A Proven Cold Sore Treatment - Facts About Lysine For Your Cold Sores

Lysine as a cold sore treatment is a potent way to get rid of cold sores - and keep them gone.



You may have heard about lysine as a weapon against the herpes simplex virus - the virus that causes all cold sores. Perhaps you've even tried a lysine salve or lotion.



There is a lot of information about lysine - how and why it works so well. Some of the information I've seen is quite good but a lot of it is inaccurate.



If you've got a minute, let me give you the facts. I don't want you to waste your money or suffer needlessly.



1. Lysine smothers cold sores much like water smothers a fire.



Oxygen fuels a fire. Water starves the fire of the oxygen fuel it needs to survive - and the fire dies.



The amino acid Lysine acts in a similar way.



The replication process of the herpes simplex virus is the cause of your cold sores. The virus hides in the root cells of your nerve fibers. It activates and moves to the surface of your face when it wants to create new virus clones.



The herpes virus cannot do this alone. This parasite virus enters your cells and forces them to create new copies. Then the original virus particle destroys the cell to release the virus - creating the ulcer we call a cold sore.



2. Arginine, another amino acid, is the main fuel needed to create the herpes virusclones.



Arginine, like lysine, is quite common in our food. And arginine has many good uses in your body, such as reducing blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels.



Your cells store arginine and lysine in the same storage area within the cell. There is limited space so the more of one the less of the other.



By flooding your cells with lysine, and reducing arginine in your diet, you will effectively starve the herpes simplex virus of the arginine fuel it needs to create cold sores.



Lysine replaces the stored arginine thus starving the cold sore fire.



3. Lysine will not work unless it actually gets through the cell membrane and into the cell storage area.



Lysine needs to get into your bloodstream to get into your cells. To accomplish this, you must take the lysine orally - either in food or supplement form. Your digestive system transforms it into a body-ready nutrient.



This is important to keep in mind because you will see cold sore treatment salves at the store that feature lysine as the main ingredient. Putting lysine directly on the skin or sore does very little good.



Your body and cells cannot absorb it in this form.



Most dairy products, especially from Wisconsin, are very high in lysine. Fish is also an excellent source, particularly Flounder.



In fact, Flounder is one of the richest lysine foods known - about 14 grams per 450 gram (1 lb.) serving.



Some folks claim that eating one pound of Flounder in a single day wipes out their cold sore.



Lysine supplements - in 500 milligram capsules - are still the most common and convenient way of increasing your lysine intake. You can easily measure and control dosage levels by the number of capsules you take.



You may have to test dosages until you find the right one for your body and health situation.



Six to twelve capsules each day are not uncommon as a cold sore treatment while an outbreak is in progress. Between outbreaks many people take one capsule daily to ward off future cold sores.



Lysine is very safe but it is always best to start low and build up.



Lysine stands out as one of the top three cold sore treatment methods today.



It may not be the total answer for you personally but it surely should be a part of any successful cold sore treatment plan.