American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 69, No. 1, 161,
January 1999
© 1999 American Society for Clinical Nutrition
Nutrients and Foods in AIDS
Ann M Coulston
Stanford University Medical Center H-H132 Stanford, CA 94305 E-mail: acoulston{at}gcrc.stanford.edu
Nutrients and Foods in AIDS, edited by Ronald R Watson, 1998, 228 pages, hardcover. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, FL.
Although this book mentions foods in the title, it mainly contains information about nutrients and the status of nutrient handling in people with AIDS. This is an edited book of 16 short, well-referenced chapters by 25 contributors that is part of the CRC series in modern nutrition. Nutritional status in relation to trace elements associated with antioxidants and immune status, such as zinc, selenium, copper, magnesium, and manganese, is reviewed with a focus on reports of observational studies. Some supplementation studies are reported, but the data are limited in this area. In one chapter, information on some aspects of the antimicrobial nature of lauric acid and the potential dietary role of fats rich in this fatty acid is presented. One section reviews the literature on gastrointestinal changes and related malabsorption, anorexia, and intestinal infections in AIDS. The antioxidants vitamin C, vitamin E, the B complex vitamins, and ß-carotene are reviewed within the context of HIV infection. A small section on pomegranates, cranberry juice, and the role of flavonoids and phenolic compounds in foods of plant origin proposes a beneficial effect of these foods. In summary, the book covers a wide range of topics related to HIV infection and AIDS and provides the reader with an overview of and introduction to some aspects of the interactions between nutrition and nutrients within the physiologic context of disease progression. Mainly, this text would be useful for background information and for stimulating interested investigators to develop research directions.
