HIV and Iron
HIV is associated with progressive iron deposition in the bone marrow, liver and other organs.From Anemia, Iron Status, and HIV: A Systematic Review of the Evidence:
People living with HIV (PLWHIV) are at high risk of anemia due to inadequate iron intake, HIV and opportunistic infections, and inflammation, and as a side effect of antiretroviral therapy. Though iron supplementation can reduce iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in the general population, its role in anemia and in the health of PLWHIV is unclear due to concerns that iron supplementation may increase HIV replication and risk of opportunistic infections.
The evidence suggests that anemia is associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality and incident tuberculosis among HIV-infected individuals, regardless of anemia type, and the magnitude of the risk is greater with more severe anemia. High serum ferritin is associated with adverse clinical outcomes, although it is unclear if this is due to high iron or inflammation from disease progression. One large observational study found an increased risk of all-cause mortality among HIV-infected adults if they received iron supplementation.
HIV fosters PA. PA is an iron loving bug and causes anemia.
So I THINK iron MAY be protective against HIV.
I think iron accumulates in the bone marrow with HIV as a desperate attempt to poison HIV. But excess iron ALSO poisons the host.
So the trick is how to kill HIV without killing the host.
In CF, high levels of calcium in cells is associated with cell death, so some people with CF think calcium is bad for us. I think it buffers against something else that is killing people with CF, so I think blaming calcium for killing us is like saying "Let's get rid of the fire department. Buildings burn down when firefighters show up. It must be their fault."
I have gotten my calcium up and reversed my symptoms. This is why I suspect iron harms HIV. It seems to be a similar pattern of accumulation.
Zinc protects the blood against iron-loving bugs, like PA. Covid causes zinc deficiency.
B vitamins are also needed to make both red blood cells and white blood cells. So extra B can help increase white blood cell count and can help the body convert iron to red blood cells as a PA infection comes down and the body reclaims the stolen iron from the detritus of this iron-loving bug. This also helps mitigate symptoms of iron poisoning when PA dies and the iron-deficient host suddenly has symptoms of iron poisoning.
So far, cystic fibrosis and HIV are the only two conditions I know of which FOSTER PA infection. PA is a common bug found EVERYWHERE which does not typically cause infection in normal, healthy humans.
Vitamins ADEK are all fat soluble and people with CF tend to be deficient in all of them. Vitamins A and E are known to be antiviral and D and K are known to be important to bone health and bone marrow is fatty. D is also generally important to immune function.
vitamins B, ADEK, zinc and treating PA should be a step in the right direction for slowing the progression of HIV.
