Question
Will multivitamins improve my CD4 count?
26 April 2023. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Supplements and herbs.
Will Multivitamins (Activovite help increase my CD4 count)?
I was first diagnosed with HIV in 2021 with a CD4 count of 430. Got initiated on Odimune immediately because I was pregnant and my VL showed undetectable after 3 months. I have been undetectable since initiation and my CD4 jumped to 590 in 18 months.
But recently it has dropped back to even though I remain suppressed. I draw blood every 6 months.
I haven’t been taking any other medication or multivitamins. My Dr suggested multivitamins in the morning with breakfast. Will that help boost my CD4 count?
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
What did your CD4 count drop to? Do you know your CD4%?
The absolute count is less accurate to measure your current CD4 status. This is because CD4 count can be affected by the time of day, exercise, recently eating and if you have other infections.
CD4% is a more stable measurement and can indicate if your CD4 count is healthy or has actually gone down.
Multivitamins will not help improve your CD4 count. The only way to improve CD4 count is to continue with your medication and take it appropriately. As you were undetectable within 3 months and your CD4 count had increased you are already doing this. ART suppresses HIV to stop it killing CD4 cells. The body can then naturally regenerate these cells. There is no medication to directly help the speed at which the body can do this.
If you do choose to use multivitamins it is advised to take them at the opposite end of the day to your ART. Some multivitamins can prevent how much ART is absorbed by the body and stop them working as well. Taking your multivitamin and ART at opposite ends of the day will prevent this.
Josh.
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