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Cited by 48Child Nutrition and Water AccessNutrition and Health in AgingHIV/AIDS Research and Interventions

Potential of Spirulina Platensis as a Nutritional Supplement in Malnourished HIV-Infected Adults in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Randomised, Single-Blind Study

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Azabji-Kenfack, M., Dikosso, S. Edie, Loni, E.G., Onana, E.A., Sobngwi, E., Gbaguidi, E., Kana, A.L. Ngougni, Nguefack-Tsague, G. +3 more·2011·Nutrition and Metabolic Insights
DOI 10.4137/nmi.s5862PMC PMC3738485
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Abstract

Background: Malnutrition is a major global public health issue and its impact on communities and individuals is more dramatic in Sub-Saharan Africa, where it is compounded by widespread poverty and generalized high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Therefore, malnutrition should be addressed through a multisectorial approach, and malnourished individuals should have access to nutritional rehabilitation molecules that are affordable, accessible, rich in nutrient and efficient. We thus assessed the efficacy of two affordable and accessible nutritional supplements, spirulina platensis versus soya beans among malnourished HIV-infected adults. Methods: Undernourished patients, naïve of, but eligible to antiretroviral treatment (ART), aged 18 to 35 years were enrolled and randomly assigned to two groups. The first group received spirulina (Group A) as food supplement and the second received soya beans (Group B). Patients were initiated ART simultaneously with supplements. Food supplements were auto-administered daily, the quantity being calculated according to weight to provide 1.5 g/kg body weight of proteins with 25% from supplements (spirulina and soya beans). Patients were monitored at baseline and followed-up during twelve weeks for anthropometric parameters, body composition, haemoglobin and serum albumin, CD4 count and viral load. Results: Fifty-two patients were enrolled (Group A: 26 and Group B: 26). The mean age was 26.4 ± 4.9 years (Group A) and 28.7 ± 4.8 (Group B) with no significant difference between groups ( P = 0.10). After 12 weeks, weight and BMI significantly improved in both groups ( P < 0.001 within each group). The mean gain in weight and BMI in Group A and B were 4.8 vs. 6.5 kg, ( P = 0.68) and 1.3 vs. 1.90 Kg/m 2 , ( P = 0.82) respectively. In terms of body composition, fat free mass (FFM) did not significantly increase within each group (40.5 vs. 42.2 Kg, P = 0.56 for Group A; 39.2 vs. 39.0 Kg, P = 0.22 for Group B). But when compared between the two groups at the end of the trial, FFM was significantly higher in the spirulina group (42.2 vs. 39.0 Kg, P = 0.01). The haemoglobin level rose significantly within groups ( P < 0.001 for each group) with no difference between groups ( P = 0.77). Serum albumin level did not increase significantly within groups ( P < 0.90 vs. P < 0.82) with no difference between groups ( P = 0.39). The increase in CD4 cell count within groups was significant ( P < 0.01 in both groups), with a significantly higher CD4 count in the spirulina group compared to subjects on soya beans at the end of the study ( P = 0.02). Within each group, HIV viral load significantly reduced at the end of the study ( P < 0.001 and P = 0.04 for spirulina and soya beans groups respectively). Between the groups, the viral load was similar at baseline but significantly reduced in the spirulina group at the end of the study ( P = 0.02). Conclusion: We therefore conclude in this preliminary study, firstly, that both spirulina and soja improve on nutritional status of malnourished HIV-infected patients but in terms of quality of nutritional improvement, subjects on spirulina were better off than subjects on soya beans. Secondly, nutritional rehabilitation improves on immune status with a consequent drop in viral load but further investigations on the antiviral effects of this alga and its clinical implications are strongly needed.

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  1. [33]Diop S Fall-gassama A Diop B Sow P Evaluation de la prise quotidienne de poudre de spiruline sur le statut nutritionnel et immunitaire des personnes vivant avec le VIH à Dakar (Etude cas témoin à propos de 61 patients) Abstract n°136/PEB01 presented at the 15th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually transmitted diseases Dakar, Senegal December 2008 Available on www.icasadakar2008.org/ 2008

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Authors
Azabji-Kenfack, M., Dikosso, S. E., Loni, E. G., Onana, E. A., Sobngwi, E., Gbaguidi, E., Kana, A. L. N., Nguefack-Tsague, G., Von der Weid, D., Njoya, O., & Ngogang, J.
Affiliations
  • Department of Physiological Sciences and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde 1, Cameroon.
  • Université de Yaoundé I (CM)
  • Newcastle University (GB)
  • Organisation de Coordination pour la lutte contre les Endémies en Afrique Centrale (CM)
  • Public Health Department, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde 1, Cameroon.
  • Fondation Antenna, Geneva, Switzerland.
ORCID
Sobngwi, E.
Venue
Nutrition and Metabolic Insights
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2011-01
Volume
4
Pages
29-37
ISSN
1178-6388 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.4137/nmi.s5862
PMC
PMC3738485
OpenAlex
W2107445130
Cited by
48
References
39
Citations by year
2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
FWCI
1.48
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Nutrition and Metabolic Insights (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Child Nutrition and Water Access
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nutrition and Health in Aging
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions
Keywords
Spirulina platensis, dietary supplementation, soybean, dietary supplements, weight gain, body composition, fat-free mass, CD4 count, viral load, hemoglobin, serum albumin, antiretroviral therapy, HIV-infected adults, sub-Saharan Africa, protein supplementation, micronutrient deficiency, micronutrient supplementation

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