Managing Herpes Simplex with L-lysine/Lysin: Why and How it Works

Perhaps you have a friend who does or you yourself do. In any case, if you are familiar with it, you understand these blisters caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1) are uncomfortable, inconvenient and general render a person very self-conscious.

The herpes virus is spread by contact and once a person has been infected, they carry the virus for the rest of their lives. Do not be discouraged though, many who carry the infection do not necessarily show the outward symptoms. For those who do, this is essentially in the form of a fluid-filled blister as a result of your body's immune system attacking and killing cells infected by the herpes simplex virus. It is this outward symptom that causes the most grief to bearers of the virus.

When the initial symptoms of an impending outbreak occur, often noted as an 'itchy, tingly or burning' sensation in the area, a foreboding feeling accompanies. This prodroma indicates there will be blisters in the area soon, blisters that the infected tend to feel insecure about and consider them unsightly, embarrassing and perhaps ashamed. While there is no cure for the virus, there are methods for managing the symptoms to reduce blister time and to even prevent outbreaks from occurring. In this Hub, we will be engaging one method of treatment and prevention that is inexpensive and even beneficial to everyday life.

What is L-Lysine?

Lysine is an essential amino acid that your body uses as a building block for proteins. Generally found in:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Eggs
• Beef
• Chicken
• Fish
• Supplements

For a more extensive Lysine-rich food list, please visit here.

How it Can Help

The Herpes Simplex Virus, like all viruses, are basically small organisms that hijack cells from a host and then use them to replicate, build, clone themselves. These clones then hijack other cells to repeat the process until they are stopped or run out of resources. It so happens that one of the primary resources the herpes virus uses is an essential amino acid that goes by the name L-arginine. You might be familiar with L-arginine if you have ever supplemented your diet with muscle-building protein shakes, nutrient rich dietary supplements or chocolate.

When the herpes virus hijacks a cell, it uses this amino acid to build the proteins it needs to replicate itself and continue it's existence.

What a diet rich in L-Lysine will do, is essentially reduce the availability of L-arginine to the herpes virus and diminish lifespan and reproduction. In turn, this will lessen the severity, in size and duration, of blisters caused by the viral attack. In some cases, blisters might not even occur.

Now that you can see the benefit of using Lysine for yourself or for your friend, consider your diet and how you can increase lysine intake along with limiting arginine consumption.

• Examine the list of foods rich in L-lysine and see where you can increase
• Note foods that might contain hefty amounts of arginine and reduce intake (You can use the link above to find out what foods carry excessive amounts of the amino acid.)
• Be mindful to balance your diet (Remember that you still need L-arginine)
• Locate supplements to help you in your consumption of Lysine

L-Lysine supplements can be found in drugstores and online, found where the general vitamins and nutritional supplements are kept.

Please remember this isn't a cure, but it is a helpful and inexpensive method to manage herpes simplex and increase your quality of life. If you find yourself in the midst of an outbreak or anticipating one, feel free increase your lysine intake dramatically. (Take the supplement like candy. You won't be able to overdose and the outlandish size of the pills will make it hard to swallow too many.)

If you would like more information on Lysine supplements, herpes simplex or anything related, please leave me a message.

Also, please check out this helpful hub: Tips to Heal a Coldsore