Herpes results from infection with one of two types of the herpes simplex virus. The area where the virus enters the body dictates whether a person experiences oral herpes, also known as cold sores or fever blisters, or genital herpes. Vitamin C, an essential antioxidant, was first reported to be of value for the treatment of herpes in 1936 by Swiss dermatologist Ivor Dainow.
History
Dr. Dainow drew his conclusions based on his personal experience treating eight patients with oral or genital herpes. Since each patient was treated with a different dose and form---intravenous or oral---of vitamin C and there were no untreated patients to compare them to, his results were considered promising, but not definitive. The following year, a team of Columbia University researchers led by Margaret Holden, PhD, confirmed that vitamin C inactivated the herpes virus in test tubes, providing further support for Dr. Dainow's study.
Significance
While a follow-up study was performed in 1978, it did not employ randomization, a research technique in which patients are randomly assigned to receive treatment or be placed a placebo group. Although the authors found that vitamin C treatment decreased the duration of symptoms from 9.7 days to 4.2 days, the lack of randomization diminishes confidence in their results. Then, in 1981, the Food and Drug Administration approved acyclovir, the first prescription antiviral drug for herpes, so research on vitamin C and other treatments stopped. Although vitamin C now attracts interest as both a natural and low cost remedy compared to prescription antiviral drugs, there are still no well-designed studies to support its effectiveness.
Sources
Vitamin C can be found in citrus fruits, tomatoes, broccoli, strawberries, spinach, cantaloupe, berries, mangoes and white and sweet potatoes. However, the 1978 study, led by dentist Geza T. Terezhalmy, as well as Dr. Dainow's initial case series, focused on vitamin C in the form of dietary supplements. In the December 2005 edition of "Alternative Medicine Reviews," holistic medicine specialist Alan R. Gaby suggests supplement doses up to 10 g per day for an active herpes outbreak and between 500 mg to 3 g per day to prevent recurrent outbreaks.
Risks
Large doses of vitamin C supplements can cause diarrhea because they exceed the body's capacity to absorb them. Dividing the total dose into five separate doses taken every two to four hours can help. If this is ineffective, patients can also try reducing the total dose. People with a history of kidney stones, iron overload or G6PD deficiency should not use vitamin C supplements except as directed by a physician because, according to pharmacist Allison A. Mueller and toxicologist Fred M. Henretig, writing in the the 2007 edition of "Haddad and Winchester's Clinical Management of Poisoning Overdose," vitamin C supplements can actually make these conditions worse.
Benefits
Although there are no large, well-controlled studies on vitamin C and herpes, the results of Dr. Dainow's case series and Dr. Terezhalmy's study suggest that taking vitamin C supplements may reduce the severity or duration of herpes outbreaks. The doctor-reviewed website MDConsult.com notes that "recent data"suggests that vitamin C supplements also offer other health benefits, such as decreased risk of coronary artery disease, stroke, osteoporosis, cataracts and Alzheimer's disease, as well as improved blood sugar control for people with diabetes.
References
- "Annals of Dermatology and Syphiligraphie"; Treatment of Herpes with Ascorbic Acid; Ivor Dainow, M.D.; July 1936
- "Journal of Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology"; The Use of Water-Soluble Bioflavonoid-Ascorbic acid Complex in the Treatment of Recurrent Herpes Labialis; Geza T. Terezhalmy, D.D.S., M.A. et al.; January 1978
- "Haddad and Winchester's Clinical Management of Poisoning and Overdose"; Michael W. Shannon, M.D., M.P.H. et al. (Eds.); 2007
- "Journal of Immunology"; Further Experiments on the Inactivation of Herpes Virus by Vitamin C; Margaret Holden, Ph.D. et al.; 1937
- MDConsult.com: Drug Monograph: Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin C
- "Alternative Medicine Reviews"; Natural Remedies for Herpes Simplex; Alan R. Gaby, M.D. ; December 2005
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