Herpes is a viral infection that produces painful blisters and sores on the mouth or genitals. In the 2008 edition of "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine," University of Washington professor Lawrence Corey, M.D. states that 90 percent of adults over 50 have contracted one or both types of the herpes virus. There is no cure for herpes and some people experience recurrent outbreaks in response to triggers such as stress, illness, or eating specific foods -- such as peanuts.
Significance
Peanuts and other nuts contain rich quantities of an amino acid called arginine that cues the herpes virus to begin spreading and provides raw materials to support that spread. A 1984 study led by oral surgeon Craig S. Miller, D.M.D., M.S., published in the November-December issue of "General Dentistry," found that herpes outbreaks were "invariably" linked to consumption of peanuts or other nuts during the preceding 12 to 36 hours. As of October 2010, the National Library of Medicine lists no other studies on peanuts or other nuts and herpes.
Sources
Virginia, Valencia and Spanish are the three most common peanut varieties in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Peanuts are sold raw and roasted, with shells and without, pureed into butters or spreads and distilled into oils, flours and purified protein powders. Peanut products, in turn, find their way into candies, baked goods, snack foods, energy bars, salad dressings and other condiments and savory meals. In restaurants and other food service settings, peanut oils may be used for frying. Since arginine is a part of protein, peanut oils and other non-protein peanut components may be less likely to trigger herpes than products that contain whole peanuts or peanut protein.
Nutrients
A quarter-cup serving of raw peanuts contains 1,034 mg of the amino acid arginine, thought to trigger herpes outbreaks. In addition to arginine, peanuts are rich in other nutrients including monounsaturated fats. A quarter-cup serving supplies 214 calories, 9 g protein, 18 g total fat, 3 g dietary fiber, 25 percent of the daily value for niacin, 13 percent of the daily value for folic acid and 17 percent of the daily value for vitamin E. Peanuts also contain more than 20 percent of the daily values for the minerals copper and manganese.
Options
Since peanuts contain other nutrients that contribute to a healthy diet, in the 2007 edition of "Integrative Medicine," University of Wisconsin professor David Rakel, M.D. recommends focusing on foods that are high in lysine, another amino acid that counteracts the effects of arginine on herpes. Lysine competes with arginine for absorption into cells infected with the herpes virus. Once there, it opposes the growth-stimulating effect of arginine on the virus and stimulates the production of an enzyme called arginase that breaks down arginine. Excellent food sources of lysine include farm-raised poultry such as chicken, fin-fish such as tuna or halibut, dairy products such as cottage cheese or yogurt, soy protein and legumes such as lentils and kidney beans.
Considerations
Avoiding peanuts may not be sufficient to prevent herpes outbreaks. Other kinds of nuts, such as cashews, almonds and macadamia nuts, as well as non-nut foods such as chocolate and gelatin, also contain high levels of arginine. People who eliminate peanuts should do so in the context of a healthy, balanced diet. Diet modifications do not replace conventional medical treatments for herpes or any other condition. People with severe, frequent or long-lasting --- longer than two weeks --- herpes should talk to their doctors about prescription medications such as acyclovir, valacyclovir, famciclovir and penciclovir.
References
- "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 23rd Edition"; Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. et al.; 2008
- "General Dentistry"; Use of Lysine in Treating Recurrent Oral Herpes Simplex Infections; Craig S. Miller, D.M.D., M.S. et al.; November-December 1984
- "Integrative Medicine"; David Rakel, M.D.; 2007
- United States Department of Agriculture: National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference: Peanuts
