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TREATING AIDS WITH SELENIUM & AMINO ACIDS |
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AIDS |
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TREATING
AIDS WITH NUTRITION by Harold D. Foster PhD (Reprinted with permission of the author) You may also wish to
download, free of charge, Dr. Foster’s 2006 paper, The Successful
Orthomolecular Treatment of AIDS: Accumulating Evidence from Africa: http://orthomolecular.org/library/jom/2006/pdf/2006-v21n03-p175.pdf
WHAT REALLY CAUSES AIDS? AIDS is a deficiency disease caused by HIV (Human
Immunodeficiency Virus). HIV-1 contains a gene that is virtually identical to
that which allows humans to produce the enzyme, glutathione peroxidase. As
the virus is replicated, it begins to seriously compete with its host for the
four nutrients needed to make this enzyme, specifically the trace element
selenium and the three amino acids, glutamine, cysteine and tryptophan. As
infection increases, serious deficiencies of these nutrients develop.
Inadequate selenium causes the immune system to collapse, the thyroid to
malfunction and depression to develop. Glutamine deficiency leads to muscle
wasting and diarrhea. Shortages of cysteine result in skin problems such as
psoriasis and greater susceptibility to infection. A lack of tryptophan
causes diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia and ultimately death. It becomes easy
for other pathogens to infect the patient. In short, the infected person has
developed the disorder we call AIDS. The treatment of HIV/AIDS, therefore,
should always include diets elevated in these four nutrients to reverse such
deficiencies. Details of how this might be done are available in the more
detailed discussion that follows and in the book "What Really Causes
AIDS" that is freely available as a download at http://www.hdfoster.com/publications
(Editor's note: I urge all readers to read Dr. Foster's
important book.) If HIV-1 causes AIDS by depressing body selenium,
cysteine, glutamine and tryptophan then the way to treat this disorder is
obviously diets enriched in these nutrients1-2. But how much of
each is required? What are the ideal levels of selenium, cysteine, glutamine,
and tryptophan in the human body? AIDS AND SELENIUM A study by Shamberger and Willis3 discovered
that healthy AIDS AND AMINO ACIDS Braverman and Pfeiffer5 have published data on
various blood amino acid levels in both healthy adult males and females. For
cysteine such levels range from 6 to 14 micromoles per 100 millilitres for
men and 5 to 13 for women. Blood levels for glutamine given by these authors
vary from 45 to 105 micromoles per 100 millilitres for adult males and from
40 to 90 for adult females. Similarly, the figures quoted for tryptophan in
blood for both men and women vary from 4 to 25 micromoles per 100
millilitres. It would seem logical to attempt to achieve the higher ends of
these ranges. FOODS Naturally, one way to elevate body levels of selenium and
the three amino acids is to eat foods in which they most commonly occur.
"What Really Causes AIDS" http://www.hdfoster.com/publications
contains appendices ranking
foods according to their selenium and amino acid content. (Selenium content
depends largely on the soil where the food was grown.) Below are some
examples of foods that are normally elevated in at least one of the key
nutrients: Selenium, Cysteine, Glutamine, and Tryptophan. Selenium: Brazil nuts, garlic, mushrooms, liver, whole
wheat, barley, egg noodles, fish and shellfish, soybean meal, brewers' yeast. Cysteine: Brazil nuts, garlic, onions, broccoli, Glutamine: Brazil nuts, wild game, wheat germ, oats,
granola, cottage cheese, ricotta. Tryptophan: Almonds, cashews, poultry, anchovies, eggs,
cottage cheese and other unripened cheeses, oats, granola, brewers' yeast,
bananas, pineapple, yogurt. (Editor's note: see
also: http://www.doctoryourself.com/prozac.html) SUPPLEMENTS SELENIUM There has been considerable debate over which form
of selenium should be taken as a supplement. Organically-bound selenium, for example,
in brewer’s yeast, is considerably more effective in raising blood
concentrations of this trace element than is sodium-selenite. (Passwater RA
(1980). Selenium as food and medicine. "(R)esearch has shown that there are problems in
nutrient absorption even in asymptomatic HIV+ individuals, the suggestion has
been made that HIV patients need to take larger amounts of vitamins than
uninfected individuals to attain the same blood levels. Since the USDA states
that nutritional supplementation in the range of 50-200 micrograms (mcg) of
Selenium (Se) daily is safe and effective for healthy individuals, a dose
of 400 mcg seems reasonable for HIV-infected individuals, if they do have
impaired absorption. For an AIDS patient who is demonstrably deficient in Se,
an even higher daily dose (up to 800 mcg) for a brief period of time (say
several weeks) to get their blood levels up, followed by a decrease to 400
mcg is an effective strategy that was used in one published clinical study
involving AIDS patients. This question of dose level naturally arouses concerns,
because in the past so much has been made of the potential toxicity of Se. I
believe that the danger of serious toxicity with Se supplementation has been
exaggerated. The threat of serious acute toxicity with supplementation is in
my opinion nonexistent at doses less than 1000 mcg per day in some
individuals. Thus, doses in the 400 mcg range are undoubtedly safe. In any
case, the signs of chronic Se toxicity - garlic odour of breath and sweat,
metallic taste in mouth, brittle hair and fingernails - are very distinctive,
and easily reversed by lowering the dose." I have nothing to add. Dr. Taylor seems to be correct as
usual. GLUTAMINE Glutamine supplements, normally in the form of 500
milligram tablets, are readily available in health food stores. AIDS patients
are known to be very deficient in glutamine. In a Harvard study7
of HIV-seropositive individuals who were largely asymptomatic, glutamine
serum levels were found to be very depressed, even though they showed no sign
of AIDS. Despite the fact that a subgroup was given 20 grams (20,000
milligrams, that is 5 teaspoons) of glutamine daily in small doses over 24
hours for one month, glutamine blood levels remained depressed. Patients8
were then given 40 grams of glutamine per day, an amount usually reserved for
bone-marrow transplant patients fighting off infection. Pressman and Buff9 probably provided the best
advice on the therapeutic use of glutamine as a supplement when they wrote: "Glutamine may also help treat serious diarrhea
caused by AIDS or by other intestinal problems such as ulcerative colitis.
Fairly large doses of glutamine, as high as 40,000 milligrams, may be needed. The glutamine improves the absorption of water
through the colon, which helps relieve the diarrhea. Dosages that high should
be taken under supervision, and only by those with diarrhea caused by a
serious medical problem. Don’t treat minor diarrhea from indigestion or a
24-hour stomach virus with glutamine." As Shabert and Ehrlich10 point out: "There are very specific instances in which giving
glutamine to a sick individual would not be indicated. Individuals who have
severe cirrhosis of the liver, Reye’s syndrome, or another metabolic disorder
that can lead to an accumulation of ammonia in the blood are at an increased
risk for encephalopathy or coma. The basic problem is an inability to clear
the body of excess nitrogen, which is converted to ammonia and ultimately
causes brain swelling and brain-cell death. When the liver is severely
damaged or when hepatic coma is imminent, glutamine is not effective and
would cause only further damage to
the brain." CYSTEINE Cysteine supplements have been used for many years
by orthomolecular physicians to treat diseases as diverse as stroke, manic
depression, asthma, and schizophrenic psychosis. Cysteine, however, is a
poorly absorbed amino acid and has to be given in fairly large doses. To
quote Braverman and Pfeiffer5: "When we determine that cysteine supplementation is
necessary, we usually begin with a dose of 500 mg/day. (Starting with a
larger amount can lead to indigestion). Gradually, we may increase the dose
to 3 or 4 g per day. Meanwhile, we keep an eye on serum cystine values. We
find that, as cystine levels return to normal, low plasma levels of zinc,
folic acid and taurine also return to normal. Some researchers have used as
much as 7 g per day of cysteine. It should be noted that extremely high doses
of cysteine, probably greater than 7 g daily, can be harmful. Patients with
cystinuria, an hereditary disorder characterized by excretion of large
amounts of cystine and other amino acids in the urine, are at increased risk
of forming cystine gallstones. We would suggest a limit of 500 mg of cysteine
twice per day except under medical supervision. Vitamin C may prevent
cysteine toxicity." Indeed cysteine should always be taken with high dose
vitamin C and vitamins B1, B6, and E which improve its efficacy9.
Other recommended supplements are magnesium and zinc, deficiencies of which
are detrimental to glutathione metabolism. In magnesium deficiency, for
example, one of the enzymes that is required in glutatione synthesis, gamma
glutamyl transpeptidase, is lowered. Zinc and magnesium supplements,
therefore, may enhance glutathione synthesis under specific conditions5.
However, it is known that diabetics should avoid cysteine supplementation
because it can block the effects of insulin by altering its chemical
structure. That is, cysteine breaks some S-S cross-link bonds, changing
insulin’s molecular shape. Some orthomolecular physicians prefer to describe
N-acetyl-cysteine for the treatment of AIDS. This is because AIDS patients
usually have digestive absorption problems. It is easier for them to take
N-acetyl-cysteine than either cysteine or glutathione. Physicians treating
AIDS patients generally recommend fairly high daily doses of
N-acetyl-cysteine, in the range of 1,800 to 2,400 milligrams, taken at
regular intervals, in three or four divided doses9. TRYPTOPHAN Tryptophan is the least abundant essential amino acid
in foods. Deficiencies of it are known to be linked with a wide range of
health problems including Hartnup’s disease, pellagra, depression,
hypertension, anorexia, insomnia, and overly aggressive behaviour. Tryptophan
supplements of up to 3 grams daily have been used also to control intractable
pain. This amino acid is used by the body for the biosynthesis of niacin,
serotonin, and various proteins. As a result, deficiencies of tryptophan,
seen in individuals who are HIV-seropositive, seem to result in a variety of
symptoms including those associated with pellagra; namely dermatitis,
diarrhea, and dementia5,11 L-tryptophan is the most desirable supplement form since
all other metabolites of tryptophan, with the exception of niacin, have
significant side effects. Braverman and Pfeiffer5 explain that: "Infusions of tryptophan can raise serum tryptophan
six to ten times in normal persons without apparent side effects. Oral
loading (4 grams) to normal controls can increase plasma levels up to four
times normal within two hours. Twelve grams daily to manic patients can
maintain plasma levels at three times normal." They further describe giving seven patients 2 grams of
tryptophan daily for 6 weeks. Their plasma tryptophan levels were by then
nearly double those of a control group of 96 patients. Unlike selenium, cysteine, and glutamine, tryptophan is
not readily available in health food stores. In the fall of 1989, the FDA
recalled all L-tryptophan, stating it caused the rare and deadly condition
Eosinophilia-Myalgia Syndrome (EMS)12. On March 22, 1990 the FDA
completely banned the public sale of L-tryptophan. The truth appears to be that one faulty batch of
tryptophan probably caused the death of 37 people, and permanently disabled
1,500 more. It is clear, however, that this was due not to the amino acid
itself but to a contaminant in it, produced as a result of the use of
genetically engineered bacteria in its production13. Banning the
sale of tryptophan, because of the world’s first genetic engineering
disaster, was like banning the sale of whiskey because of deaths due to a bad
batch of moonshine. However, it is still possible to buy 5-Hydroxy Tryptophan
(5-HTP), derived from the seeds of Griffonia simplicifolia, a
medicinal plant traditionally used in More information, including cited references, is available
at: http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/aids.selenium.html http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/aids.selenium2.html REFERENCES 1. Foster, H.D. (2002). What Really Causes AIDS. 2. Foster, H.D. (2004). How HIV-1 causes AIDS:
Implications for prevention and treatment. Medical Hypotheses, 62,
549-553. 3. Shamberger, R., and Willis, C. (1980). Journal of
the National Cancer Institute, 44, 931. Cited by Passwater, R.A. (1980). Selenium
as food and medicine. 4. Shamberger, R. and Willis, C. (1971). CRC critical
reviews in clinical laboratory sciences, 211-221. Cited by Passwater, op.cit.,
pp.21-22. 5. Braverman, E.R. (with Pfeiffer, C.C.)(1987). The
healing nutrients within: Facts, findings and new research on amino acids. 6. 7. Young, L.C., Gatzen, C., Wilmore, K., and Wilmore, D.W.
(1992). Glutamine (Gln) supplementation fails to increase plasma Gln levels
in asymptomatic HIV+ individuals. Journal of the American Medical
Association, 92 (Suppl), A-88. 8. Robinson, M.K., Hong, R.W., and Wilmore, D.W. (1992).
Glutathione deficiency and HIV infection. Letter to the editor, The Lancet,
339, 1603-1604. 9. Pressman, A.H. (with Buff, S.)(1997). The GSH phenomenon:
Nature’s most powerful oxidant and healing agent glutathione. 10. Shabert, J., and Ehrlich, N. (1994). The ultimate
nutrient glutamine: The essential nonessential amino acid. 11. Fuchs, D., Moller, A.A., Reibnegger, G., Stockle, E.,
Werner, E.R., and Wachter, H. (1990). Decreased serum tryptophan in patients
with HIV-1 infection correlates with increased serum neopterin with
neurologic/psychiatric symptoms. Journal of Acquired Immunodeficiency
Syndrome, 3(9), 873-876. 12. Manders, D.W. (1995). The FDA ban of L-tryptophan:
Politics, profits and Prozac. Science Policy, 26(2). Reprinted on
Cognitive Enhancement Research Institute website: http://www.ceri.com/trypto.htm . 13. Boyens, 14. People and Plants Online. Medicinal Plant Use in 15. http://www/painstresscenter.com/5htp.html . 16. http://store.yahoo.com/vitanet/5htp60capsules.html . Andrew Saul is the author of the books FIRE YOUR
DOCTOR! How to be Independently Healthy (reader reviews at http://www.doctoryourself.com/review.html
) and DOCTOR YOURSELF: Natural Healing that Works. (reviewed at http://www.doctoryourself.com/saulbooks.html
) For ordering information, Click Here .
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