Antiretrovirals and HIV: Omega-3s reduce triglycerides without side effects
Antiretrovirals and HIV: lower triglycerides with omega-3 supplements
Omega 3 EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) significantly and without serious side effects reduce triglyceride levels in HIV patients on antiretroviral drug therapy.
The news was published in the journal Clinical Therapeutics and opens up new possibilities for combating this issue, which is widespread in those who have to live with this virus.
HIV and triglycerides: the problem of cardiovascular risk
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) patients treated with high doses of antiretroviral drugsoften have elevated blood triglycerides . The condition in which triglyceride concentrations are above 200 milligrams per deciliter is called hypertriglyceridemia and is a known risk factor for heart health. High triglyceride levels increase the likelihood of going into the following diseases:
- thrombosis
- coronary artery disease
- angina pectoris
- infarction
This risk increases measurably when, in addition to that of triglycerides, the concentration of so-called "bad" cholesterol is higher than normal and that of "good" cholesterol is reduced.
Omega-3s protect heart and vasi
The benefits of Omega-3s for the heart are well known: these fatty acids could also help those who, being on antiretroviral therapy, need to keep blood levels of triglycerides under control. In fact, these nutrients, abundant in fatty fish and also available in supplement form, can reduce excess triglycerides. At the same time, taking Omega-3 increases levels of "good" cholesterol and improves cardiovascular risk profiles.
Effective nutrients in the fight against HIV
To test this hypothesis, a group of researchers at King's College London, UK, had 23 HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy take the 2 Omega-3s effective in reducing triglycerides: EPA and DHA. To have a term of comparison another 25 patients were given a placebo. Both groups continued intake for 12 weeks, during which the Omega-3-treated patients took 460 milligrams of DHA and 380 milligrams of EPA daily. Initial triglyceride levels ranged from 156.64 to 943.4 milligrams per deciliter in the first group and 161.09 to 546.46 milligrams per deciliter in the second. Throughout the trial none of the participants were allowed to take statins, the drugs of choice for treating excess "bad" cholesterol. Instead, all were also taking fibrates, the drugs of first choice for counteracting hypertriglyceridemia. The results obtained are very encouraging. If, in fact, at the end of 12 weeks in the placebo-treated patients triglyceride levels had increased by 36.49 milligrams per deciliter, the Omega-3s had reduced them, by an average of 155.75 milligrams per deciliter, a decrease ranging from 6.53 to 69.48 percent.
An important help without side effects
This important result was not associated with any serious side effects. In fact, no alterations in virus activity were observed in any patient on omega-3 therapy. Other observed complaints, all mild to moderate, included problems such as nausea, diarrhea, and flatulence. Based on these findings, Omega-3 could be an effective adjunct, free of serious side effects, for the health care of HIV-infected patients.
