People with HIV are hard to get fat: causes and ways to gain weight

One of the stigma attached to people living with HIV / AIDS (PLWHA) is that they tend to be underweight. Weight problems that are often experienced by PLWHA are not without reason. There are many factors that cause why PLWHA is hard to get fat. So, how do you fix it?

The cause of PLWHA is hard to get fat

According to The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the main cause that makes people living with HIV tend to be difficult to get fat cannot be ascertained.

However, in terms of disease progression, HIV infection has a variety of ways to contribute to rapid weight loss. First, from the existence of the virus itself which weakens the immune system.

When someone has an infection, their body's immune system has to work hard to fight the cause of the disease. This resistance process requires a lot of energy. Now because the immune system of PLWHA has been severely weakened, their bodies need even greater energy intake.

In addition, infections interfere with metabolism, thereby reducing the body's ability to absorb food. The virus that causes HIV infection often makes the intestinal wall damaged so that various nutrients from food cannot be absorbed properly.

When you don't get enough food, your body uses up energy reserves from fat and protein from muscles. If this happens continuously, PLWHA will find it difficult to get fat because they always lose mass and muscle mass.

Symptoms and complications of HIV also make it difficult for PLWHA to get fat

Apart from the pathophysiological point of view of the disease, the various combinations of symptoms that HIV causes, such as nausea, fever, constant weakness, diarrhea, mouth sores that make it difficult to swallow, mood swings (risk of depression), and lymph node inflammation can gradually reduce appetite.

The risk of weight loss also tends to be more pronounced in PLHIV who are in the chronic phase of HIV infection, aka AIDS. At this stage, it is likely that a PLWHA is at high risk or has even experienced complications in the form of opportunistic infections or cancer.

Illness caused by complications of HIV can contribute to weight loss of up to 10 percent of the initial weight before infection.

On the other hand, the side effects of antiretroviral medications that have been undertaken so far may also affect appetite changes.

How to increase body weight for PLWHA who is hard to get fat

Weight problems are very risky for people with HIV and AIDS to become malnourished if allowed to continue, and later it can make treatment more difficult. In fact, meeting and increasing nutritional intake can increase the body's resistance to fighting infections.

Quiet. There are many steps that can be taken to increase the scale number for PLWHA who find it difficult to fatten their bodies.

1. Eat more

PLWHA need adequate nutrition to maintain energy. That's why eating more portions is the main key to gaining weight.

Try to eat more simple carbohydrates from rice, corn, wheat, bread, potatoes, or sweet potatoes. Fill your dinner plate with high protein side dishes such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds, and vitamins from vegetables.

In addition, the diet for PLHIV who is hard to get fat must also be equipped with the intake of vitamins, fiber and healthy fats from fruit, for example, avocados.

To increase appetite, try to vary the recipes at each serving time.

2. Eat more often

Eating a lot in large portions at the same time may actually make you nauseous and feel lazier to eat. Now to work around this, divide your meal portions from 3 times a day to 4-6 times a day in smaller portions.

Apart from being easier for the body to digest and absorb, this method also helps you to be able to meet the calories you need each day.

Never skip breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and can have an impact on your activities throughout the day.

3. Often eat snacks

Many PLWHA find it difficult to get fat because they have no appetite to eat, but they are very excited snacking . If you're one of them, try eating healthier snacks, either those bought on the market or made at home.

Healthy snacks can help PLWHA no longer have trouble eating so they can get back fat in a fun way. Snack options that you can snack on everyday are nuts, fruit, and yogurt.

4. Sports

Exercise can help PLWHA who is hard to get fat to restore their appetite. The reason is, exercise is the only way to strengthen and build muscle mass. The muscles that will later be formed will be a place to store energy reserves for the body to use when needed.

In addition, exercise can also help divert you from stress due to illness that may continue to haunt your mind.

Therefore, PLWHA is highly recommended to exercise in order to maintain their health. To increase muscle mass, lifting weights can be the right choice.

5. Routine treatment

Over time, the HIV virus will further erode the body through the various infections it causes. As previously mentioned, infection makes it hard for PLWHA to get fat because the body is working more than usual to fight it.

If it is not accompanied by food intake, infection can make the scale number drop dramatically and make it difficult for PLWHA to get fat. For this reason, treating the infection at the beginning of its appearance is one important way that needs to be done.

However, keep in mind that HIV medicines can cause side effects that reduce appetite. Therefore, you should consult your doctor to find the right HIV drug regimen. You can also ask your doctor for recommendations regarding vitamin supplements that can increase appetite and increase nutritional intake.

You can also consult a nutritionist to help plan a healthy diet that suits your conditions while treatment is still ongoing.

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