Wasting can occur as a result of HIV infection itself but also is commonly associated with HIV-related opportunistic infections and cancers. HIV wasting syndrome is diagnosed in HIV-infected people who have unintentionally lost more than 10 percent of their body weight. Most patients with advanced HIV disease and AIDS eventually experience some degree of wasting.
If you have AIDS, the following factors can work together to promote weight loss and wasting syndrome:
Not eating enough. It may be difficult to get adequate nutrition for reasons such as these:
- Poor appetite from HIV infection
- Medication side effects, such as nausea, changes in taste, or mouth tingling
- Opportunistic infection symptoms, such as a painful throat or sense of fullness
- Lack of money or energy to shop for and prepare meals
- Depression
Not absorbing nutrients well. This may happen because:
- HIV directly affects the intestinal lining.
- Opportunistic infections interfere with absorption
- Medications cause diarrhea, which leads to loss of calories and nutrients
Changes in metabolism. This can occur for many reasons.
- HIV disease burns calories fast, so you need more calories to maintain your body weight. This need for extra calories may be caused by the increased activity of the immune system. Or it may be because HIV changes levels of hormones that affect how fast you burn calories
- People with HIV have high levels of proteins called cytokines. These make your body produce more fats and sugars, but fewer proteins.
Clinical Information Related to Wasting Syndrome and Medical Marijuana
