HIV carriers at risk of vitamin D deficiency

A new study found men diagnosed with HIV infection were at high risk of vitamin D deficiency, which is associated with a myriad of chronic diseases incluing heart disease and cancer.

The study published in April, 2010 in Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases found about 25 percent of male HIV carriers vitamin D deficient.

Ulrich Christian Bang at Hvidovre Hospital in Hvidovre, Denmark and colleagues analysed blood samples collected from 115 men ages 19 to 63 years.

Higher than 75 nmol/l of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D or (25(OH)D) was defined as vitamin D excellent, higher than 50 nmol/l as normal, lower than 50 nmol/l as insufficient, lower than 15 nmol/l as deficient and lower than 12.5 nmol/l as severely deficient.

The study showed the vitamin D status was excellent in 13 percent of subjects, insufficient in 27 percent, deficient in 20 percent and severely deficient in 4 percent.

The researchers also found vitamin D level was not linked with age, years with HIV infection, highly active antiretroviral therapy or CD4 count.

High prevalence of vitamin d deficiency among HIV carriers was also reported in the May 15 2010 issue of the journal AIDS.

Nicolas J Mueller reported that the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among HIV carriers depended on the season. In Spring, as many as 42 percent were deficient while in Fall, 14 percent were deficient.

Although the study did not prove that lower levels of serum vitamin D is the cause for HIV infection, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with a wide range of health problems including heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, and periodontal disease, according to Vitamin D Council.

High vitamin D levels may be particularly important for HIV/AIDS patients because these patients are more prone to other types of infections than healthy people. Vitamin D is known to boost the production of antibacterial peptides in the body, which enhances innate immunity against bacterial and viral infections.

A Japanese trial has already proved that taking vitamin D supplements can help prevent flu effectively. The efficacy can be comparable to that pf flu vaccine if not better.

The take-home message is that those who have weak immune system like HIV/AIDS patients should make sure they have sufficient intake of vitamin D.

David Liu