Question
How can I get my CD4 count to increase?
26 May 2011. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load.
Hi – what can I do to help increase my CD4? I have just found out I am at undetectable level after 8 weeks on treatment which is great. my CD4 has gone from 95 to 166 (after 4 weeks) and is now 173 after 8 weeks. I know it can take time for the CD4 to recover when the base level is low as mine but I am still disheartened as I was really hoping for it to have rebounded a bit better than this. What can I do to help it increase? Many thanks for your advice.
Answer
Thank you for your question.
Your CD4 count is doing really well and increasing nicely. Most people take 6-12 months for their CD4 counts to increase significantly. You are doing really well and have nothing to feel disheartened about.
There is very little anyone can do to increase their CD4 counts accept using HIV treatment which you are already doing. However, there are some things that you can do to maintain your CD4 count and ensure it stays up. This includes eating a healthy balanced diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, not getting stressed out, not smoking, drinking alcohol in moderation and generally looking after yourself.
Hello Shirley and thanks for getting in touch.
Well done to you for getting your CD4 count to increase to 270 cells
Unfortunately it can take years to see improvement in the CD4 counts but yours is already looking better.
Sadly, there are no vitamins and supplements that can help you increase the CD4 count faster.
Your body takes its own time to recover and you must respect that.
The most important thing is to ensure you take your medication daily, eat well, exercise and your body will recover slowly and at its own pace.
I started treatment in 2022 cd4 was 99.. Now 2026 July cd4 is 270… What vitamin can I use to bring it up. I’m doing all the right things eating healthy sleeping no smoking drink hiv meds.. My target is 350 to get employed where I applied. Un employed since 2022. I try not to get stressed about it I live a positive live sometimes I forget I’m hiv till I hv to take meds.
Hello Eunice and thanks for getting in touch.
Since you are undetectable it seems this effect can only be attributed to immunotherapy.
What has your doctor said about this?
This is not my speciality but my guess is you need to wait for the immune system to bounce back on its’ own.
Your doctor should have given you some prophylaxis too, usually a combination of co-trimoxazole, acyclovir and fluconazole.
It’s also important to be vaccinated but discuss with your doctor which vaccines you should have as some are not indicated in people with low CD4 counts.
If you want to discuss this more, email us at questions@i-base.org.uk
Iam on immunotherapy treatment my cd4 kept coming down to 54 and my viral undetectable.
What can i do
Hello Lucy and thanks for getting in touch.
The most important thing you can do to boost your CD4 count is to continue your HIV treatment.
So, on the bright side: you are half way there.
You just need to allow your body time to heal.
It takes some time for the CD4 count to increase but for those that are consistent with treatment, this always happens
Please don’t worry
you can read more about this here:
https://i-base.info/guides/starting/cd4-increase
Hi am on HIV treatment but my cd4 is 170 what can I do to boost it