The liver has many important functions in the body. For people with HIV, it plays a vital role in processing the drugs used to treat HIV.

Some people with HIV also have hepatitis B or hepatitis C, viruses that can cause inflammation of the liver. Some medicines, including some anti-HIV drugs, can also affect your liver, as can heavy drinking (see Alcohol) and drug use.

If you have hepatitis, you will not usually need to change what you eat if you already eat a healthy, varied diet. Controlling your weight by eating well and exercising will help, as being overweight may raise the risk of developing fatty deposits on the liver.

If your liver is badly damaged, your doctor may suggest limiting how much salt you eat, to avoid fluid retention putting too much strain on your liver. Your healthcare team will give you advice on what this might involve.  

If you have hepatitis, or another form of liver disease, you may be advised to limit or avoid drinking alcohol.

Having hepatitis C can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and of diabetes, so you will have your blood fats and sugar, and blood pressure, monitored regularly.

See NAM’s booklet HIV & hepatitis for more information.

HIV treatment has been associated with kidney problems and sometimes HIV can cause a form of kidney disease. Diabetes and high blood pressure can both cause damage to the kidneys.

At first, kidney disease is usually treated with lifestyle changes, aimed at maintaining a healthy weight, through eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly. You should be particularly careful about the amount of salt in your diet, in order to avoid increasing your blood pressure. You may be advised to avoid foods with high levels of potassium as well, and to eat a diet with a moderate amount of protein (not a high- and not a low-protein diet), but you should only do this with the assistance of a dietitian.

The kidneys remove waste products from our body. If they are not working properly, however, the waste products can build up, causing the symptoms of kidney disease (these include feeling ill and tired, shortness of breath, itching and swelling of the legs). By altering what you eat, you may be able to reduce the levels of certain waste products and reduce the severity of some symptoms. Your healthcare team will be able to tell you what this might involve.

As kidney disease progresses, you may have to limit the amount of fluid you drink – but you should drink normally until you are told to make this change by your healthcare team.