Potential Risks And Adverse Effects Or Long
Arginine deficiency may occur with kidney or small bowel pathology, sepsis, sickle cell disease, burns, trauma, or surgery. It is essential for growth, wound healing, endothelial function, and nitric oxide production. Lysine should, therefore, be used with caution in patients with cardiovascular disease, impotence, gallstones, asthma, or immune dysfunction.18
Vitamin C And Herpes Simplex Virus
In Vivo reports a study involving a pine cone lignan and ascorbic acid treatment performed by Mexican researchers in 2009.
In this study, scientists wanted to measure the effectiveness of pine come lignan and Vitamin C blend on herpes simplex virus- 1, commonly known as oral herpes.
Lignans are a form of phytoestrogen that interferes with estrogen metabolism in humans and animals. Their antioxidant properties make them valuable in inhibiting viruses such as AIDS.
Forty- eight patients between the ages of four and sixty- one-year-old with active oral herpes sores were given 1 mg of a lignan- ascorbic acid tablet three times a day for a month. Patients were followed for a year.
The patients who applied the lignan- Vitamin C ointment within the first forty- eight hours of the onset of an outbreak did not experience any oral herpes blisters or sores at all.
The patients who waited until later to apply the ointment did see cold sores, but the healing time was reduced. The patients also noticed a lessening of symptoms associated with oral herpes.
The researchers concluded that a pine cone lignan- Vitamin C treatment might be beneficial for herpes simplex virus- 1.
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Arginine And Herpes Outbreaks
Arginine is another amino acid that makes up proteins and is involved in several very important functions of the human organism.
This amino acid is essential in pediatric ages because the organism of infants is not able to synthesize it.
The adult organism can synthesize arginine in the urea cycle which was discovered by the German physiologist Hans Adolf Krebs in 1932.
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Topical Treatment For Cold Sores
Lemon balm essential oil has antiviral effects on HSV-1 and -2. Studies found that lesion formation was significantly reduced, and in some cases, viral infectivity stopped almost entirely. Lemon balm is fat soluble, which enables it to penetrate the skin, and is an effective topical treatment for herpetic infections.
Peppermint oil has stopped several viruses, including herpes in preliminary studies, from reproducing.
Manuka honey, as shown in a study in the British Medical Journal, may be as effective as antiviral creams lesions cleared in eight days with antiviral cream and nine days with honey.
Tip #6 Ditch Processed And Junk Food
The occasional treat is no problem, but where possible try to avoid deep fried foods, sugary treats, white bread, junk foods and any processed or packet foods. Foods with artificial colorings, flavorings and preservatives fit into this category too.
Try to reduce the amount of saturated animal fat consumed and particularly avoid trans-fatty acids. Trans-fatty acids are commonly found in:
- Packet or snack foods, such as crisps
Some simple adjustments to your kitchen cupboard can help you live a healthier life and therefore help to prevent herpes outbreaks:
- Use real butter in place of margarine
- Use a quality, high smoking point oil when you cook your meals such as olive, coconut, rice bran or grapeseed oil
- Use raw sugar or a natural sweetener, instead of white sugar or artificial sweeteners
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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.
Herpes Symptoms And Signs
In order to diagnose herpes, a health care provider can swab an area of visibly active herpes infection or, if symptoms arent active, a blood test can be given that measures the number of herpes antibodies present in the body. The antibodies dont indicate herpes itself, but rather show the immune systems response to the presence of the virus in the body. Its important to note that sometimes a swab can give false negative results since herpes lesions need to be large enough to yield enough detectable virus and if the outbreak is already healing it also may not be detected in a swab.
The most common herpes symptoms include:
- Developing either a single cold sore or cluster of multiple cold sores that form on the lips, inside the mouth, or on the genitals, buttocks and upper thighs.
- Sores can sometimes be severe, painful and rupture and cause fluid to be secreted out.
- Some herpes canker sores develop a thin, white coating and burn when touched while they healing.
- Around herpes cold sores, its common to feel pain, tenderness and other symptoms of a rash, such as redness or signs of swelling.
- Some people are able to tell before an outbreak if one is going to occur because they feel tingling, itchy sensations near the affected area.
- Some people develop other symptoms during herpes outbreaks that are similar to those caused by a cold or the flu. This may include fatigue, irritability, aches or a slight fever.
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How Do You Get Rid Of A Fever Blister In One Day
daysoressoresHow can you prevent cold sores?
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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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How To Get Rid Of Herpes The Conventional Way
For most people with herpes, the virus typically represents nothing more than an inconvenience however, the real risk is for immuno-compromised patients who cant easily manage infections. In these patients, such as those with HIV/AIDS, herpes simplex infection is associated with increased morbidity and mortality.
As of 2017, there is not currently a herpes vaccine available to prevent HSV-1 or HSV-2.
Doctors sometimes prescribe medications to help keep the herpes virus suppressed or to speed up healing of cold sores by reducing bacteria that can cause infections. Some medications that are now used to control herpes include:
- Nucleoside analogues and antiviral medications
- Creams/ointment to help lower pain and inflammation near the site of sores
- Over-the-counter painkillers to reduce aches, tenderness or fever
However, its important to understand that even with early detection and prescription medications, either form of the herpes virus cannot be totally cured so transmission is always still possible. Medications for viruses dont always work long term and are not a cure-all.
Tip #3 Eat Foods Which Are Good For Your Skin
Lysine is beneficial but it is not the only nutrient that the body requires to ward off herpes. The skin should also be nourished with essential nutrients that are needed to resist an infection, as well as to regenerate and repair itself.
Make sure that you are getting plenty of zinc, vitamin C and bioflavonoids in your diet to help protect, nourish and strengthen your skin. This will help your skin to heal more quickly during breakouts, and will also help make your body more resistant to the symptoms surfacing in the first place.
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Get Plenty Of Sleep For Better Physical And Mental Health
Americans are notoriously sleep deprived, but if you have genital herpes, buck this unhealthy trend. Getting plenty of quality sleep affects every aspect of your life your physical and mental health, performance at school or work, and appearance.
To improve your sleep hygiene, follow some quick tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Herpes Causes And Risk Factors
Causes of herpes include acquiring the virus through sexual contact, coupled with immune system suppression and sometimes nutritional deficiencies.
HSV-1 is primarily transmitted by oral-oral contact. On the other hand, HSV-2 is considered a sexually transmitted disease and usually passed during oral or vaginal sex.
A scary finding is that more cases of genital herpes than ever before are now being caused by HSV-1 , and about 85 percent of people with genital herpes dont even know it. Studies show that about 50 percent of the new genital herpes infections in young adults are due to HSV-1 and about 40 percent in older adults. The fact that most people dont ever find out theyre infected is one of the reasons that transmission rates are steadily climbing.
Risk factors for acquiring herpes include:
- Kissing someone who has symptoms of an active herpes virus
- Engaging in any form of unprotected sex
- Having sex with multiple partners
- Spreading the virus through contact with cold sores on the eyes, secretions on the fingers, or ulcers/sores on buttocks and upper thighs
- Having certain other illnesses that lower immune function, such as HIV/AIDS, an autoimmune disorder or hepatitis
- Eating a poor diet that causes nutrient deficiencies and lowered immunity
- Smoking cigarettes, drinking high amounts of alcohol or abusing drugs
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Try Taking The Supplement Lysine
In terms of taking supplements to prevent breakouts, I especially recommend L-lysine. This is the primary supplement for herpes, Gade says. L-lysine is an amino acid, a building block of protein. When you have an outbreak, it can be taken orally to shorten the outbreak in conjunction with an antiviral medication.
Lysine appears to be useful in reducing the number and the severity of outbreaks. The usual daily dose is between 1 and 3 milligrams.
Some studies suggest that taking lysine regularly may help prevent outbreaks of both cold sores and herpes sores. In Gades experience, patients have had no side effects using lysine. In some people, though, there have been reports of the supplement causing abdominal pain and diarrhea.
The Best Herpes Supplements In 2021 Final Thoughts
Though, indeed, there isnt a herpes cure , there are several things that you can do to support and strengthen your bodys immune system and to help your body naturally fight off the infection and prevent future outbreaks. Additionally, by making dietary and lifestyle changes, you can also lessen the effects of active outbreaks and prevent the risk of developing future outbreaks.
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Vitamin Deficiencies Might Affect Herpes
Scientific data shows that certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies can have a negative effect on your immune system. For example, deficiencies of micronutrients like zinc and selenium show a correlation with a weakened immune system in some studies.
This means that if youre deficient in a certain vitamin or mineral, theres a risk that your immune system could be weakened.
The herpes virus usually begins as an initial outbreak, which can last for several weeks. As your body launches its immune response, the virus retreats into the nerve ganglia, where it remains in a dormant state between outbreaks.
A weakened immune system makes the risk of the virus resurfacing greater, increasing your risk of experiencing an oral or genital herpes outbreak.
This makes it important to focus on maintaining a healthy immune system if you have HSV-1 or HSV-2, especially if you experience symptoms of the virus.
If You Have Symptoms Find Out What Youre Dealing With
With genital herpes, the biggest mistake people make is not seeking medical advice, says Gade.
People often find the signs or symptoms of a first herpes outbreak confusing, says Gade. You may mistake herpes symptoms for those of a yeast infection and try curing that condition on your own. But if your healthcare provider diagnoses you with herpes, the first line of treatment will be antiviral medications.
, you can make matters worse by putting things on the herpes sores that you shouldnt put on the sores, she says. People often try using Vaseline, bacitracin, or Aquaphor to soothe the itchy or painful eruptions.
Honestly, not putting anything on the sores is best, says Gade. Do keep the area clean and dry, though.
Warm compresses applied to tender or painful areas can help. So can sitting in a warm bath, using Epsom salt.
Sometimes people have enormous pain with urination, says Gade. For relief, you can urinate in your bathwater or while taking a shower to dilute the urine stream and lessen the sensation. You can also use warm water in a spray bottle to dilute the stream while youre urinating.
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Diet High In Lysine And Low In Arginine
In previous sessions I told you about the relationship between herpes and lysine and also between herpes and arginine.
You already know that lysine intake helps to prevent herpes outbreaks and arginine intake contributes to their appearance and increases their intensity and duration.
For this reason, your diet should be rich in lysine and poor in arginine.
You will achieve this purpose if you consume foods high in lysine and low in arginine such as milk and its derivatives.
A classic combination is to eat brown rice with cooked dried beans. While brown rice is rich in arginine, dried beans contain an excess of lysine that overcomes the lack of this amino acid in brown rice.
Popcorn contains more arginine than lysine, but people infected with the herpes virus can enjoy popcorn if they sprinkle it with nutritional yeast that adds a cheesy flavor.
Arginine is neutralized because one tablespoon of nutritional yeast contains 190 mg more lysine than arginine.
Fish, meats and dairy products are rich in lysine. However, eating too much of these protein-rich foods can raise your bodys acidity and cause a herpes outbreak. Moderation is the key.
If you cant get the foods you like to make up a diet high in lysine and low in arginine, you can use a lysine supplement.
Lysine supplement.
Preventing Sexually Transmitted Infections
A sexually transmitted infection is an infection thats spread through sexual contact. This includes skin-to-skin contact.
In general, STIs are preventable. Almost 20 million new STI cases are diagnosed each year in the United States, according to the .
Being mindful of sexual health and protection may help many avoid these infections.
The only guaranteed method to prevent STIs is to abstain from all sexual contact. However, when engaging in sexual activity, there are steps to limit the risk of STIs.
Effective STI prevention begins before any sexual activity. Here are some steps you can take to reduce your STI risk:
- Talk honestly with potential partners about both of your sexual histories.
- Get tested, along with your partner, before having sex.
- Avoid sexual contact when under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Get vaccinated against the human papillomavirus , hepatitis A, and hepatitis B .
- Consider pre-exposure prophylaxis , a medication that someone who is HIV negative can take to reduce their risk of contracting HIV.
- Use barrier methods every time you engage in sexual activity.
Having a conversation about sexual health with your partner is key, but not everyone with an STI knows they have one. Thats why its so important to get tested.
If you or your partner has an STI diagnosis, talk about it. That way you can both make informed decisions.
Using barrier methods can lower your risk of contracting STIs. These methods can include:
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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.