Fever blisters, or cold sores, are caused by the herpes simplex virus 1, which remains dormant in the nerves near the lips following initial infection. Outbreaks may be triggered by illness, sunburn, windy weather, stress, hormonal changes or anything that compromises your immune system. Prescription drugs are now available to help you fight back when fever blisters erupt, but these medications may not be appropriate for everyone and could lead to the virus becoming drug-resistant. Traditional remedies may help. While cold sores are generally mild and self-limiting, seek medical care if symptoms persist.
Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is an herbal supplement that is rich in antioxidant polyphenols and appears to minimize herpes outbreaks. Nutritionist Phyllis Balch, author of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," states that lemon balm taken internally has antiviral properties. It can also be applied topically to cold sores. Alan R. Gaby, M.D., in a review of studies on natural remedies for HSV, cited two randomized, placebo-controlled double blind trials of herpes treatment with lemon balm. In the first, 66 subjects were assigned to receive either lemon balm cream or a placebo cream to use four times a day for five days. On the second day of the study, symptoms were significantly less intense in the treatment group. The second clinical trial used the same creams for five to 10 days on 116 subjects, starting within 72 hours of herpes onset. In the lemon balm group, 41 percent of patients said the treatment worked, compared to 19 percent of controls. Gaby's report was published in the June 2006 "Alternative Medicine Review." No herbal remedy is approved in the United States for the prevention or treatment of any condition.
Zinc
Zinc deficiency can increase your susceptibility to colds and flu and impair healing of skin lesions. Balch states that zinc stimulates immune function to fight the herpes virus. Researchers at the University of Sofia in Bulgaria found that two complexes, zinc picolinate and zinc aspartate, interfere with the herpes virus's ability to replicate. The study, published in 2000 in "Metal Based Drugs," discovered that the mineral combined with a plant alkaloid, specifically from a type of meadow rue native to Central Asia, was even more effective against HSV, including drug-resistant strains.
Lysine
Research indicates that supplementing with the amino acid lysine may reduce the frequency of cold sores. A yearlong, double-blind crossover study involved 26 volunteers with a history of recurring fever blisters who took either 1,000mg daily of lysine or a placebo. The treatment group reported fewer lesions until switched to a placebo. The study was published in the December 1984 "Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology." Balch points out that diets high in lysine and low in the amino acid arginine are associated with a reduced incidence of cold sores. Amino acids make up proteins, and occur naturally together in meats, dairy products and soy. Other foods rich in lysine include fish, lima beans and potatoes, while arginine is present in greater amounts in carob, coconut, chocolate, gelatin and wheat. Gaby suggests that the effectiveness of lysine for cold sores may depend on the dose, the ratio of lysine to arginine in the diet and how well your body can absorb lysine.
References
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; Phyllis Balch, CNC; 2006
- PubMed: Natural Remedies for Herpes Simplex
- PubMed: Increased Efficacy of Zinc Complexes With Picolinic and Aspartic Acids Against Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Infection When Combined With the Pavine Alkaloid (-)-Thalimonine
- PubMed: Lysine as a Prophylactic Agent in the Treatment of Recurrent Herpes Simplex Labialis
- MedlinePlus: Herpes Labialis
