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Lysine, Natural Amino Acid Fights Herpes
An internal approach that could make a world of difference
If you have been researching treatment approaches to combat the herpes and cold sore virus then you are bound to discover useful information about the amino acid Lysine.
Lysine is a natural supplement that, if taken at a high enough dose, works to restrict the herpes virus' food -- without posing any serious health risks or side effects.
What is Lysine?
Lysine is an amino acid that you obtain naturally through your diet. It is one of the amino acids that can only be acquired through your diet (or by taking a Lysine supplement).
Taken in adequate dosages, this amino acid has been scientifically proven to "slow down" and retard the growth of the herpes virus, as well as inhibit viral replication. Viral replication is when the virus grows and multiplies in larger numbers.
Studies have shown that supplements of Lysine can reduce the frequency and intensity of herpes and cold sore outbreaks.
The outcome is likely to be more substantial if a supplement is taken that contains Lysine along with other nutrients that are indicated for herpes, such as Vitamin C, Bioflavonoids and Zinc, which have been proven in Clinical Trials to improve healing time and reduce the frequency of episodes.
These nutrients work cohesively together and along with Lysine can help to suppress outbreaks and strengthen the skin. Tip, don't pass on the Bioflavonoids because they work in synergy with the other nutrients, making them more effectively utilized by the body. Bioflavonoids have also been demonstrated to help stop an outbreak before it starts.
How does Lysine work?
There are two amino acids that have been found to significantly influence herpes (the virus that causes cold sores and genital herpes), these are Lysine and Arginine.
Lysine can be a valuable weapon in reducing outbreaks and in healing the infection quickly, whereas Arginine can provoke outbreaks and is required by the herpes simplex virus to replicate and cause symptoms.
Tissue culture studies show that Lysine works by repressing the metabolism of Arginine, an amino acid that is essential for the herpes virus to replicate and become active.
For more information about the safety of taking Lysine supplements please read the article Is Lysine Safe? which addresses some commonly asked questions.
What foods contain Lysine?
Lysine is one of eight essential amino acids. It is a building block of protein that the body cannot synthesize from other sources and therefore must be obtained from our diet.
A healthy diet high in Lysine and low in Arginine can be helpful in reducing herpes and cold sore outbreaks. Taking an additional Lysine supplement can help to ensure the correct balance in the body,
This could include eating healthy amounts of foods rich in Lysine such as vegetables, fish, chicken, cheese, milk, brewer's yeast and beans and avoiding foods such as nuts, chocolate, whole and white wheat, oats and gelatin, which are high in Arginine.
I have tried Lysine, it didn't work. Why is that?
If you have tried Lysine before but didn't find it helpful it may be because the dosage was lower than 1250mg per day.
This is due to the fact that clinical studies have shown that Lysine taken in small concentrations has a limited effect, if any, on the herpes virus. When taken at a dosage of 1250mg per day or higher, the results are significant.
Is Lysine helpful for both genital and oral herpes?
Cold sores is commonly caused by HSV Type 1, whereas genital herpes is more commonly caused by HSV Type 2.Lysine, particularly in a high potency form, can help to restrict the virus' "food" by naturally counter-reacting the levels of Arginine in the body.
If possible, the Lysine supplement should be combined with Vitamin C, Zinc and Bioflavonoids which work together to help restore, protect and strengthen the skin.
Since both HSV-1 and HSV-2 work in a very similar way (both viruses require Arginine to grow and replicate) these supplements can be very beneficial in managing conditions caused by both of these viruses.
What to look for in a Lysine supplement
When deciding on which brand of Lysine to take, try to find one that is manufactured from pure Lysine rather than a synthetic and if possible, one that also contains other beneficial nutrients such as Zinc, Vitamin C and Bioflavonoids.
These compounds work in synergy with each other (in other words they work better in the body when taken together) and will save a lot of money in the long run if purchased in one combined tablet.
Vitamin C and Zinc help the skin to repair, regenerate and heal more efficiently and Bioflavonoids improve the absorption of Vitamin C. These supplements can help reduce outbreaks.
Vitamin C and Zinc both have wound healing properties and Vitamin C is vital to the production of collagen (a fiber that connects and strengthens connective tissue, such as the skin). Bioflavonoids are a natural antioxidant, free radical destroyer and immune booster.
A reliable source for these nutrients is a supplement called Combined Lysine Formula
Take the recommended dose
Many Lysine products contain either too little or too much Lysine per tablet to meet the clinically recommended dose. To have any effect on the herpes virus, clinical studies have found that the daily intake of Lysine should be 1250mg for prevention and higher during active episodes.[1]
The Lysine tablets in the Combined Lysine Formula each contain exactly 625mg of pure Lysine. This means that 2 x "neat" tablets is equal to your daily recommended dosage. 500mg tablets or less are not sufficient. With this product there is no need to fuss with cutting 1000mg tablets in half or taking more than what you need when you DON'T even have an outbreak.
Be mindful of artificially made nutrients
Many Lysine supplements are a synthetic version of the amino acid which have been made artificially in a laboratory. Synthetic supplements are usually cheaper to make and there is controversy about their efficacy compared to naturally occurring food substances which the body is accustomed to processing.
We have confirmed that the ingredients in the Combined Lysine Formula supplement are made from a natural food source, one reason why this is a favorable choice.
It contains no animal products such as gelatine like many Lysine supplements do, and is free from artificial colorings, flavorings and preservatives. It is also free from known allergens, such as corn, dairy, gluten, nuts, sugar, wheat and yeast.
Three ingredients to look out for
Gelatin
Gelatin is high in the amino acid Arginine and should be avoided due to its potential to trigger herpes outbreaks. In fact, the whole point of taking Lysine in a supplement is to reduce the levels of Arginine in the body. So taking a Lysine supplement which contains Gelatin is not a smart choice.
Dicalcium phosphate
An ingredient commonly found in supplements is Dicalcium phosphate. This compound can affect the body's ability to absorb nutrients, particularly Zinc.[2][3] This could potentially affect your body's ability to utilize these and other nutrients so try and avoid this ingredient in multi-vitamins and Lysine supplements.
Magnesium stearate
Magnesium stearate is normally derived from beef. We prefer not to recommend any supplements which contain animal products, but this is a personal choice.
Buying lots of supplements every month can really add up
Try to find a supplement that contains a broad range of everything you need in one tablet. This is convenient and will save you wads of money in the long run.
A blended formula also work best. Many nutrients, such as Vitamin C and Bioflavonoids, work better when taken together. Synergy (which is the science of how things work together) is an important factor that is often not considered in supplements that are made by "marketers" rather than professional health practitioners.
Look for Loyalty Reward programs and special discounts when you are deciding on supplements to take because it is likely to be something that you will need to refill from time to time. Lots of companies have loyalty programs which entitle you to savings on future purchases.
For example, Dynamiclear give nearly 15% off if you buy their supplements in lots of 3. If you are a repeat customer, you also get an additional 5% off all purchases for life. That's a saving of nearly 20% off which is worth shopping online for.
Lysine Dose Information
The recommended daily dose for Lysine (for prevention of an outbreak) is 1250mg per day. This is the amount of Lysine required to affect the Herpes virus in Clinical Studies.
The dose should be increased to 1875mg per day when an outbreak is coming on and until the outbreak is cleared (this is equivalent to 3 x 625 mg tablets), or as high as 2500mg if it is helpful.
According to the FDA, the Maximum Recommended Therapeutic Dose (MRTD) for Lysine is 100 mg per kg of body weight per day (mg/kg-bw/day).[1] For example, if you weigh 60kg than the maximum dose could equate to 6000mg per day.
However, we would NOT recommend taking a dose any higher than 3000mg per day (during active symptoms only) as this should be ample enough Lysine to affect the Arginine balance and halt the virus' activity.
There was one incident where a 44 year old woman who had been taking 3000 mg of lysine per day for 5 years developed Franconi’s syndrome, which manifested as tubulo-intersistial nephritis. This is rare and was of course more than double the recommended dose taken over an extended period of time, however, it is important to be noted. As with any supplement, excessive amounts are not advisable.
It is also to be noted that when Lysine was taken in extremely high doses of 10g (10,000mg) or more per day, some people reported experiencing abdominal cramps and diarrhea.
If taken at a sensible dose side-effects from Lysine are very rare, because it is an amino acid that is obtained naturally through our diet. It is important to always follow the recommended dose, as indicated on the label of the supplement you are taking.
References
- ^ "Maximum Recommended Therapeutic Dose (MRTD) Database" FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (2004-2006)
- ^Accessed 6th November, 2008 "Why no DCP? " Biological Immunity Research Institute.
- ^ Wood, R.J., Zheng, J.J. "High dietary calcium intakes reduce zinc absorption and balance in humans." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1997) Vol 65: 1803-1809
Where to Now?
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