Question
How can I increase my CD4 count without ARVs?
8 January 2016. Related: All topics, Newly diagnosed, South 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 A,
A person on HIV treatment (ART) with an undetectable viral load can not transmit HIV even if they don’t use condoms.
Please see more info at this link to Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U).
Can an HIV person with undetectable Viral Load but with 480 CD4 count transmit HIV to his negative partner when having straight sex without condom?
My name should not be disclosed please.
Hi Jamo,
As Simon says here, looking after yourself is important. And exercise is included in that. But increasing your CD4 count is only proven by using effective HIV meds.
Are you taking HIV meds? Please let us know. And also tell us your CD4 and viral load results.
Can exercise heal hiv
Hi Vee,
It’s great that you were taking Tribus while pregnant, and then looking after your partner. It sounds like you’ve been doing all you can for your family. But focusing on yourself now sounds like a good idea.
Your doctor’s advice sounds sensible. That’s because starting HIV treatment (ART) has important benefits to your health whatever your CD4 count.
But you can talk to your doctor about your worries. You can talk about any side effects you might have had with Tribuss. And you can explain your depression, and discuss worries about weight gain. There are different HIV meds that might be available to you. So you can ask about avoiding meds that might affect your mood or make you gain too much weight.
Here’s the Introduction to ART for more info.
Hi! Was diagnosed with HIV in 2011, CD4 was 800 at the time. 2016 was pregnant and took Tribuss from 5 months till birth then i stopped. My CD4 has been 700+. But my viral load was getting high and in 2018 my doctor advised i should start the treament. I am so scared of starting the treatment, the thought of taking the pill for the rest of my life. My CD4 count now is 500+ and iit has dropped because in the past 6 months I have been taking care of my partner who became ill, so i wasnt eating nor sleeping well and was under stress and very tired. My doctor again last year November advised that i should take the treatment, but hey, im still scared.
My CD4 count increases with healthy lifestyle, exercising and clean eating,of which i have not been doing in the past six months. So now i was thinking that with my partner getting better, now im able to focus on myself.
I have gone through the comments of some people who were also scared of starting the treatment because of the side effects and somehow relieved with your answers. My worry is that i suffer from depression and overweight, so the treatment might worsen all my problems. Please help!!!
Hi Rick,
What does your doctor say about your low CD4 count? Anything less than 200 and especially less than 100 is very serious. The test should be repeated to check it is not an error and it sounds like your combination will need to be changed.
You can ask them if your HIV meds are working as they should. Do you have access to your viral load results? After a year of HIV treatment (ART) your viral load should be undetectable (less than 50 copies/mL). However, if it is much higher this will explain your low CD4 count.
Please also talk to your doctor about taking meds to stop other infections while you have a low CD4 count.
Here’s an Introduction to ART for much more info. Please let us know how you get on at the doctors.
I have been taking ARV combo of Lamivudine, Tenofovir and Alluvia since more than a year ago, prescribed by my doctor. Last week I had CD4 blood test and my CD4 was only 31. The several nights before the blood test, I had problems with sleeping. Could that be the reason why my CD4 is very low ?
Hi Pretty,
As Simon says on this Q&A, Even though lots of people ask this, there is no easy answer to your question.
It might help to talk about HIV generally at some point – so you can work out your partners views and whether they are informed and up-to-date or out-of-date and prejudiced.
Have you tried introducing the topic? If you are on treatment and have an undetectable viral load, then the risk of transmission is zero. As the recent PARTNER study shows:
http://i-base.info/htb/30108
Please see other answers to this question at this link.
hi I found out that am HIV last month now am taking ARVs so am scared to tell my partner please help I don’t know whethere I must tell him or advice him to check?