HIV and Food: Key Principles for Your Diet

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Track your way to weight loss success Manage your family's vaccinations Join the conversation See more benefits Sign Up Why WebMD? My WebMD Show Menu My Tools My WebMD Pages My Account Sign Out FacebookTwitterPinterest WebMD Home Sexual Health Center HIV & AIDS Health Center HIV & AIDS Feature Stories Email a Friend Print Article if (pf_param == "true") {printElements();} HIV & AIDS Health Center Tools & ResourcesTop Myths About HIV & AIDS History of HIV/AIDS Living With AIDS HIV: Diagnosis and TreatmentAdvances in HIV TreatmentPreventing HIV With a Vaccine? webmd.m.share.init(); Font Size A A A webmd.m.fontSizer.init(); HIV and Your Diet: Countering Weight Loss ByR. Morgan Griffin
WebMD Feature Reviewed byBrunilda Nazario, MD

Most people with HIV don't need a special diet. But if you're feeling sick and having symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, or weight loss, you may need some changes to what and how you eat.

Losing too much weight can be serious. Without good nutrition, you may get sicker.

Recommended Related to HIV/AIDS Understanding HIV/AIDS -- the Basics

AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) isn't a disease in itself; rather, AIDS is a condition that develops when a person's body has been weakened by HIV (the human immunodeficiency virus). HIV is found in blood and sexual fluids and spreads mainly through unprotected sexual contact and the sharing of hypodermic needles and equipment.When a person becomes infected with HIV, it damages his or her immune system, leading to immunodeficiency; the immune system can no longer fight off common...

Read the Understanding HIV/AIDS -- the Basics article > >

"Good nutrition is very important for people with HIV," says Brad Hare, MD, director of the HIV/AIDS clinic at San Francisco General Hospital. Without a healthy diet, your body will have a harder time recovering and fighting off infections.

When HIV Makes You Lose Weight

Unwanted weight loss related to HIV is less common than it once was, but it still happens. HIV itself -- as well as related problems and treatments -- can cause it. It's more common in people with untreated or severe disease, an infection, or a high viral load, which is a high concentration of the virus in the blood.

When you have HIV, things that can cause you to lose weight include:

The HIV virus itself. HIV drugs, which dull your appetite, make food taste bad, or make it harder for your body to absorb nutrients.  Symptoms like nausea and mouth sores can make eating unpleasant. Diarrhea and other digestive problems can make it harder to take in nutrients from foods. Exhaustion can slow you down, keep you from grocery shopping, and limit your ability to prepare healthy meals.  If you have advanced disease, high levels of HIV virus in your blood, or other infections, you may need more calories. 9 Solutions to Explore

Talk to your doctor or a nutritionist who specializes in working with people who have HIV about how to get the nutrients you need. Possible solutions include:

More calories. If your doctor decides that you're just not getting enough calories, increase them. A dietitian or nutritionist can advise you on the best ways to do this -- for example, nutritional supplement drinks or energy bars. Smaller meals. Big meals are more likely to make you feel sick. So instead of three meals a day, try more smaller meals or frequent snacks. Milder foods. If nausea or diarrhea is a problem, shifting to milder foods can help, says Kimberly Dong, RD, a dietitian at Tufts University School of Medicine. "Avoid anything that's spicy or acidic, like citrus fruits,” she says. Cut back on greasy, fatty foods, and avoid alcohol and caffeine. Softer foods. If you have infected gums or teeth, eating can hurt. "Switch to soft and bland foods," Dong says. Medication. Treatments like medications and hormone therapy may also help with your appetite and nausea. More fiber. If diarrhea is a problem, Dong says adding fiber and drinking more water can help. Exercise. Doing some gentle exercise could help boost your appetite. Using weights or resistance exercises to buildmuscles can help you stay strong. Good company. Making meals pleasant can help you eat more. Eat with friends and family whenever you can. Getting assistance. If exhaustion is a problem, lean on friends and family. "See if you can get family to help you cook and shop," Dong says. Ask them to prepare dishes like lasagna and casseroles that are easy to freeze and heat up when needed. View Article Sources

SOURCES:

John G. Bartlett, MD, professor of medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; director,Johns Hopkins AIDS service.

Kimberly Dong, RD, Tufts University School of Medicine.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: "Special Eating Needs for People Living with HIV/AIDS."

Brad Hare, MD, director, HIV/AIDS Clinic, San Francisco General Hospital; associate professor of medicine, University of California San Francisco.

Tufts Nutrition Infection Unit: "Unintentional Weight Loss/Wasting."

University of California San Francisco HIVInsite: "Diet and Nutrition."

Christine A. Wanke, MD, associate chair, professor of medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, department of public health and community medicine; director, division of nutrition and infection; director, division of nutrition and infection, Tufts University School of Medicine.

Reviewed on June 18, 2013 © 2013 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved. #url_reference {display: none};#url_reference { display: block; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10px; }#logo_rdr img { visibility: visible; }.titleBar_rdr .titleBarMiddle_fmt { padding-top: 1.5em !important;} Top Picks Slideshow: Top Myths About HIV and AIDS How to Stay Healthy With HIV Teen Sex: Help Your Teen Resist Peer Pressure Video: The Right Way to Use a Condom HIV: Are You At Risk for Dementia? HIV-Related Skin Conditions HIV & AIDS Health Home News Reference Videos HIV/AIDS Community Medications Find a Doctor HIV & AIDS Guide 1 Overview & Facts 2 Symptoms & Types 3 Diagnosis & Tests 4 Treatment & Care 5 Living & Managing 6 Support & Resources Related to HIV & AIDS Crisis Assistance Hepatitis HIV Myths and Facts Molluscum contagiosum Neuropathy Opportunistic Infections Other STDs Safe Sex Sexual Conditions More Related Topics // self executing function for scope (function(){ // grabs pageview id out of global scope and makes sure it exists as we need to pass it to ads in that case var pageviewId = window.s_pageview_id || ''; var iframeURLOutOfPB = '//as.webmd.com/html.ng/transactionID=1619389025&tile=715433552&tug=&pug=__&site=2&affiliate=20&hcent=919&scent=962&pos=113&xpg=1624&sec=&au1=&au2=&uri=%2fhiv-aids%2ffeatures%2fhiv-and-diet&artid=091e9c5e80cdf153&inst=0&leaf=&segm=0&cc=10&tmg=&bc=_b24_diet_food_&mcent=µ=&pvid=' + pageviewId; var cleanIframeURL = iframeURLOutOfPB.replace(/&/g, '&'); var ad = { adLocation:'left', adURL:cleanIframeURL, trans:'1619389025', tile:'715433552', pos:'113' }; // check to make sure this seed call functionality exists, if it does, dooo it if(webmd.object.exists('webmd.ads.handleAdSeedCall')) { webmd.ads.handleAdSeedCall(ad); } })(); Today on WebMD Slideshow Top Myths About HIV and AIDS Feature HIV: Are You at Risk?   Feature HIV: Warning Signs, Tests, and Diagnosis Slideshow History of HIV/AIDS   // self executing function for scope (function(){ // grabs pageview id out of global scope and makes sure it exists as we need to pass it to ads in that case var pageviewId = window.s_pageview_id || ''; var iframeURLOutOfPB = '//as.webmd.com/html.ng/transactionID=1619389025&tile=715433552&tug=&pug=__&site=2&affiliate=20&hcent=919&scent=962&pos=121&xpg=1624&sec=&au1=&au2=&uri=%2fhiv-aids%2ffeatures%2fhiv-and-diet&artid=091e9c5e80cdf153&inst=0&leaf=&segm=0&cc=10&tmg=&bc=_b24_diet_food_&mcent=µ=&pvid=' + pageviewId; var cleanIframeURL = iframeURLOutOfPB.replace(/&/g, '&'); var ad = { adLocation:'right', adURL:cleanIframeURL, trans:'1619389025', tile:'715433552', pos:'121' }; // check to make sure this seed call functionality exists, if it does, dooo it if(webmd.object.exists('webmd.ads.handleAdSeedCall')) { webmd.ads.handleAdSeedCall(ad); } })(); Slideshow Another STD to Know: Hepatitis Slideshow Symptoms of STDs   Feature The Truth About HIV Treatment Feature HIV Stigma: Dealing With Discrimination   Feature Side Effects of HIV Treatment Feature HIV/AIDS Cure? FAQ   Video Fast HIV Screening Video HIV Test for Early Detection   Subscribe to WebMD Newsletters

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