Lysine is widely available in supplement form. The richest dietary food sources of lysine are animal proteins such as meat and poultry, and it is also found in dairy products, eggs, and beans.
In order for lysine to be helpful in decreasing the number and intensity of cold sore outbreaks, it probably needs to be taken regularly and at a high enough dose. For instance, one study found that 1,250 mg of lysine daily worked, but 624 mg did not.12
Test tube research suggests that lysine fights the herpes simplex virus by blocking arginine, an amino acid the virus needs in order to replicate.7 For this reason, lysine might be most effective when used in conjunction with a low-arginine diet. (Arginine is found in dairy products, meat, poultry, fish, nuts, and chocolate.) However, this widely stated claim has not been proven. (Note that if this is true, it would be essential to avoid taking arginine supplements if you have herpes.)
Lysine is widely available in supplement form. The richest food sources of lysine are animal proteins such as meat and poultry, and it is also found in dairy products, eggs, and beans.
In order for lysine to be helpful in decreasing the number and intensity of cold sore outbreaks, it probably needs to be taken regularly and at a high enough dose. For instance, one study found that 1,250 mg of lysine daily worked, but 624 mg did not.12
Test tube research suggests that lysine fights the herpes simplex virus by blocking arginine, an amino acid the virus needs in order to replicate.7 For this reason, lysine might be most effective when used in conjunction with a low-arginine diet. (Arginine is found in dairy products, meat, poultry, fish, nuts, and chocolate.) However, this widely stated claim has not been proven. (Note that if this is true, it would be essential to avoid taking arginine supplements if you have herpes.)
Lysine is widely available in supplement form. The richest food sources of lysine are animal proteins such as meat and poultry, and it is also found in dairy products, eggs, and beans.
In order for lysine to be helpful in decreasing the number and intensity of cold sore outbreaks, it probably needs to be taken regularly and at a high enough dose. For instance, one study found that 1,250 mg of lysine daily worked, but 624 mg did not.12
Test tube research suggests that lysine fights the herpes simplex virus by blocking arginine, an amino acid the virus needs in order to replicate.7 For this reason, lysine might be most effective when used in conjunction with a low-arginine diet. (Arginine is found in dairy products, meat, poultry, fish, nuts, and chocolate.) However, this widely stated claim has not been proven. (Note that if this is true, it would be essential to avoid taking arginine supplements if you have herpes.)
Test tube research suggests that lysine fights the herpes simplex virus by blocking arginine, an amino acid the virus needs in order to replicate.7
Taken regularly in sufficient doses, lysine supplements appear to reduce the number and intensity of herpes flare-ups.9
One double-blind, placebo-controlled study followed 52 participants with a history of herpes flare-ups.11 While receiving 3 g of L-lysine every day for 6 months, the treatment group experienced an average of 2.4 fewer herpes flare-ups than the placebo group—a significant difference. The lysine group's flare-ups were also significantly less severe and healed faster.
Another double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study on 41 subjects also found improvements in the frequency of attacks.12 Interestingly, this study found that 1,250 mg of lysine daily worked, but 624 mg did not.
Other studies, including one that followed 65 individuals, found no benefit, but they used lower dosages of lysine.13,14
L-lysine (lysine) is an amino acid that is a popular treatment for herpes infections. Supplementing regularly with lysine might reduce the number and intensity of cold sore outbreaks.9 Lysine is probably not effective at treating outbreaks if you wait and take it at the onset of an outbreak10; lemon balm (melissa) works better for that purpose.
Test tube research suggests that lysine fights the herpes simplex virus by blocking arginine, an amino acid the virus needs in order to replicate.7
