A study that led to shocking results claims that HIV disease moves faster in infected individuals who are down with two or more alcoholic drinks a day.

It concerns to the article “Alcohol Use Accelerates HIV Disease Progression," causes a reduction of CD4+ cell counts and thus leading in decrease of immunity levels and individuals with HIV disease who either are or are not receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART).

The findings are based on a one month study that highlights that alcohol hits directly the CD4+ cells and aiding in accelerated decline of CD4+ cell count in frequent alcohol users is not simply due to poorer adherence to ART in this population, as stated by the team of experts including Marianna Baum, Carlin Rafie, Sabrina Sales, and Adriana Campa, from Florida International University (Miami), Shenghan Lai, from Johns Hopkins University, and John Bryan Page, from University of Miami, Florida.

The study has been published AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.