When I first found out that I had herpes, they did not have the internet. Or maybe they did but it was housed on very large expensive computers that I did not have access to (what a difference 20 years makes!). I found myself sneaking around the third floor of my public library hoping no one would figure out exactly what I was looking for and finding only one or two books on herpes outbreaks that were needless to say, exceptionally dated. Neither of the books I found contained even a single reference to acyclovir (now the number one and only FDA approved treatment for herpes outbreaks).
What I did find that has stuck with me for all these years is the relationship between lysine and arginine. Both are amino acids that exist in our bodies and are abundant in many sources of foods we eat every day. The basic theory is that lysine is no friend to herpes, while arginine has a nasty habit of helping the herpes virus flourish. Therefore – according to the theory – ensuring that the ratio of lysine to arginine is consistently higher in your body that the herpes virus should remain happily dormant. It is important to note that this has never been medically proven. Yet still, years and years later, people are still claiming to successfully treat their outbreaks by supplementing their diet with lysine and avoiding arginine rich foods.
This essential amino acid has recently been discovered to play a role in the treatment of Herpes simplex infections – cold sores and genital herpes. Almost 80% of the patients who participated in the research found that taking a lysine supplement daily reduced outbreaks of cold sores and eased symptoms. Treatment of genital herpes was not as universally successful but did help a number of patients, though further research is needed. (source: iHealth.com)
You can find a list of lysine (eat more of) and arginine (eat less of) foods here: lysine/arginine herpes, but this is actually significantly more work than taking lysine supplementation on a daily basis.
I have previously written on the importance of taking Vitamin C and Zinc on a daily basis and here I am suggesting that you might try adding a lysine supplement as well.
I say this because from personal experience I can almost always expect a herpes outbreak after eating large amounts of either chocolate, peanuts or corn (including popcorn or corn chips). So while I respect all medical studies, I can say that the lysine arginine theory has particular relevance for me and that to combat the giant bucket of M&Ms I ate last night, I will be starting a 1000mg daily lysine supplement.
I would appreciate any comments or e-mails on your positive or negative experiences with lysine. Contact Me
Take care.
