Nutrition and AIDS, Second Edition » (2nd Edition)

Watson, Ronald R., PhD (Univ of Arizona)

The contributors represent the specialties of nutrition, infectious disease, gastroenterology, internal medicine, epidemiology, public health, surgery, biochemistry, and immunology. Most come from U.S., Canada, and European academic centers. Institutions represented include the Univ of Miami, Univ of Arizona, and Ciudad Univ.

Evidence shows that nutritional supports can help maintain health in the HIV-infected patient by replacing lost nutrients, compensating for nutritional damage done by the retrovirus-induced immunodeficiency, and stimulating the remaining immune system and cells for better host defenses.

This new edition of Nutrition and AIDS is a timely look at what dietary materials, supplements, and foods may benefit or treat AIDS, as well as nutritional deficiencies that can accelerate progression to AIDS and death. It offers a variety of alternative dietary and herbal remedies, including some that have been tested in animals and humans to stimulate immune defense or compensate for changes induced by HIV infection. In addition, it surveys items that may accelerate nutritional depletion in AIDS patients, such as cocaine, alcohol, and tobacco use. It includes data from animal studies modeling AIDS and nutrition, studies not yet done in humans but applicable to them.

Including updated reviews on topics from the author's earlier publications on the subject, with a focus on how to use this nutritional information to treat or retard development of AIDS, Nutrition and AIDS brings to the forefront the most recent advances in understanding the nutritional deficiencies of AIDS and HIV-positive patients.

Jamie H. Von Roenn

This is a new book on nutrition and AIDS that incorporates contributions from international experts in the areas of energy metabolism, pathogenesis, and impact of nutritional abnormalities and nutritional support. The purpose is to present both basic and applied research in regard to the pathogenesis and clinical importance of nutrition in HIV-infected patients. This is a timely and important topic. The authors are more effective in their presentation of pathogenesis and implications of malnutrition than in presenting clinically relevant/applied knowledge. This book is targeted for practitioners involved in HIV care who have concerns and interests related to the effects of malnutrition on HIV infection and in its therapy. The contributors are drawn from a wide range of expertise (public health, nutritional sciences, immunology, infectious disease, epidemiology, etc.) and are credible in their area of expertise. This book has relatively few tables and graphs, but those that are present are well done. The references are extensive, useful, and up-to-date. This book offers well-written reviews regarding the role of nutrition, both as a co-factor in HIV pathogenesis, as well as an adjunct to therapy. Chapters reviewing the role of nutrition in multiple risk groups, as well as a range of geographic locations, add an important perspective to the book. The clinical chapters, however, fall short of providing useful clinical information and suggestions to practitioners.