. As a result, as it is replicated it deprives HIV-seropositive individuals of the selenoenzyme glutathione peroxidase and its four key components, namely selenium, cysteine, glutamine and tryptophan. 2,3 Slowly but surely, this depletion process causes severe deficiencies of all these nutrients. Their lack, in turn, is behind the major symptoms of AIDS, including the collapse of the immune system, increased susceptibility to cancer, myocardial infarction and depression, muscle wasting, diarrhea, psychosis and dementia. As these nutrient deficiencies cause failure of the immune system, associated pathogenic co-factors become responsible for their own unique symptoms, such as tuberculosis, pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and toxoplasmosis. 4