Question
Which foods increase CD4 count?
18 January 2016. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Starting treatment.
I want to increase my CD4 count. Which foods should i eat to do this?
Answer
Hi,
A healthy balanced diet is important for everyone, especially people with HIV.
However HIV treatment is the only thing that will reliably increase your CD4 count. This will slowly start to happen after you start treatment, if you have not already.
You can have a look at this online guide for information about HIV and nutrition.
And our online guide with information about HIV treatment.
Can you at least consider to give people living with this disease some resources to enable us put food on table during this pandemic
Hi Nanikie,
I’m sorry to hear about your Mom. But is she taking HIV treatment (called ART)? If she is, please tell us what meds she’s taking. Sometimes diarrhoea can be a side effect of some HIV meds. Your Mom could talk to her doctor about switching to meds that might be easier for her to take.
Please also ask to see a dietitian about foods for both weight gain and diarrhoea.
And please see this guide to a balanced diet and your health. There’s lots of tips in this about foods that are high in calories. These foods can help to put on weight.
If your Mom has access to her viral load and CD4 count tests, please let us know the results.
I’m need help on what kind of food should I give my mom she is diagnosed with AIDS she is loosing weight fast fast every day. I can’t cope coz now she got diarrhoea that can’t stop, it’s like a tap
Hi Irene,
If your friend is on meds, they are already doing the best thing possible for their HIV. In time their CD4 count will rise.
My friend is in aired danger stage since his cd4 cell count to slow down to 24,he is taking his arvs so am asking is there any way we can increase his cells
Hi Majessy,
If your son is feeling like, he needs to discuss this with his doctor. They should be able to give him something.
My son is on ARV treatment and since he started it always have diarrhea and he became to skiny he can eat to much but the became to thinner
Hi Nomsa,
I’m sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. And yes, many of us need to take time to recover from the shock of finding out we’re HIV positive.
Please see this link about just finding out you’re HIV positive. Things will get easier.
It’s great you’ve started HIV treatment (ART). You can read much more info about treatment in this Introduction to ART.
Many people have mild side effects in the first week or two of starting ART. This usually goes away. But it your stomach keeps running you can talk to your doctor. There might be other HIV meds that will be easier for you to take.
Hi
I was just diagnosed hiv+ on the 12 of August 2019..i started taking my treatment about a week ago, as i wasn’t ready for the take pills due to the shock of the news….iam not noticing any side effects so far..just my stomach just runs sometimes should i be worried?
Hi Lebo,
I’m so sorry to hear you have terrible anxiety. But it is great that you’ve started ARVs. That’s because taking HIV meds can benefit your general health too.
What ARVs are you taking? Some HIV meds such as efavirenz can sometimes have an affect on your mood and sense of wellbeing. Are you taking efavirenz in one on your pills? You can see the names of these pills here.
What does the doctor say about your stress and anxiety? Please can you talk to them about it. You can make sure that it’s not a side effect of your HIV meds.