Question

I am recently infected, can diet help my CD4 count?

20 June 2011. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Starting treatment.

Hi there, I have recently accidentally found out that I am HIV positive. I am a 27 year old asian male. (doctor said that normal CD4 for asian is usually different than others.. like 450 – 1200 count for normal and healthy CD4.

Just got all others body health tested and everything in my body is functioning fine and normal.

I can’t be sure how long ago I’ve been infected, but not likely to be within the past 5 years. I can count less than 10 times in the past 10 years I had any unprotected anal sex. Most of my activity in the past years is mostly 95% oral only.

My first CD4 and viral load test result is CD4 at 444; and viral load at 290,000. What do these number indicate to you?

The reason is that usually in most cases, people with my level of viral load, seem to have a lower CD4 count. The clinic asked me to go back for testing again in a month and half instead of 3 months.

What should I eat or do to keep my CD4 up?

Last question is, if my CD4 keep going up; would that mean my viral load should go down naturally as well?

Thanks and will be checking for your soonest feedback.

Answer

Answer: Simon Collins

First, I’m sorry to hear about your diagnosis. This is always difficult if you have been taking care to make your risks low by having low risk and protected sex.

Although most community publications do not include oral sex as a high risk activity, this is not strictly true. Perhaps up to 5% of infections in gay men may be due to oral sex.

If the HIV-positive partner have themselves been recently infected, their viral load may be extremely high. Depending on the time since infection, this could be over 1 million/copies/mL. This makes pre-cum and cum much more infectious, especially if someone has microscopic cuts in their gums.

Because both your CD4 count and viral load are high it might be that you were more recently infected than you think. This will show in the next test results, where the viral load may still be reducing without treatment.

If you have been infected for many years, the next test results with probably show the viral load to be about the same, or possible higher. In this case, your immune system has been controlling HIV pretty well. For many people, a viral load over 100,000 in chronic (established) infection would be a reason to consider starting HIV treatment.

There are no diet recommendations to help your health other than those generally recommended for the general population. This includes eating a healthy balanced diet, fresh fruit and vegetables, not eating too much sugar, salt, fried food etc, maintaining an active life and avoiding excess alcohol or recreational drugs.