Cold sores, or fever blisters, are common and generally harmless. However, they can be unpleasant, provoking self-consciousness, discomfort or even scarring in those who suffer from them. Outbreaks can be triggered by a number of factors, including stress and dietary choices. One little-known cause of cold sores is the presence of the amino acid arginine, or L-arginine. Avoiding or balancing arginine in your diet may help reduce the outbreaks' frequency.
Cold Sores
Cold sores are small fluid-filled blisters that usually appear on or near the lip. They are caused by the presence of herpes simplex virus type 1, and an untreated outbreak can take up to three weeks to heal. Once this contagious virus is present in your system, it can't be cured. However, if you avoid certain behaviors and foods and support your immune system properly, the frequency and duration of the outbreaks can be reduced.
Arginine and Cold Sores
Arginine is an amino acid that helps the body make proteins. It is present in high levels in foods like nuts and chocolate and is available in supplement form. There are plenty of reasons to get enough arginine in your diet. The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database reports that arginine can be effective in improving post-surgery recovery time, supporting heart heath, healthy blood flow, sexual dysfunction and some types of inflammatory conditions. Unfortunately, high levels of dietary or supplementary arginine may also help the herpes virus replicate, leading to outbreaks.
Arginine and Lysine
Like arginine, lysine is an amino acid necessary for protein production. It assists in calcium absorption and collagen and carnitine production, and is commonly found in meat, dairy, soy, yogurt and brewer's yeast. Lysine may help prevent cold sores by blocking arginine production. An 1981 study published in the journal "Chemotherapy" showed that arginine deficiency suppressed herpes replication in tissue cultures. The Langone Medical Center at New York University describes a sequence of double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in which lysine was used to prevent herpes simplex outbreaks. High doses of lysine appear to reduce the outbreaks' frequency, although supplements need to be taken consistently. Lysine taken only at the beginning of an attack, or in doses lower than 1,250 mg a day, has not been shown to have any effect.
Preventing Cold Sores While Supplementing With Arginine
Arginine supplementation should be conducted under your doctor's supervision, especially if you are using it to treat a life-threatening condition like congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis or angina. Arginine will not take the place of medical care in the treatment of these conditions. If your doctor has approved supplemental arginine and you are prone to cold sores, ask him about balancing the arginine with lysine supplements or a herpes-suppressing medication. Eat plenty of lysine-rich foods, avoid alcohol and get enough sleep to support your immune system. However, if cold sore outbreaks are becoming a problem, you may want to ask your doctor about alternatives to arginine supplements.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Cold Sore; Mayo Clinic Staff; 2011
- U. S. National Library of Medicine; Medline Plus; L-arginine; 2010
- N. Y. U. Langone Medical Center: Arginine; 2011
- N. Y. U. Langone Medical Center: Lysine; 2011
- "Chemotherapy"; Relation of Arginine-Lysine Antagonism to Herpes; R. S. Griffiths et al.; 1981
