Question
How can I increase my CD4 count without ARVs?
8 January 2016. Related: All topics, Newly diagnosed, Southern Africa, Starting treatment, Supplements and herbs.
I have just found out that I was HIV positive in March, last year. My CD4 count was 270.
I did another test and it was 284 and my doctor said I must start treatment.
I just want to know what I must do to increase my CD4 count without taking treatment.
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
The only way to increase your CD4 is to use HIV treatment (ART).
Your doctor is giving you good information and advice.
Nothing else, including multivitamins, supplements or herbal remedies can increase your CD4 count. Looking after yourself is important – for example, eating a balanced diet, keeping physically and mentally active, reducing stress, sleeping well etc. But increasing your CD4 count is only proven by using effective HIV meds.
Even though some companies advertise this vitamins and supplements can help your CD4 count, these are scams. There is no such thing as an “immune booster” and no “immune booster” will help your CD4 count or help control HIV.
Why do you want to delay ART or look at other options? HIV meds are really effective – this is what they were designed for.
ART stops HIV from replicating. The main aim is to reduce your viral load to an undetectable level (less than 50 copies/mL). As your viral load goes down, your immune system start to repair itself. This means that your CD4 count will slowly go up to higher levels again.
Currently South Africa recommendation starting treatment when the CD4 count is below 500 cells/mm3. This may change in the future and treatment might be recommended at any CD4 count. (Note: South African later changed to recommends treatment at any CD4 count).
Here is a link to more information about starting treatment. Please take your time reading it and if you have any further questions do write back to me.
Are you receiving any support from other people? Getting support from your local support group or a counsellor can help you to come to terms living with HIV. Also you will be able to gain and share experiences with others who are in the similar situation as you, rather than having to deal with it in isolation.
This answer was updated in January 2019 and January 2016 from a question first posted on 2 March 2012.
Hi Tabs,
This herbal treatment does not treat HIV. The only treatment for HIV is ARVs. I’m sorry to hear about the side effects you had with your old treatment. But there are new HIV medicines that have much fewer side effects. The body changes you mention are called lipodystophy. This is linked to medicines like ddI and d4T which are used much less now than in the past.
Because your CD4 count is 234 you are at risk of developing opportunistic infections like TB and pneumonia. You need to think about going back onto ARVs in the next few months. Has your doctor spoken to you about this?
I was infected in 1993,diagnosed in 2005,started on ARV the same year but stopped in april 2011 due to to feelings i had.My body shape changed and fat accumulated in the central area only.I started on a herbal med meant to increase T3 cells which are to be converted to T4 cells.The ingredients of the herbal is seaweed,ascophyllum nodosum47%,zeolithe,klinopthilolithe23% sage oil22%,silica8% in capsule form of254mg.
My shape restored,i felt healthy,my skin became smooth and my weight increased returned.However my CD4 cont fluctuated from 500 T0 234.
Am confused and do not know what to do?
Hi Faith,
If your CD4 count is 460 and you don’t feel ready to start taking ARVs again it’s ok to wait. You need to keep being monitored though and will need to start taking ARVs again if your CD4 count goes under 350. If you’re worried about starting treatment you could read our guide to combination therapy for more information.
Unprotected sex shouldn’t affect your husband’s CD4 count. Sometimes CD4 counts go up and down without it being a problem. But he should have this CD4 count checked. If his CD4 count really is going down it’s important that the doctor finds out why. He may have developed resistance to his treatment and need to change to different drugs.
my CD4 count frm last yr Nov went to 255 and was told to start ARV.in january I started ARV.the problem is sometimes I took and sometimes I dint.then came May my count was 340.i took the ARV for that month and stopped completely as from june.i decided to stop coz am nt gud in taking medicine and I dont want to create resistance.this month my count was 460.is it ok for me to go on like this?i mean not taking medicine?
SECONDLY, my husband has been taking his medication since 2010 november thats wen we found out and he had to start ARV coz his cd4 was 220. after which his count went to 250,then 330, then 350 and now 224 why is his being that way yet he takes ARV everyday.he has been cheating on me so I left him coz am scared he myt b having unprotected sex with those women.culd that b a cause of low CD4?
Hi Yetunde,
HIV treatment is the only way to increase your CD4 count. It is also the only way to help prevent your baby being infected. Your clinic is right to suggest that you start treatment as soon as possible. It is important to take treatment everyday, but it will help to keep you and your baby well. Please see our pregnancy guide for more information.
Hi. I appreciate what you guys are doing here. Its very useful.
I was recently diagnosed with HIV, Nov 2012. I’m 5months pregnant and my CD4 count is 260. I visited an HIV free-clinic here in Nigeria and they recommended that I start treatment immediately since I am below -350. I was told that once I start I can’t stop for the rest of my life. That if I miss even one day the virus can become resistant to the treatment. I don’t know my viral load yet. Can I avoid passing it to my baby without medication? I’m hoping I can get my count back up without nevirapine.
Hi KB. Anybody can get TB but being on treatment for HIV, or taking a preventative TB drug can make this much less likely. If you are on ARVs and have an undetectable viral load you can generally try to conceive naturally. There’s information about this in our pregnancy guide. For information about having a baby with your negative boyfriend if you’re not on treatment see this page in our pregnancy guide.
hi there i have 2 questions for you..is it 100%surely about this treatment of preventing TB if you are +?and is any treatment i can use if im + but my boyfriend is negative if we want to have a child,just to make sure he does’nt get infected?im in south africa
Hi Thando,
There is no such thing as a ‘carrier’ of HIV. There are only HIV positive, and HIV negative people. I don’t know how you were infected. Some people are born HIV positive if their mother is positive. This link has more information about how HIV is transmitted.
You may never find out how you were infected with HIV. The most important thing now is to look after yourself. Do you have any support?
Im hiv positive and i only had two exboyfrnds whom i told after being diagnosed to go and check themselves. They both tested negative for the whole 6 yrs until today. My question is ,who did i get it from? Or maybe can it be possible that 1 of the two is a carrier. M confused and need answers.