Herpes, a sexually transmitted virus, affects about one out of six people between the ages of 14 and 49 in the United States, according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. Some natural treatments for herpes may help to control the frequency and severity of flare-ups of the disease. The amino acid lysine may be helpful in reducing outbreaks, while the amino acid arginine can promote the growth of the herpes virus and prompt outbreaks. Consult your doctor about using prescription or natural methods for controlling herpes.
Lysine:Arginine Ratio
Eat a diet high in lysine and low in arginine to prevent and control herpes outbreaks. Lysine inhibits the herpes virus from reproducing, while arginine is a favorite food of herpes and encourages the virus to grow and replicate, according to John W. Hill, author of the book "Natural Treatments for Genital Herpes, Cold Sores and Shingles." Lysine also inhibits the herpes virus from being able to use arginine, thereby slowing its reproduction rate.
Diet as a Tool
To gain an advantage in controlling herpes outbreaks naturally, use your diet as a tool. Choose foods high in lysine, such as fish, chicken, beef, lamb, milk, cheese, beans, brewer's yeast, mung bean sprouts, and fruits and vegetables. Likewise, avoid foods with high arginine content, such as gelatin, chocolate, carob, coconut, oats, wheat flour and wheat germ, peanuts and soybeans. Also emphasize foods that will boost your immune system to decrease your risk of a herpes flare-up, says certified nutrition specialist Jenny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S, author of the book "Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth." Fresh fruits and vegetables contain high quantities of vitamin C and other antioxidants and immune system supporters.
Ornithine
For deriving the immune-boosting benefits of arginine without its negative herpes-related effects, the amino acid ornithine offers a safe alternative, according to Lily Splane, M.N., author of the book "Nutritional Self-Defense: Better Health in a Polluted, Over-Processed, and Stressed World." Ornithine is made from arginine. Ornithine improves white blood cell formation and promotes insulin release. As a caution, ornithine can raise blood sugar levels and should not be used if you have diabetes. Consult your doctor about the safe and appropriate use of ornithine.
Other Considerations
Herpes has been implicated as a causative factor in the development of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published in the October 2010 issue of the journal "Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment." When the disease is active, it may promote the formation of protein deposits in the brain that are associated with Alzheimer's disease. Lysine, long recognized for its inhibitory effects on the herpes virus, may also play a role in preventing Alzheimer's disease in some people.
References
- "Natural Treatments for Genital Herpes, Cold Sores and Shingles"; John W. Hill; 2008
- "Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth: The Surprising Unbiased Truth about ... "; Jonny Bowden; 2008
- "Nutritional Self-Defense: Better Health in a Polluted, Over-Processed, and ..."; Lily Splane; 2002
- "Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment"; Could Lysine Supplementation Prevent Alzheimer's Dementia? a Novel Hypothesis; R. Rubey, et al.; October 2010
