I have read that the immune system is involved in the recovery and building of muscle following weight training. I have recently begun weight training and after a legs session consistently of 4 sets of lunges, calf raises and squats; I was in muscle pain for almost five days.

My question is whether it takes longer for HIV-positive guys to recover/build muscle or whether I just overdid it.

We have no data to answer your question with certainty.

I can speculate that those with moderate to high HIV viral load may experience more catabolism (muscle loss) if they exercise too much.

For those on treatment and with controlled viral replication, certain medications may cause higher increases in CPK that may result in a need to have longer rest periods between workouts due to soreness. High CPK

People who are not used to working out tend to experience a lot of soreness, especially if legs are exercised with intensity. This problem tends to get better as people get more conditioned.

If your soreness does not improve after 3-4 days of your work outs, you are definitely over doing it. I would just try to avoid working out a very sore muscle group.

More information on exercise here: Exercise Tips

and

Nelson's Exercise Tips Video

I hope this helps!

Nelson