PROTEIN: KEY SUBSTANCE BLOCKED BY HIV

All living creatures are made of protein and they must eat protein to

stay alive. Bodies are constantly growing and needing repair and

replenishment of protein.

We eat protein in animal flesh and vegetables, seeds, grains and nuts.

There is a common misunderstanding that protein only comes from

meat. Tell that to the vegens who eat no meat.

Our body cells need to be replaced regularly. The only exception are

the brain cells that continue to grow as the child matures to adult. Then

the growth slows.

We know that if a person suffers from brain damage, there may be no

improvement except that other parts of the brain may be used.

Our muscles are made of protein. In the event of famine and starvation,

there is a schedule of nourishment to our bodies. Our brains have priority.

Protein is eaten and passes down to the stomach and small intestine. It is

broken down into amino-acids and digested into the body. It passes to

the liver and then distributed to the cells.

In the event of HIV infection, the primary attack of the virus is on the small

intestine. CD4 cells suffer from the initial attack but with continued nutrition,

there can be mending.

But slowly the small intestine ceases to operate in allowing the absorption

of nutrients, water and salts. The body has no reserves of protein. So

the protein of the muscles is broken down to be redistributed.

A living creature has no future when forced to eat itself. I think I will eat

my leg today. Tomorrow I will eat my hand and my ears.

A person who has been HIV positive for many years with no antiretroviral

drugs will slowly suffer depletion of muscle protein and begin to look like

a skeleton. There will be reduced protein for body cells including the gut

lining.

There will be no protein for hair, finger and toe nails. Young HIV positive

girls will be horrified to find lovely hair is starting to fall out by the handful.

Their long polished fingernails are cracking at the base.

With the break-down of absorption of nutrition, salts and water, there will

be a change in the water-salt balance and changes in respiration, digestion.

A layer of mucus will be laid down in the lungs and small intestine.

With successful treatment with ARV as early as possible, changes will begin

if accompanied by strong nutrition of glucose and protein as well as enzymes,

vitamins, salts and water.

The virus will die in the blood system preventing further break-down of the

gut lining. Repair begins and the body is slowly able to absorb nutrients.

Body cells are replaced again including muscle protein and the lining of

the gut.

Attacks on brain cells by the virus, including starvation, dehydration and

infection will be major causes of dementia.

With proper nutrition, the person may well return almost to normal but

has to be disciplined in taking ARV drugs as failure can mean death.

But to leave the ARV too late may block the repair of cells that has

declined too far. Parts of the body will have already started to decay.

Students of Biology learn of the Krebs Cycle that is the bottom

line chemical reaction in the body cells. It produces a very final

elixir of existence known as adenosine tri-phosphate or ATP.

 The Krebs Cycle

The importance of the Krebs Cycle can not be overstated; almost all

of our ATP is produced in this cycle. We can see two main problems

as a result of ...library.thinkquest.org/11226/main/c06txt.htm -
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Metabolism - food, nutrition, body, diet, carbohydrate, health ...

The Krebs cycle and the electron transport chain occur in the mitochondria .

Most of the energy derived from carbohydrate, protein, and fat is produced
via www.faqs.org/nutrition/Met-Obe/Metabolism.html - Cached - Similar

Protein is the key fuel for the Krebs Cycle. The HIV slowly blocks
the protein supply. This stops the Krebs Cycle.