Lysine and Herpes
What is Lysine?
Used as a supplement to treat sores as a result of herpes, a lysine is a form of amino acid that the body must take to alleviate symptoms of the mentioned condition. The supplement lysine serves as alternative medicine in providing medical therapy to individuals infected with the virus. Lysine must be consumed according to the instructions provided by the healthcare professional to ensure its effectiveness and efficiency among infected individuals.
How does it work?
Just like any other viruses or infections, HSV (herpes simplex virus) must replicate and increase its population within the body. To stop this process, lysine is utilized and block the viruses’ capacity to multiply. Since there is no concrete cure for such infection, preventing it from going severe is the best solution available. Having lysine as medicine is more than enough added to the antiviral medications accessible for treatment.
Lysine for Herpes
The most common symptom associated with herpes is cold sores. As we all know, having this type of condition can be very annoying. Add to that the symptom’s painful and itchy effect on the skin. To better manage this illness, a supplement must be used – in the form of Lysine. This supplement can be ingested orally or applied essentially as a cream for the skin’s usage.
Dosage
Since there are two forms that lysine follows, being used as oral supplement and cream, the dosage may also vary. Consider this information below:
For oral supplement usage, the dosage is 1000 mg of the said medicine. It must be consumed on a daily basis. For the cream, you can apply it to your skin at least every 2 hours. The duration of this application will take about 11 days.
Precautions and Warnings
Similar to other medicines, lysine has also its fair share of precautions and warnings. It includes some of the restrictions of consuming this alternative supplement. Consider the following:
- There is no concrete explanation if lysine is good for pregnancy. Speak with your healthcare professional if you are planning to get pregnant amidst a herpes infection.
- Discuss with your healthcare professional first if you have a history of the following: osteoporosis, kidney disease, and intolerance to lysine.
- Hypersensitivity can also cause complications. So, if you are allergic to this supplement, avoid using it.
Side Effects
There aren’t a lot of side effects associated with lysine. However, the most common adverse reaction is severe pain in the stomach and recurrent diarrhea. Additionally, if you are allergic to this supplement, you will experience hives, trouble breathing, and swollen parts of the face. Note that hypersensitivity can be fatal, so report this to your healthcare professional immediately.
Other Functions of Lysine
Other than cold sores, lysine is also proven to be a good medicinal alternative to conditions, such as canker sores, diabetes, high triglyceride levels, muscle strength, bedsores, schizophrenia, and stress. Use lysine in moderation and always follow the directions detailed out by your healthcare professional in the given prescription.