Moderate exercise is beneficial to everyone, regardless of whether they are HIV-positive or negative. Moderate exercise is known to stimulate the immune system and can boost your mood, while keeping fit reduces the risk of a range of illnesses.

Exercise’s benefits to the immune system have long been established, with numerous clinical trials finding a positive effect, although the effect typically only lasts a few hours and very intense exercise can actually have a negative effect on immunity. Exercising at moderate intensity for up to an hour can boost the activity of a range of immune system cells including NK cells and macrophages, which should help your body fight infections and could reduce the risk of cancer. Exercise has not, however, been shown to significantly boost CD4 T-cell counts in people with HIV.

Regular aerobic exercise can help reduce levels of blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides), which are often elevated in people taking anti-HIV treatments. Resistance training can help too – this type of exercise has been shown to increase levels of HDL (‘good’) cholesterol in people with HIV. Maintaining a healthy level of blood fats is important for people with HIV as it reduces your risk of heart and artery disease and may reduce the risk of lipodystrophy.

Exercise is just one strategy in relation to lipodystrophy. If you are concerned about lipodystrophy, talk to your doctor about avoiding ARV drug combinations that have been associated with it.