Chances are, you've already connected the sores on or in your mouth and nose to a feeling of being run down. A stressed-out body doesn't always explain why you get canker sores and fever blisters, but a poor diet often lurks behind these outbreaks. Doctors have identified a link between low levels of nutrients like B vitamins and canker sores. A less direct connection exists between B vitamins -- or any specific nutrients -- and fever blisters. But keeping yourself healthy through proper diet does help suppress outbreaks of the virus associated with fever blisters.
Canker Sores vs. Fever Blisters
Canker sores, aphthous ulcers, appear inside your mouth and on your gums. Fever blisters turn up on the lips, nostrils and even your fingers in rare cases. They are also called cold sores. MayoClinic.com notes that even though sores in your mouth are likely canker sores, sometimes fever blisters migrate to the inside of your mouth. Canker sores tend to be flat and round, while fever blisters are typically raised, filled with fluid and smaller in diameter than canker sores. Canker sore causes include poor nutrition, mouth injury and illnesses such as celiac disease, while fever blisters come from the herpes simplex virus type 1, or HSV-1.
The "B" Connection
Along with zinc and iron, low intake of vitamin B-12 and folate, or vitamin B-9, may lead to canker sores, according to MayoClinic.com. No cure currently exists for HSV-1, but avoiding certain triggers may keep you from developing fever blisters. Proper sleep and diet help boost your immune system, which in turn may decrease the frequency of your fever blister outbreaks. The B vitamins B-12 and folate help prevent anemia. This condition makes you vulnerable to fever blisters on your outer mouth and nose, as do factors like staying in the sun for too long.
B-9
In supplement form, vitamin B-9, or folate, is called folic acid. Folate also promotes the production of new cells, which may speed the healing time for existing facial lesions. The National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements recommends a daily intake of 400 mcg folate for teens and adults. Foods high in folate include fortified or enriched grains, green vegetables, dry beans, peanuts and wheat germ.
B-12
The NIH reports that 2.4 mcg is the average daily amount of vitamin B-12 recommended for teens and adults. Foods high in vitamin B-12 include liver, clams, fortified cereals and grains, eggs, milk and dairy foods like yogurt and cheese. If you suffer from anemia or other conditions connected with low levels of vitamin B-12, your doctor may suggest you take a vitamin supplement.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Canker Sore
- MayoClinic.com: Cold Sores
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Herpes Simplex Virus
- Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health: Vitamin B-12
- Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health: Folate
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Anemia
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