Steroid Hormones Build Muscle Mass in HIV Infection

A combination of testosterone and oxandrolone will increase lean muscle mass in patients with HIV infection, but the long-term toxicities of this treatment are unknown.

Many treatments can make HIV-infected persons gain weight, but most (including antiretroviral agents) result in fat rather than muscle gain. This study compared two regimens of steroid hormones known to promote lean muscle mass.

Twenty-two HIV-infected men were enrolled in the eight-week trial. All were about 90% of their usual body weight, were on a stable antiretroviral regimen, and had serum total testosterone levels within the normal range. The mean CD4 count was 285 cells/mm³. All ate a diet carefully designed to preserve weight, participated in three hours of resistance …