HIV Integrative Support

Living Well with HIV

Thanks to advances in antiretroviral therapy (ART), people living with HIV can now expect to live long, healthy lives. At Arizona Integrative Medical Center, we provide complementary care that works alongside your ART to optimize your immune function, manage side effects, and enhance your overall quality of life.

Our integrative approach addresses the whole person - not just the virus. We support your immune system, help manage medication side effects, address co-occurring conditions, and provide the nutritional and lifestyle support essential for thriving with HIV.

Our Integrative Support Goals

We focus on several key areas to support your health:

Common Concerns We Address

• Persistent fatigue: Despite viral suppression, many experience ongoing tiredness
• Metabolic changes: Lipodystrophy, insulin resistance, and weight changes
• Cardiovascular risk: Elevated inflammation and lipid abnormalities
• Bone health: Increased osteoporosis risk with HIV and some medications
• Cognitive concerns: Brain fog, memory issues, and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders
• Gastrointestinal issues: Diarrhea, nausea, and gut microbiome disruption
• Opportunistic infections: Supporting immune defense against co-infections
• Mental health: Anxiety, depression, and stress management

Our Treatment Approach

1. Immune Support

2. Anti-Inflammatory Protocol

Chronic inflammation accelerates aging and disease in HIV. We address this through:

• Omega-3 fatty acids: High-quality fish oil for inflammation reduction
• Curcumin: Potent anti-inflammatory with multiple health benefits
• Antioxidant support: Glutathione, NAC, alpha-lipoic acid, and vitamin C
• Anti-inflammatory diet: Personalized nutrition to reduce systemic inflammation
• Stress management: Chronic stress drives inflammation

3. Cardiovascular Protection

• Comprehensive lipid management including advanced particle testing
• CoQ10 supplementation (especially with statin use)
• Blood sugar optimization
• Blood pressure support with natural approaches
• Arterial health assessment and support

4. Gut Health Optimization

The gut is a major immune organ and is particularly affected in HIV:

• Probiotic therapy with strains researched in HIV
• Gut barrier repair (leaky gut is common in HIV)
• Digestive enzyme support
• Management of GI side effects from ART
• Nutritional optimization for gut healing

5. Mitochondrial and Energy Support

Both HIV and some antiretroviral medications can impair mitochondrial function:

• CoQ10 (ubiquinol) for electron transport chain support
• L-carnitine for fatty acid metabolism
• B vitamins for energy production
• NAD+ therapy for cellular energy
• D-Ribose for ATP synthesis

6. Bone Health

• Vitamin D optimization (deficiency is common)
• Calcium and vitamin K2 for bone mineralization
• Weight-bearing exercise recommendations
• Bone density monitoring

7. Hormone Optimization

HIV and ART can affect hormone levels:

• Testosterone assessment and optimization for men
• Complete thyroid evaluation
• Adrenal function support
• Bioidentical hormone therapy when appropriate

Drug-Supplement Interactions

We carefully evaluate all supplements for potential interactions with your ART regimen. Some important considerations:

• St. John's Wort is contraindicated with most HIV medications
• Garlic supplements can interact with some protease inhibitors
• Calcium and iron timing must be coordinated with integrase inhibitors
• Some herbs affect CYP450 enzymes and drug metabolism