251 - Unmasking the link between environment, nutrition, human immunity, AIDS and cancer – a possible game changing perspective on role of micronutrients in disease prevention

Abstract

The hypothesis that the cause of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is HIV only has been contentious for decades. Consequently, a review of selected bioanalytical/chemical studies on AIDS in Kenya and beyond shows that nutritional interventions, though neglected, play a critical role in management of this disease. From these studies, micronutrient zinc stands out and in consistency with the scientific literature as a critical immuno-modulator. In one of the studies in Kenya, low optical density of HIV antibodies correlated with high serum zinc levels (p = 0.008) as significant reduction of viral load correlated with high optical densities of HIV antibodies (p = 0.016); suggesting that lowering of serum zinc is physiological and enables viral load reduction. Furthermore, studies in the USA have shown that when the human immune system is overwhelmed by pathogens, it switches from innate (Th-1) to humoral (Th-2) immunity; an earlier study in Europe having shown micronutrient zinc deficiency to be the key that effects this switch. Other studies have implicated exposure to dioxins and mycotoxins in the elevated risk of HIV infection while HIV-free AIDS individuals have been reported and genetic and environmental factors implicated, partly agreeing with an earlier observation that malnutrition and chemicals and not HIV are the cause of AIDS. These studies do suggest that susceptibility to AIDS and cancer significantly correlates with nutritional and environmental parameters, HIV included. Therefore, a re-think of AIDS causation to provide a unified and accomodative hypothesis is indicated and has potential to unleash comprehensive and game-changing redox strategies of combating AIDS and cancer in the 21st Century.