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 Beatrice,
Unfortunately it’s impossible to say for sure when you were infected. It is possible that you were infected before marriage- HIV progresses differently in each individual. Although it is unlikely that any of your children will be infected this is possible, so it is worth having them tested to make sure.
hi doc
Recently i was diagnosed with low cd count of 172 and i was put on ARVS. my husband is hiv negative and my last born child of 9years is also negative am so disturbed on how i got into this status but i have accepted .will i have contracted the virus before marriage ? my elder child is 18 years. Are my other children safe since the last born is hiv negative
thanks ope to hear from you.
Hello, I’m sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis but glad to hear you are looking to the future.
Your recurring thrush shouldn’t have a negative impact on your CD4 count. You may find that as your CD4 count increases you have fewer recurrances of thrush because your immune system is stronger. Speak to your doctor about this though, so that you can get the appropriate treatment.
Multivitamins do not treat HIV, or increase your CD4 count. You would be better off spending your money on healthy food than wasting it on vitamin pills.
It can take a while for CD4 counts to increase, and it may take several months before you see a big change. Please follow this link for a graph showing average CD4 count increases. In terms of trying for a baby the most important test result will be your viral load. Having an undetectable viral load will reduce the chances of passing HIV to your baby. Usually viral loads are undetectable after about 3-6 months on treatment.
There’s no cut off for what CD4 count you need to have before trying for a baby. Please see our guide to HIV and pregnancy for more info.
Hello
i was just diagnosed with hiv 18th of january. Tested because my hubby tested +ve in Dec last year. Cd4 results 157 which was a shock to me because I havent been sick or anything except for on/off rush on upper body-guess that was a sign.
I also have recurring vg thrush almost every month pre and during menses. Can that have a -ve impact on my cd4. Is there a good multivit I can take together with vit b6+bco given from public clinic. I was also given bactrim and Norstan- Isoniazed (-ve TB results). Ready to start taking arv’s but according to my local clinic have to attend sessions for 3 week (adherence programme).
For how long while on arv’s will my cd4 increase as we want to have a baby soon(dr suggested I wait till its up). How much cd4 do I need to have before starting trying for a baby?
Hubby also on Arv’s.
Thanks guys for unswering our questions.
There are very few trials of how to treat TB and HIV together, so recommendations are based on expert guidelines.
People with a CD4 count under 100, can start TB meds for 2 weeks and then start ARVs.
People with a CD4 count between 100-200, usually start ARV treatment within the first 2 months of TB treatment.
People whose CD4 count is between 200-350 can usually finish the 6-month course of TB treatment before starting ARVs. Some countries recommend also ARV treatment at CD4 counts higher than 350.
Starting ARV treatment, especially at very low CD4 counts, can make the immune system over-react – if this happens it complicates TB treatment and needs special management.
Please see this page for more information and let me know if you have any questions.
My boyfriend is hiv positive and has started taking arvs on december and recently they find out he is infected with tb, is it possible that he take both arvs and tb drugs together because before he takes arvs they did check tbd several time but they didn’t find it, it only came out now, so is it right that he takes both arvs and tb together ?
Hi Pamela,
I’m sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. Finding out you are positive is never easy but finding out when you are pregnant can be even harder. Our guide to HIV and pregnancy has lots of information about being positive and pregnant.
Although your CD4 count is low there is still a good chance that treatment will work well for you. It’s important that you are monitored closely by your doctor though to make sure that both you and your baby are doing well. Starting treatment with a very low CD4 count can cause some infections, such as TB or CMV to activate. This is called Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome (IRIS). This is why it’s important to be monitored closely, and to report any symptoms to your doctor.
Good luck with treatment, and your pregnancy- please let me know if you have any questions!
I was diagnosed a day after my birthday this year January,when I went for ANC. I am 4months pregnant and my CD4 is 62. I am not sick or anything but worried my CD4 is so low. I started ARV’s 2 weeks ago.. i tested neg for TB, Syfillis
Hi Mona,
I’m sorry to hear about your mother’s recent diagnosis. It’s good that she has been diagnosed though and that she is in hospital where she can get the treatment she needs. ART should increase her CD4 count over time- there’s nothing else you can do to do this. But many people who are diagnosed with similar CD4 counts do very well on treatment so try to think positively. Your hospital should be able to give you support to deal with this diagnosis, or if you let me know where you live I can try to put you in touch with a local organisation. For more information please see our introduction to combination therapy.
Hi….
My Mom is detected with HIV positive 3 weeks back ,she 58 year old and hospitalised from last 15days. her cd4 count is 80. she is having swelling on her gallblader and sum hospital infection which is not recoverd . now days she is going through HIV treatment ART. what shoud we do to rised her CD4 count. How we take care of her plz rep.