Shingles is a common name for the disease known as herpes zoster. It results from the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus---the virus that causes chicken pox upon initial exposure--within the roots of nerves along the spine or inside the head. In contrast to chicken pox, which usually produces an itchy, but short-lived skin rash, shingles produces a painful rash and, for some people, the pain persists long after the rash resolves. The University of Michigan Health System says that a diet high in the essential amino acid, lysine, "may help" people with shingles.
Significance
In test tubes, lysine inhibits the growth of herpes simplex, a virus that belongs to the same family as the varicella-zoster virus that causes shingles. Although, as of October 2010, the National Library of Medicine lists no studies on lysine and varicella-zoster in test tubes or in people, U.M.H.S. says that "some doctors" believe lysine could also help people with shingles.
Sources
People with shingles can obtain lysine from the diet, or in the form of supplements. Dietary strategies for increasing lysine intake focus on foods that contain a high ratio of lysine to another amino acid, called arginine, that competes with lysine for absorption in the body. According to holistic medicine specialist Alan R. Gaby, M.D. in the December 2005 issue of "Alternative Medicine Reviews," foods that contain a high ratio of lysine to arginine include fish, poultry, meat, dairy products and legumes. Foods that follow the opposite pattern---and, therefore, foods to limit or avoid---include nuts, seeds, chocolate and gelatin. For people who choose supplements, lysine comes in cream, powder, liquid and capsule form.
Risk
A February 1997 review published in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition" by Nestor W. Flodin, Ph.D., concluded that lysine intakes of up to 6 g per day are safe. Doses higher than 10 g per day may cause diarrhea, abdominal pain and kidney failure. Flodin also recommended that people with kidney, liver, heart or gallbladder disease, as well as children and women who are pregnant or nursing steer clear of lysine supplements, since there was insufficient evidence to say whether the higher doses provided in supplements were safe in these groups.
Benefits
U.M.H.S. advises that dietary changes in favor of increased lysine "may be helpful" and dismisses the use of lysine supplements for people with shingles as "speculative." In the 2007 edition of "Integrative Medicine," University of Wisconsin professor David Rakel, M.D., concurs, stating: "It is always best to increase lysine and reduce arginine through whole food nutrition before using nutritional supplements." Although there are no studies in people with shinges, for people with herpes, Dr. Rakel adds, "clinical studies show mixed results," with some showing modest reductions in the severity or duration of symptoms and others showing no effect at all.
Considerations
Diet or nutritional supplements do not replace conventional medical treatment for shingles or any other condition. People who adopt an increased-lysine diet or who take lysine supplements for shingles should share this information with their health care providers. For people over 60 who have not already had shingles, in 2006, the Food and Drug Administration approved a vaccine, Zostavax, that reduces the risk of getting the disease by more than half.
References
- University of Michigan Health System: Shingles and Postherpetic Neuralgia
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition"; The Metabolic Roles, Pharmacology and Toxicology of Lysine; Nestor W. Flodin, Ph.D.; February 1997
- "Alternative Medicine Reviews"; Natural Remedies for Herpes Simplex; Alan R. Gaby, M.D. ; Dec. 2005
- "Integrative Medicine"; David Rakel, M.D.; 2007
- National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Shingles: Hope Through Research
