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John
Babish, PhD, is a molecular biologist who served as a tenured Associate
Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Cornell University for
17 years. He has authored or co-authored over one hundred peer-reviewed
scientific articles, eight position papers, and two book chapters. The
inventor of 14 U.S. and world patents, Dr. Babish is the Chairperson of
BIOnexus®
Ltd. located in Ithaca, New York, the makers of NutriVirÔ.
Sharon
Ann Meyer, AS, AA, DTR, is the President of HIV ReSources, Inc., Editor-In-Chief
of the HIV Nutrition Update, Nutrition Editor for NUMEDX
magazines and co-author of HIV
Medications Food Interactions (And So Much More).
This article incorporates
recent literature reviews completed by members of the Macronutrients,
Micronutrients, and Non-Essential Dietary Supplements sub-group of
the National HIV Nutrition Guidelines Working Group. Additional information
has been added to assist the reader in understanding all of the aspects
of selenium supplementation.
Selenium and other
trace mineral abnormalities are common in HIV-positive men, women and children
occurring in both early and end-stage disease. Deficiencies of selenium
are associated with a greater incidence of opportunistic infections (OIs).
Investigators report that deficiency is a significant predictor of HIV-related
mortality so adequate amounts of dietary selenium may be useful to slow
HIV disease progression. There is however, much confusion and disagreement
as to whether supplements of this trace mineral may help people living
with HIV infection (PLWHIV). This review of selenium research provides
the reader with a summary of the issues surrounding selenium supplementation
for PLWHIV.
Editors’ Note
Selenium is one of the
most frequently used dietary supplements among HIV-positive people. The
feature article in this issue is an expansion of a literature review of
selenium completed by members of the Macronutrients, Micronutrients, and
Non-Essential Dietary Supplements subgroup of the National HIV Nutrition
Guidelines Working Group. Results of additional literature reviews on other
subjects studied by this group will be in future issues.
This issue also offers
information on lipodystrophy and the adipocyte secreted hormone leptin
and highlights a facility in Greenville, South Carolina that treats HIV-positive
women and children. |
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