Selenium Supplements Offer Promise in Treatment of HIV/AIDS

Selenium is a trace mineral that is found in soil that can be absorbed by plants. Research has linked Selenium deficiencies to certain forms of heart disease, hypothyroidism, and immune dysfunction. This mineral has been of interest to researchers in the HIV field for years, and several previous studies have found that HIV positive persons have lower levels of Selenium in their blood than do their HIV negative counterparts, and that this mineral suppresses the replication of HIV in the laboratory. The exact mechanism of the effects of Selenium on HIV is not known, although it is postulated that Selenium has antioxidant properties which may repair damage done to the immune cells. However, much more research is needed to confirm this hypothesis.

A recent study conducted at the University of Miami in Florida has found that supplementation of the mineral Selenium may be helpful to HIV patients by reducing the HIV viral load. The results of this study was published in the January 22, 2007 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, where the entire study and conclusions can be read online.

In the study, the researchers followed 262 HIV positive patients with normal selenium levels from 3 counties in Florida. The patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group took a 200 mcg. capsule of Selenium daily, while the other group took a placebo. A total of 174 patients completed the study. About 2/3 of all of the participants were already taking antiretroviral medications to treat HIV; these medications were continued. The researchers found that the group taking Selenium experienced an average decrease in the blood HIV viral load levels (the number of copies of the HIV virus in the blood) of 12%; these patients also showed a mean increase of 30 CD4+ cells (a measure of the health of the immune system. The higher the CD4+ cell count, the healthier the immune system is), which appears to indicate that the Selenium makes the HIV less virulent and less capable of replicating, thus enhancing the immune function of the CD4+ cells. The placebo group had an increase in the HIV viral load of 10,000-20,000 viral particles per milliliter of blood and a decrease of about 30 CD4+ cells.

Put into perspective, this study shows that the mineral Selenium does appear to help immune function at a maximum dose of 200 mcg. per day, and it has no known serious side effects or drug-drug interactions. It is an inexpensive and safe adjunct ("booster") therapy to use along with conventional antiretroviral medications, and should also be considered for those HIV positive patients who are not yet taking medications for HIV, as it may help to delay the need to start treatment.

Plant foods are the major dietary sources of Selenium. It must be noted that Selenium deficiencies are rare in the U.S. in the normal population. There is a fine line between therapeutic levels and toxicity, which can have serious implications including loss of hair and nails, skin redness and blistering, vomiting, fatigue, neurological defects, and damage to the liver and spleen. Anyone considering taking a supplement should first consult with their healthcare provider and decide if this is a right for them to do. If taken as a supplement, Selenium can be purchased over the counter, and the maximum dosage should be 200 mcg. per day. Given the quality of the current research, it seems reasonable to take a daily supplement of Selenium along with any other prescribed treatment for HIV disease.