of cases is 891. The statistics to note, unfortunately, is that, as of 2003, 37,599 Americans aged 15 to 24 had been diagnosed with AIDS. HIV/AIDS is growing faster among people aged 50 and older than in any other age group, and women account for nearly half of the new cases. The latest figures show that 17 percent of new cases since 2002 are among Americans 50 and older, up from 15 percent from 1991 through 2001. Why? It is primarily because people don't believe they are at risk, thinking AIDS is the disease of young people only.
Worldwide, more than 40 million people are carrying the HIV virus, and more than 20 million have died of complications of AIDS. In Africa, roughly 8,500 new infections occur each day. Alarmingly, millions of people living outside industrialized countries are infected with HIV, and most of these cases are due to a different strain of the virus than cases commonly studied in the United States and Europe. An estimated 5 million people in low- and middle-income countries do not have the AIDS drugs that could save their lives.
Anyone with HIV or AIDS can make a major contribution to his or her survival and quality of life by getting into an early treatment program, especially a program in which immune enhancement is encouraged. The person with HIV or AIDS needs higher amounts of all nutrients than normal because malabsorption is a common problem. Those at risk of becoming infected with HIV or of developing AIDS can also be helped through the Nutritional Program found in the links below. For all nutritional supplements, it is strongly recommended that the use of sublingual and injectable forms, as well as rectal suppositories, if available, for improved absorption.
Many of the nutrients listed at the link below can be found in combination formulas. A high-potency multi-vitamin and mineral supplement should be included as well. Be sure to check the amounts of different nutrients in the complex against those of the table below. Use sublingual, liquid, and powdered supplements for best absorption.
MoonDragon's Health & Wellness: Disorders - Malabsorption Syndrome
Unless otherwise specified, the dosages recommended are for adults. For a child between the ages of 12 and 17, reduce the dose to 3/4 the recommended amount. For a child between 6 and 12, use 1/2 the recommended dose, and for a child under the age of 6, use 1/4 the recommended amount. For a complete list of nutritional supplements, click on this link:
AIDS / Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Supplements
Information and help with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and AIDS, an incurable condition that weakens the body's ability to fight disease. For an updated list, see this link from HerbalRemedies: AIDS Supplements, Information & Products
AHCC (Active Hexose Correlated Compound), Vegetarian, 500 mg each Vcap, 60 Vcaps
AHCC is a rich source of polysaccharides such as beta glucan 1,3 and activated hemicellulose produced by enzymatic modification of organic medicinal mushrooms, including shiitake.Immuno Shield, Immune System Support, 100 Gelcaps
This potent multi-herb complex addresses two key areas, immune support and bacterial/viral control.Silver Biotics Liquid, Silver Supplement, 8 fl. oz.
Silver Biotics was tested by researchers and was found to kill every strain of bacteria that it was tested against and that these bacteria, many of which have become resistant to antibiotics, cause many human ailments.L-Carnitine Liquid Double Strength, 16 fl. oz.
NOW® L-Carnitine Liquid provides all of the extensive benefits of Carnitine in a highly absorbable liquid form. L-Carnitine Liquid is a non-essential amino acid that helps to maintain overall good health by facilitating the transfer of fatty acid groups into NOW® L-Carnitine 2X Liquid provides double (1g) the potency of some competing brands per serving size.Alpha Lipoic Acid w/ Rosemary, Pharmaceutical Grade, 50 mg, 60 Caps
Alpha Lipoic Acid is central to recycling other antioxidants like Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and GSH glutathione. By "sparing" their destruction, Alpha Lipoate extends their antioxidant power. Being both water and fat soluble, lipoic acid is the "universal" antioxidant that can easily function in both cellular membranes and fluid media within and outside the cell.Shiitake Mushroom Tincture, 100% Organic, 2 fl. oz.
Shiitake Mushroom is a mainstay in the Japanese diet - very high in nutrition. It contains 18 amino acids ( 7-8 of which are essential) and over 30 enzymes.Maitake Mushroom Tincture, 100% Organic, 2 fl. oz.
The unique chemicals in raw, cooked, and dried Maitake mushrooms may help boost immunity, fend off infections and fight cancer.Samento (Uncaria Tomentosa), Extra Strength (100 Times More Effective than regular Cat's Claw!), 0.5% POA, 600 mg, 30 Caps
Samento is beneficial in the treatment of a wide range of immune system related conditions; these include but are not limited to cancer, arthritis, bursitis, rheumatism, allergies, ulcers, systemic candidiasis, all forms of herpes, diabetes, lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, intestinal disorders and HIV infection.Immune System Formula Tincture, 100% Organic, 2 fl. oz.
The Immune System Formula can be used for AIDS, Auto-immune Diseases, and Cancer.Colloidal Silver & Zinc Lozenges, SilvaSolution, 30 Lozenges
Now you can get powerful liquid silver in the most convenient form ever with new SilvaSolution Silver and Zinc Lozenges.DMG Supplement (N,N-Dimethyl-Glycine), 125 mg, 100 Caps
NOW Foods' DMG Supplement is a methylated amino acid found in all cells. DMG is an antioxidant and methyl donor that has a number of beneficial effects. It has shown to have potential in increasing immune response to the flu and salmonella.Tri-Amino / L-Arginine, L-Ornithine, L-Lysine, 775 mg, 120 Caps
Tri-Amino, an amino acid supplement, is a comprehensive product that combines three essential amino acids, L-Arginine, L-Ornithine, and L-Lysine into one easy-to-take formula.Garlic Oil Tincture, Alcohol Free, 1 fl. oz.
Garlic oil is often used to soothe the ear and as an antibiotic but most often used as a food and herb and also to lower serum cholesterol and blood pressure and to improve circulation as well as possibly inhibiting the growth of ulcer causing bacteria.Multi-Vitamin & Multi-Mineral without Iron, Complete Vitamin Supplement, 100 Caps
The vitamins and minerals in iron free Multi-Vitamin & Multi-Mineral play many important roles in the body: antioxidants to protect fats, cells and DNA, coenzyme precursors for energy production and metabolism, and cofactors for hormones and enzymes which regulate body processes.Quercetin w/ Bromelain, Hypoallergenic Bioflavonoid, 800 mg, 120 Vcaps
Our non-citrus Quercetin is non allergenic, with Bromelain to enhance the absorption of Quercetin.Cats Claw Standardized Extract, 335 mg, 60 Caps
Studies conducted since the 1970s at research clinics in Peru, Austria, Germany, England, Hungary and Italy validate the traditional usage of Cat's Claw and indicate that this herb may be beneficial in ameliorating a host of modern day afflictions which have no answers from the orthodox medical arena. It is known to help nutritionally support the body's defenses, circulatory and gastrointestinal systems through its antioxidant and build properties.Echinacea Root Tincture, 100% Organic, 2 fl. oz.
Echinacea Root is also known as Purple Coneflower and considered very valuable by the North American Indians.Astragalus Root, 470 mg, 180 Vcaps
Astragalus root is considered to have a normalizing effect on the body's functions. Astragalus is an important herb in Chinese medicine and is commonly included in Chinese cuisine.Cure For HIV And AIDS, By Hulda Clark, Ph.D., N.D
This book posits that the human intestinal fluke, a parasite, is the source of the HIV virus. Dr. Clark provides exact instructions for their cure, documented with 70 case histories.
HerbalRemedies: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Information
Herbal Remedies: AIDS Supplements, Information & Products
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