Table of Contents
Does HIV cause vitamin B12 deficiency?
Background: Vitamin B12 deficiency may result in a number of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Patients with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection may have a high rate of vitamin B12 deficiency and nervous system disease.
Does HIV cause vitamin deficiencies?
People living with HIV have an increased risk of insufficient vitamin D levels, or a vitamin D deficiency. This may be due to side effects of antiretroviral therapy, which is any HIV treatment that combines two or more drugs.
Why does vitamin B12 deficiency occur?
A vitamin B12 deficiency is most often caused by digestive system difficulties, which can occur if the body is unable to absorb B12 from foods and liquids. Most frequently this is due to a lack of intrinsic factor from the stomach or insufficient acid in the stomach.
Does B12 help with HIV?
Low blood levels of folic acid and vitamin B12 are also common in HIV-positive people. In HIV-positive people with B-vitamin deficiency, B vitamins appear to delay progression to and death from AIDS.
Which disease is caused due to deficiency of vitamin B?
Beriberi. Among the B vitamins, one of the earliest deficiency syndromes to be discovered was beriberi, a deficiency of vitamin B1 (thiamine). The symptoms of beriberi are weakness and numbness in the feet and legs, swelling, difficulty breathing, and heart failure.
What are the symptoms of low vitamin B?
Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia can cause a wide range of symptoms. These usually develop gradually, but can worsen if the condition goes untreated.
- extreme tiredness (fatigue)
- lack of energy (lethargy)
- breathlessness.
- feeling faint.
- headaches.
- pale skin.
- noticeable heartbeats (palpitations)
Who is most at risk for vitamin B deficiency?
Who is at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency anemia?
- A family history of the disease.
- Having part or all of your stomach or intestine removed.
- Autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes.
- Crohn’s disease.
- HIV.
- Some medicines.
- Strict vegetarian diets.
- Being an older adult.
Who is at risk for a vitamin B12 deficiency?
People at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency are those who either don’t consume foods that contain this nutrient or who cannot absorb the nutrient from the foods they eat because of a medical condition, interactions with medications or another reason.
What are the effects of vitamin deficiency on HIV?
Some research shows these low vitamin levels can lead to lower CD4 cell counts and worsening of HIV. They can also cause problems like diarrhea, neuropathy, and skin conditions.
How does malnutrition affect people with HIV?
Far more concerning, however, is the impact of malnutrition on people with HIV. Vitamin A and B12 deficiency, for example, has been associated with faster disease progression in both resource-rich and resource-poor settings.
What vitamins do people living with HIV need?
Micronutrients that are often low in people living with HIV include vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, and B complex vitamins (B1, Thiamine; B2, Riboflavin; B3, niacin; B6, Pyridoxine; B12, Cobolamin; and B9, folic acid). Some research shows these low vitamin levels can lead to lower CD4 cell counts and worsening of HIV.
What is the relationship between vitamin deficiency and disease progression?
Vitamin A and B12 deficiency, for example, has been associated with faster disease progression in both resource-rich and resource-poor settings. Low serum levels of micronutrients, commonly seen in malnourished individuals, demand greater vitamin intake—often in the way of nutritional supplements.