Question
Would you recommend the use of K-Pax supplements with ARVs?
6 January 2009. Related: All topics, Supplements and herbs.
Answer
Without trial results that show any clear benefits, the use of vitamins is unlikely to do you any harm, but also may not have any benefit.
If you have a deficiency in a mineral or vitamin, then supplements are recommended to correct this, but if you want to use a general multivitamin anyway, this will be fine and will not do you any harm.
The only randomised study I know of with the K-pax brand was presented a few years ago at the Retrovirus Conference (see this link). This study primarily looked at treating peripheral neuropathy in people using either ddI or d4T in their ARV combinations. Neither of these drugs are widely used in Western countries now, and the study didn’t see any improvement in symptoms.
The study did report an increase in CD4 count over the 12 weeks of the study which was very interesting, but this may have related to the use of ddI and d4T, and there was also a high drop out rate (only 28 of the 40 patients completed 12 weeks).
I haven’t seen further follow up or any other randomised studies looking at CD4 count response from vitamins used in a Western country. Two important questions you would want to know include whether any CD4 increase was maintained over a longer period, and most importantly, whether any CD4 increase has a clinical benefit – ie whether this change in a lab result translated into better health.
The use of vitamins and supplements in general generates strong feelings from people who want to believe they make a difference and others who just would like to see the evidence.
Without more clear evidence of their benefit, and given they are not cheap for most people, I don’t think there is any data to recommend that they would improve your clinical health, above that from a good nutritonal balanced diet.
However, this year a Canadian research group plan a randomised placebo trial in people with Cd4 counts over 350 who are not using ARV drugs. These trials are difficult to fund and so the organisers are to be supported and the results, when available, will generate a lot of interest.
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