Cold Sore and Lysine
There have been various studies that link cold sore and lysine treatment. These studies have claimed that lysine helps in healing and preventing cold sores.
The cold sores you might be experiencing are generally caused by the oral herpes (herpes labialis) viral infection. Unfortunately, cold sores or fever blisters are indicative of oral herpes.
If you have cold sores on your mouth, there is no denying it: you have contracted oral herpes. Oral herpes, in turn, is caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) which easily spread through direct contact with an infected person.
L-arginine and Cold Sores
Arginine is believed to aggravate the occurrence of cold sores. Arginine reportedly facilitates the growth and replication of the virus such that continuous intake of foods rich in arginine will sustain the cold sore virus.
If you have a current cold sore outbreak, you are highly encouraged to avoid foods such as chocolate, soya beans, buts, oats and coconut, as these are rich in l-arginine.
L-lysine and Cold Sores
Like arginine, L-lysine is an essential amino acid found in the body. L-lysine is suggested to counter the effect of L-arginine on the herpes virus.
Lysine prevents the virus to grow and manifest, so that they are believed to help heal cold sores quickly and prevent them from reoccurring.
Increasing the intake of foods rich in lysine such as fish, chicken, milk, cheese and sprouts can weaken the herpes virus and promote healing of cold sores and blisters.
In addition, intake of lysine supplements has been seen to boost and accelerate the cure.
Lysine and arginine are both amino acids. They are often related because of the negative effect that they have on each other. In theory, taking less arginine and more lysine is better, and maintaining the appropriate ratio between the two is one of the factors that are essential in fighting oral herpes.
Lysine Cold Sore Treatment
There have been more than 200 studies lysine and oral herpes since the 1980's. There is some strong evidence that l-lysine can suppress the occurrence of oral herpes cold sore so that lysine supplementation is mostly recommended as a treatment method for cold sores and fever blisters.
Proper lysine dosage varies from one person to another but generally should range from 500 to 1000 milligrams, taken one to three times daily.
More Info about Cold Sore Treatment through Lysine
You can take lysine as an oral dietary supplement, but you can also choose from the variety of lysine-based creams and ointments in the market.
There have not been enough studies on the effectivity of these creams, but assuming that the theorized effect of l-lysine is true, applying them topically will help accelerate healing. People have also reported the soothing effect of these creams. Some of them contain a combination of essential herbal oils, vitamins A, C, E and zinc.
Is L-lysine good for cold sores? Apparently, yes. Though more long term trials and studies are needed, researches regarding cold sore and lysine appear promising enough in effectively managing oral herpes.