Top Herpes Supplements Final Thoughts
Although the herpes infection is non-curable, you can minimize the severity of symptoms with the help of herpes supplements and lifestyle modifications.
Due to the increasing demand, we have hundreds of herpes supplements available in the market. To help you choose the best supplement, we have formulated a list of the top herpes supplements for 2021. All these supplements are ranked based on various ranking factors, so you can get exactly what you need.
Herpes supplements contain proven ingredients such as AHCC, selenium, zinc, vitamin C and Vitamin E to reduce the symptoms of herpes infection.
Note that each supplement works differently on each individual so always weigh the pros and cons of each herpes supplement you use. Also, remember, our list of the best herpes supplements for 2021 is not a substitute for certified doctors or medical professionals. If you are currently taking any supplement or have other comorbid conditions, we recommend you consult a doctor before consuming any herpes formula to avoid any side effects.
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Herpes And Moldy Food
Molds and other fungi produce substances called mycotoxins that can weaken the immune system and have other detrimental effects on human health.
Weakening of the immune system is a trigger for herpes outbreaks in people infected with the virus.
For this reason, one way to avoid the harmful effects of mycotoxins in nutrition is to avoid the ingestion of moldy food.
To avoid the ingestion of mycotoxins that could come from the consumption of meat and milk, more than 100 countries have joined the initiative to regulate the limits of mycotoxin content in animal feed.
The FDA has implemented several inspection programs for industries producing animal feed since 1985. Among the products that are subject to inspection are corn, tree nuts, cottonseed and peanuts.
Bread is very prone to mold if you place it in a plastic bag because this type of bag, besides preserving it, contributes to the growth of molds.
Remember that the diet for herpes sufferers has special requirements that, besides helping you avoid outbreaks, will help you to be healthy.
Supplements And Vitamins For Herpes Outbreaks
Medically reviewed by Kristin Hall, FNP
Herpes, whether oral or genital, can be an annoying, frustrating virus. Whether you get frequent outbreaks or have asymptomatic herpes but worry about transmitting the virus to others, herpes can cause a variety of difficult physical and psychological symptoms. These days, the most common drugs used to treat herpes are oral antiviral medications, such as valacyclovir.
Weve covered these medications beforein general, they should be your first line of treatment in the event of a herpes outbreak. However, are there alternatives? We’ve all heard the stories about people using supplements and vitamins for herpes outbreaks, but is any of it true?
In this guide, well look at some of the most widely used vitamins and supplements marketed as herpes treatments. Well look at the scientific data behind each supplement and the benefits of each product to help you make informed, effective buying decisions.
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The Best 3 Topical Uses Of Vitamins And Supplements For Herpes Simplex Virus
Vitamins and supplements dont need to be used in pill or liquid forms alone. They may also prove valuable in topical form.
Talk to your doctor to see if any of these three best topical uses of vitamins and supplements for herpes simplex virus could work for you:
- – Zinc treatment four times daily for four days
- – Vitamin E oil placed on sores for 15 minutes, up to three times daily for three days
- – Lemon balm extract applied four times daily for five days
Each of these topical treatments has been shown through studies and anecdotal evidence to reduce pain, decrease the frequency of outbreaks, and accelerate healing in patients with genital herpes sores.
How Lysine Affects You
Like many amino acids, lysine is used to build muscles and collagen, which is an important constituent of cartilage, connective tissue and skin. âBiochemistry of Human Nutritionâ author, George Gropper, reports that lysine has other important roles in your body, such as promoting absorption of calcium from the intestines, facilitating the manufacture of enzymes, hormones and antibodies, and stimulating the production of creatinine. Creatinine is used by the body to help convert fatty acids into usable forms of energy. If also reduces blood levels of LDL, the âbadâ cholesterol. In âAdvanced Nutrition: Macronutrients, Micronutrients and Metabolism,â Carolyn D. Berdanier et al., explain lysine is also taken as a supplement to reduce the symptoms created by cold sores and genital herpes, which are caused by different forms of the herpes simplex virus, and shingles, caused by the herpes zoster virus. Specifically, lysine is able to reduce viral uptake of arginine, which inhibits replication.
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Can You Use Supplements And Vitamins For Herpes
Before we get into the benefits of specific vitamins, minerals and supplements, lets clear up a common misconception.
Currently, there is no cure for herpes. Boom. Period. Herpes is a lifelong infection that can only be treated, not cured. This means you can and should ignore any claims made by makers of supplements that their products can cure herpes. They cant, and they wont.
Its also important to remember that vitamins, supplements and other natural products arent as effective at treating herpes as real antiviral drugs like valacyclovir . If you have herpes, the optimal approach is to use antiviral drugs as a first priority, with vitamins and supplements as a second defense.
However, some vitamins, minerals and other health supplements may have benefits for treating herpes. Its important to remember this distinction, as theres a big difference between treating a virus and curing it completely.
What Are The Symptoms Of Herpes
The hallmark of HSV infection is a blister or cluster of blisters that often feels tingly and itchy at first, becoming sore later, eventually crusting over and disappearing. An initial episode of herpes may produce fever, malaise, and enlargement of local lymph nodes recurrences are usually milder but may begin with a brief period of general malaise. Once you get infected, the virus is with you for life. It lives in nerve cells where the immune system cannot find it, becoming re-activated from time to time. Common triggers of herpes outbreaks are colds and other viral infections, fatigue, sun exposure, physical irritation of the skin, and emotional stress. Some people are bothered by outbreaks once a year or less, while others may get them every few weeks.
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Tip #9 Indulge In Antioxidant
There are lots of foods that nature has given us that possess the potential to ward off diseases and infections including herpes, and some of the most powerful of these are called antioxidants.
An antioxidant is something that helps to neutralize and stop the damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are caused by many things, including chemicals and toxins in our food and environment, and they are responsible for aging, tissue damage and deterioration of the body.
Diet For Herpes Sufferers: Best And Worst Foods To Eat If You Have Herpes
2022-04-15 by S. Bell
If you are interested in the diet for herpes sufferers, you can learn about it in this article because I include information about the best and worst foods to eat.
This article is divided into four parts. The first three are dedicated to the foods that you should eat and those that you should not include in your diet according to their lysine and arginine content.
The fourth part contains a group of dietary recommendations that will help you in your diet to avoid herpes outbreaks.
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| Final notes |
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These Studies Prove Vitamin Deficiencies Do Impact Herpes Outbreaks
Vitamin deficiencies stunt your bodys ability to function properly, especially in relation to your immune system. Since your immune system houses your bodys main defense from herpes outbreaks, its no surprise that research suggests vitamin deficiencies do influence the impact of the herpes simplex virus.
A study on micronutrients such as zinc, selenium, and vitamins, for example, found that deficiencies in vital nutrients may reduce the function of the killer cells that defend against infectious agents. The herpes simplex virus is one such infectious agent that gains easier access into the body when your immune system isnt working at full capacity.
Another study showed that zinc deficiency is linked to serious immune system disruptions and negative health effects. One zinc supplementation occurred, researchers observed decreased oxidative stress and reduced inflammation in the body.
These studies indicate the real impact that vitamins and supplements may have on your mission to prevent and treat herpes outbreaks.
Scientific Evidence Of Herpes Supplements
As you might have heard earlier, there is no cure for herpes. If that is the case, how do herpes supplements work, and why are the brands claiming such a bold thing? You will get all the answers after going through all the results that different studies have published.
Most studies revolved around the ingredients that can support the bodys natural defense system. While some showed results exceptionally fast, some took weeks to show any positive results.
Nonetheless, after going through the information collected from the research, you will have a clear idea of how these supplements work.
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What The Research Says
If you eat a balanced diet that includes red meat, fish, and dairy products, you probably consume enough lysine. Its also widely advertised as a dietary supplement. In the body, lysine knocks out another protein building block, or amino acid, called arginine. To boost the effect of lysine, avoid arginine-rich foods such as nuts and seeds.
A large review concluded that L-lysine had no reliable effect on cold sores. In a smaller study that seemed to show an effect, participants took an average of just over 900 milligrams of the supplement daily for six months. At this or even higher levels, L-lysine appears to have no toxic effects.
Whether L-lysine is likely to work on reducing the intensity or duration of shingles symptoms is a separate question.
Theres not a shred of evidence that it works, says Aaron Glatt, MD, chairman of the department of medicine at South Nassau Communities Hospital and spokesman for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
Its probably not dangerous, but I wouldnt tell someone to spend money on it.
If youd like to explore L-lysine as a treatment option for shingles, make an appointment with your doctor. You can discuss whether its the right treatment for you.
Possible side effects include:
Lysine Can Potentially Help Both Types Of Herpes Virus
Dear Doctor: Are cold sores and herpes the same thing? Ive got both, and finding out theres no cure really stinks. My friends say lysine can help. Is that true?
Dear Reader: Cold sores and genital herpes are caused by different types of the herpes simplex virus, or HSV. Each type is quite contagious.
HSV-1 causes cold sores on the lips and mouth. Its estimated that half of the population in the United States is infected with the oral herpes virus. The majority of genital herpes, which is a sexually transmitted disease, is caused by HSV-2. The infection rate of HSV-2 in the U.S. is estimated to be at least 15 percent and as high as 20 percent.
Youre correct that at this time, there is no cure for either type of herpes infection. Instead, people who have frequent outbreaks seek to manage the condition. Many people infected with HSV-2 rely on antiviral medications, which can shorten or suppress outbreaks of genital herpes and also lessen symptoms when an outbreak does occur. The three main drugs are acyclovir , famciclovir and valacyclovir . Antivirals may also be prescribed to people infected with HSV-1 who are having frequent or severe outbreaks. The over-the-counter cream Abreva, which targets oral herpes, can be useful.
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Swipe On An Spf Lip Balm
If you get cold sores, make sunscreen-infused lip balm your BFF.
âA sunburn or exposure to UV radiation triggers the inflammation that can lead to herpes and since your lips donât contain much melanin, they are not well protected from UV rays,â Dr. Frey says. âYou can reduce your chances of having an outbreak by continuously reapplying lip balm with SPF, especially during the winter, when the sun reflects off the snow.â
She likes EltaMD UV Lip Balm Broad-Spectrum SPF 36 and Paulaâs Choice Lipscreen SPF 50 .
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When Stress Triggers A Herpes Outbreak These Complementary Therapies May Calm It Down
A healthy lifestyle and the right supplements may offer relief from genital herpes.
A healthy lifestyle and the right supplements may offer relief from genital herpes.
Anna Ivanova/Alamy Alamy
A viral infection causes genital herpes, and there is no cure for it. But if you have genital herpes, you can use complementary approaches to reduce how often you have outbreaks. Some alternative therapies can also provide relief from discomfort and pain during outbreaks that do occur.
This kind of viral outbreak , and other viruses, like a cold, is usually related to stress and your immunity, says Lucy Gade, MD, MPH, the medical director at the Center for Wellness and Integrative Medicine at Northwell Health, in Oyster Bay, New York. As a result, an alternative medicine approach to herpes treatment involves making smart lifestyle choices to foster your general wellness. In doing so, you bolster your immune systems ability to fight the two viruses that cause herpes, herpes simplex virus 1 and herpes simplex virus 2 .
A healthy diet, appropriate sleep, finding ways to decrease stressors in your life These alone will make your herpes outbreaks less frequent, says Dr. Gade. Such healthy habits will also improve your overall well-being, lengthen your life, and boost your happiness.
But first, make sure you have an accurate diagnosis for whats causing your symptoms.
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How Does Lysine Treat Herpes
One of the most notorious amino acids that actually aids the proliferation of herpes is arginine. While its beneficial for many metabolic, circulatory, and muscle-growth needs, the herpes virus depends on arginine for replication. So, where does Lysine come in?
Most of us know that when the virus penetrates a cell and becomes active, its ready for replication with symptoms manifest on the surface of the skin. This results in an outbreak. While cures are hard to come by, Lysine can help to stop the viral replication process that leads to a flareup.
Its been well-studied that both lysine and arginine compete for absorption into the bodys cells. Since they share the same transport systems, a diet rich in Lysine versus arginine can help to inhibit HSV. Lysine also blocks Arginine from being of use in the body.
In the reverse, a high amino acid ratio of Arginine to Lysine can be shown to inhibit Lysine function in the body.
The bottom line is, both amino acids are important in the body for many reasons than we have time to share. But, when suffering with a flareup or trying to prevent a breakout, keeping your Lysine intake higher versus an arginine intake can help to keep the itch and blisters at bay.
To prove Lysines benefits when it comes to practical use and treatment of herpes, a study showed that it decreased the number of breakouts, reduced severity, and sped up healing time.
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What Are The Other Treatment Options For Herpes
Herpes has no cure, but the condition can be improved using some home remedies and lifestyle changes. Home remedies like a warm and cold compress, cornstarch paste, apple cider vinegar, and garlic are effective in reducing the swelling and itching in the infected area.
Some herbs and oils, including aloe vera, tea tree oil, manuka honey, witch hazel, chamomile essential oil, goat milk, eucalyptus oil, and thyme essential oil also help fight the virus and promote the healing process.
You can also adopt some lifestyle changes like wearing loose undergarments, taking warm showers, and avoiding sex to improve the condition. Herpes is a persistent infection type which might redevelop after a while. It could affect the lifestyle and decreases the quality of a persons life.
Medications and therapies sure have expanded the number of treatment options for herpes. While it might not be curable with natural methods, vitamins help provide relief with the associated pain and uneasiness.
However, ensure to consult a doctor if the problem persists as vitamins and other supplements are just complementary treatment methods.