The potential effect of a nutrition supplement on the health status of HIV-positive / AIDS patients

The primary aim of the study was to assess the effect of a nutritional supplement on the clinical conditions of HIV-positive/AIDS patients using standard procedures. This clinical trial comprising 35 patients consisted of a baseline visit and three months of nutrient supplementation from April to September 2003. At baseline, pre-study examinations of the patients were done and patients who satisfied the inclusion criteria were included in the study. At baseline, the physical and clinical conditions of the patients were noted and reported by a physician. This was followed by nutrient supplementation for three months under adequate supervision. The physical and clinical examinations were repeated monthly and at the end of the study. It is believed that the supplement probably played a contributory role in improving the clinical conditions, improvement on the physical appearance and quality of life. However, the positive effects of the supplement on the clinical conditions of the patients cannot be confirmed in this study. This is because the patients were also treated for different clinical conditions during the course of supplementation. Further studies are needed to confirm the effect of the supplement. The study was limited by small sample size, short duration of study and the late stage of HIV infection of the patients.