Amino acid supplements can be taken to try certain conditions, such as herpes. Lysine does not make herpes worse. In fact, because of the way that the herpes virus replicates, lysine may be able to help attenuate, or prevent outbreaks, of herpes. The effectiveness of lysine as a treatment for herpes is unclear and is still being studied. Talk to your doctor before taking lysine or any other supplement to treat health problems.
What Is Herpes?
Herpes is a viral illness caused by an infection from the herpes simplex virus. There are two different strains of this virus, known as herpes simplex-1 and -2. Outbreaks of herpes cause fluid-filled blisters to appear on the affected areas. Herpes is spread by direct contact with these sores, though it can also occur even when the sores are not present. Herpes most commonly affects the genitals or the mouth, but other parts of the body may also be affected. The herpes virus can lie dormant in the human body and thus is impossible to completely eradicate.
Lysine and Herpes
Lysine is an amino acid and is, thus, used by living organisms to make new proteins. Lysine is chemically similar to another amino acid, known as arginine. Because lysine and arginine are so similar and are involved in similar pathways, high lysine levels can lower the amount of arginine in the body. This is important because the herpes virus needs multiple proteins with a high arginine content to replicate; thus, lowering arginine levels by increasing your intake of lysine can help prevent herpes outbreaks, not trigger them.
Effectiveness
It isn't clear whether lysine is effective for preventing or relieving the symptoms of a herpes outbreak. A 2005 article in "Alternative Medicine Review" examined the effects of treating an oral herpes outbreak with a lysine-containing cream. This article concluded that the cream was effective at speeding patient recovery from oral herpes outbreaks, but this study only used 30 subjects, so it is unclear how accurate its results may be.
Considerations
The jury is still out as to whether lysine can help treat herpes outbreaks, but it does not appear to make herpes worse. Some recommend taking 3,000 to 9,000 mg of lysine each day in divided doses to treat herpes outbreaks. Lysine-containing ointments and creams may also be effective. You should always talk with your doctor before taking any sort of supplement, as some can interact with other medications or exacerbate health problems.
