Lysine for Shingles Treatment & Symptoms – Does it Prevent the Virus?

Are L-Lysine supplements effective for helping to speed up recovery from shingles or addressing symptoms like nerve pain?

L-Lysine has been recommended as a natural remedy for shingles by naturopathic medicine practitioners. It is used both orally as a dietary supplement and topically as a skin cream.

Shingles is caused by a virus known as varicella zoster, which is in the same family as the chickenpox and Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Research shows that L-Lysine may help to prevent or reduce herpes virus outbreaks by counteracting its reproduction.

This has lead to interest in studying the effects of L-Lysine against shingles. However, there is no currently available research to evaluate its efficacy for this virus.

L-Lysine is an essential amino acid that plays a role in immune function. It competes with L-arginine for absorption in the body, which could inhibit the replication of the varicella zoster shingles virus.

Lysine

Amino Acid

Immunity

Skin

Longevity

How It Works:

• Promotes health skin & bones
• Boosts immunity & antibody production
• Supports tissue repair & hormone balance

Dosage:

Between 1 - 3 g per day

Safety:

Rated Possibly Safe

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hingles Virus Prevention & Outbreak

Affecting mostly people over 50 who have had chicken pox, shingles (herpes zoster) is an opportunistic viral infection that typically emerges when the person is suffering an illness, stress or has had their immune system.

Although shingles is not contagious, it poses a risk to people who have never had chicken pox if they come in contact with fluid secreted by shingles blisters.

Symptoms of an impending shingles outbreak include tingling, itching and burning of skin (shingles usually irritates the shoulders, neck and upper chest area), fever, tiredness and pain.

Within five days of these symptoms appearing, shingles lesions erupt, beginning as small, reddish spots and quickly developing into blisters seeping yellow fluid.

These blisters will then start drying and crust over. Crusts will fall off and sometimes leave noticeable skin discoloration or pitted scarring.

If pain persists even after a shingles rash clears. a diagnosis of post-herpetic neuralgia (nerve pain) may be indicated.

L-Lysine for Shingles

An essential amino acid not made by the body, L-lysine is normally obtained from eating eggs, fish, meats, soy products and certain legumes.

As an amino acid, it forms one of 20 building blocks of protein molecules in the diet. Getting adequate intake of lysine is important for cellular growth, development and maintenance.

It also plays a role in calcium absorption, bone growth, muscle growth, injury and illness recovery, and in the production of collagen, hormones, enzymes and antibodies. It is further involved in carnitine synthesis, which is important for being able to convert fatty acids into energy.

Most healthy adults who eat a varied and nutritious diet are able to get enough lysine to meet the US RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) of 38mg/kg of bodyweight.

However, vegans, vegetarians and people who do not eat significant amounts of meat products may be at risk for deficiency. There may also be certain times at which increasing your consumption of L-Lysine is beneficial to support health and well-being.

According to the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, lysine supplements are used for a variety of health problems, from cold sores and osteoporosis to increasing muscle mass, relieving anxiety and reduce painful angina. [1]

Additionally, lysine seems to compete with an amino acid called arginine. When the herpes zoster virus invades cells to replicate, it uses arginine to promote replication throughout the body.

Since lysine counteracts arginine’s actions, some researchers think it may be effective for reducing the number and severity of shingles outbreaks. [2]

There is evidence suggesting it can reduce the severity and frequency of herpes simplex labialis infections causing cold sores. The same mechanisms involved in combatting herpes recurrence may also support its efficacy against the shingles virus.

However, L-Lysine supplements have not been approved by the FDA as a drug for the prevention or treatment of either herpes simplex or the shingles virus. More research is needed to determine therapeutic efficacy.

L-Lysine Benefits for Shingles Treatment & Symptoms

Lysine has anti-viral effects that may be effective against the virus that causes shingles.

A placebo-controlled trial of oral L-lysine for preventing recurring herpes simplex (HSV) infection discovered that L-lysine “appears to effective for reducing the occurrence, severity and healing time of recurrent herpes simplex virus infections”.

Treatment groups took 1000 mg of lysine three time each day for six months. Compared to the placebo group, the lysine group experience 2.4 less infections than the placebo group and reported significantly diminished symptoms. [3]

Laboratory studies investigating the counteractive effects of lysine against arginine in the presence of the herpes zoster virus discovered that the virus tries to utilize lysine for replication in the same way it uses arginine.

Specifically, the virus tries to produce an arginine-rich protein called protein VII necessary for core viral functions. However, lysine stops the virus from replicating and causing shingles blisters. [4]

Additional clinical studies investigating the efficacy of a lysine shingles remedy found that protein layers surrounding host cells attacked by herpes zoster viruses are comprised of more lysine than arginine.

Alternately, the protein layers encasing HZ viruses contain much more arginine and little lysine. Since supplementation with lysine inhibits GI and kidney absorption of arginine, researchers believe that it is “detrimental to the herpes virus by depriving it of essential arginine”. [5]

L-Lysine Dosage for Shingles

A recommended dosage of lysine for shingles pain is about 1000 mg, three times a day during a shingles outbreak.

Detectable presence of this amino acid in the bloodstream may take a few days, which indicates the need to begin taking supplements as soon as symptoms of burning, tingling and itching emerge. [6]

If you are taking medications or suffer from chronic health conditions, discuss taking lysine for shingles with your doctor to avoid possible side effects.

According to Dr. Julian Whitaker of the Whitaker Wellness Institute, this supplement is more effective if combined with Vitamin C and Vitamin B12.

Dr. Whitaker writes, “The suggested daily doses are: vitamin B12 1,000–2,000 mcg and L-lysine 1,500–3,000 mg. Take these supplements in divided doses as soon as symptoms occur; continue until symptoms subside.”

Traditional Shingles Treatments

Antiviral medications are typically prescribed to people suffering shingles outbreaks. Some of these drugs include valacyclovir, famiciclovir and acyclovir.

Although antiviral medications may help clear up blisters and reduce skin irritation, they can also cause side effects such as nausea, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue and rashes affecting other parts of the body. [7]

Acyclovir is especially known to cause side effects in shingles patients. Some of these side effects include vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, agitation, joint pain, hair loss and vision changes. [8]

In additional, antiviral medications are only effective when given within 24 to 72 hours of shingles blisters first appearing. Moreover, people that are immunocompromised can only take antivirals for shingles via intravenous administration.

Over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin, NSAIDS and acetaminophen may help reduce the pain of shingles but do nothing to control outbreaks or the severity of outbreaks.

Codeine, Darvon and other prescription pain killers are also prescribed to people suffering extreme shingles pain. However, these medications carry a high risk of addiction and cause unwanted side effects.

Topical medications or lysine ointment for shingles are another type of shingles treatment meant to reduce the itching of shingles blisters. When in their drying stage, shingles blisters become extremely itchy and irritating. If scratched open, blisters may become infected by bacteria living on the skin.

Consequently, it is more important to prevent shingles outbreak with lysine than to simply use topical medications after blisters have developed.

In addition to taking unproductive antiviral medications, shingles patients may need to also take antibiotics to fight blister infections if shingles lesions are continuously scratched and oozing. [9]

Before using L-Lysine supplements or any other natural health product to address shingles, it is important to consult with your doctor to determine the appropriate treatment regimen for your needs.

Lysine supplements are generally well tolerated and safe if used for short periods of time. However, taking these supplements at high doses for extended durations could result in adverse effects.

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