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By George. D. Henderson (AHCS)
 The following quote
is from a Life Extension Foundation newsletter on a trial using
Selenium in HCV. A lot of what it says is applicable to HCV infection,
including the influence of poor nutrition on seroconversion.
One-hundred seventy-four participants completed the nine-month
treatment period. Not surprisingly, blood selenium levels rose in the
group that received the mineral. Greater selenium levels predicted a
decline in HIV viral load, which subsequently predicted increased CD4
counts. Participants in the selenium group who did not respond were
found to have a greater incidence of poor adherence to the treatment
regimen. No adverse events occurred.
Although the mechanism of selenium against HIV infection has not
been defined, one hypothesis suggests that the mineral’s antioxidant
property repairs the damage inflicted on immune cells by oxidative
stress, which is increased in HIV patients. Additionally, the HIV-1
virus may need selenium to produce some of its enzymes, which
contributes to depletion of its host’s selenium reserves. The authors
note that chronically ill or impoverished populations frequently have
dietary deficiencies, and the resulting increase in oxidative stress
can increase the virulence of some pathogenic viruses.
The authors conclude that "Given the challenges of using
conventional pharmacotherapy to achieve and maintain virologic
suppression in HIV-spectrum disease, our results support the use of
selenium as a simple, inexpensive and safe adjunct therapy."
Because of their disease, patients with HIV/AIDS have nutritional
deficiencies, and are subject to much greater oxidative stress than
healthy people. In 1985, the Life Extension Foundation was among the
first organizations to propose that patients with HIV/AIDS would
benefit from taking high doses of antioxidants. Since then, many
scientific studies have examined a wide range of nutrients and
supplements for use in HIV/AIDS.
Selenium is required for proper functioning of the immune system
(Look MP et al 1997). It is also essential in the synthesis of
glutathione. Selenium’s many benefits include protecting the central
nervous system from dementia caused by HIV (Shor-Posner G et al 2002a)
and infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Shor-Posner G et al
2002b); slowing the loss of T-cells (Look MP et al 1997); and
decreasing the effect of inflammatory cytokines, which may reduce the
risk of developing neurological damage (Bjugstad KB et al 1998; Ryan LA
et al 2001; Seilhean D et al 1997), Kaposi's sarcoma (a common
HIV-associated cancer), and wasting syndrome. Selenium also suppresses
the enhancing effect of cytokines on HIV replication (Hori K et al
1997; Tolando R et al 2000).
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In the latest edition of the LEF newsletter http://www.lef.org/newsletter/2007/
(tho it hadn't been archived yet when I wrote this) it is claimed
that large dose of ascorbic acid can interfere with the absorption of
selenium, which should be taken at least an hour bafore or 20 mins
after vitamin C. This has a nice symmetry with the enhancing effect of
Vitamin C on iron absorption, giving 2 reasons to be careful about the
timimg of Vitamin C doses in HCV.
And also, this about vitamin E:
Increasing evidence indicates that it may be dangerous to use to
alpha-tocopherol form of vitamin E without also taking
gamma-tocopherol. According to the Proceedings of the National Academy
of Sciences, alpha-tocopherol displaces critically important
gamma-tocopherol in the cells. While alpha-tocopherol inhibits lipid
peroxidation, gamma tocopherol is needed to quench dangerous free
radicals such as peroxynitrite.
Studies show that when sesame lignans are added to the diet of
rats, a measurement of free radical activity is reduced by 82 percent.
Sesame lignans augment the antioxidant effects of both alpha and
gamma-tocopherol. A human study showed that gamma-tocopherol plus
sesame lignans was 25 percent more effective at suppressing
measurements of free radical damage than gamma-tocopherol and
tocotrienol
***
Most commercial vitamin Es are D-alpha-tocopherol. Rice Bran Oil is
a cheap source of gamma tocopherol and tocotrienols and I drink a
spoonful every day(Wheat Germ oil is richer, but much more expensive);
sesame seeds, the source of the lignans.
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