Vitamins May Have Down Side for HIV Patients

Thu August 21, 2003 11:25 AM ET

By Megan Rauscher

link to article

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Antioxidant supplements taken by people with HIV appear to improve cholesterol levels and midriff weight gain, but may have a negative impact on blood sugar levels.

Those findings come from a small pilot study of 10 patients who had the HIV-related fat-redistribution syndrome known as lipodystrophy, or continuously high blood levels of lactic acid. All were on stable treatment with standard antiretroviral drugs.

The two women and eight men were given supplements of vitamin E (800 IU per day), vitamin C (1000 milligrams daily), and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) (600 milligrams twice daily). Dr. Grace McComsey and a team at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, report the results in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

After 24 weeks, body measurements showed no significant change in circumferences or skinfold thickness, except for a "modest" decrease in waist-to-hip ratio. Triglycerides and total and HDL ("good") cholesterol did not change markedly, but there was a trend toward lower LDL ("bad") levels.

"Even with the small study sample size, we were able to show some improvement of LDL cholesterol and waist-to-hip ratio, both being very promising findings," Dr. McComsey told Reuters Health.

However, the patients' metabolism showed worsening resistance to insulin during the study, and fasting glucose levels increased significantly.

This is "very concerning," McComsey told Reuters Health, "and reminds us that we should always investigate vitamins/herbals supplements prior to their use in HIV-infected subjects. We should never assume that high doses of vitamins are safe. They are not safe until clinical studies prove them to be safe."

SOURCE: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, August 15, 2003.