Are you dealing with cold sores? These can be tough to treat because they cause a lot of pain and discomfort. The good news is there are many treatments available. How about amino acids for cold sores, do they work? This might be a surprising one since it involves the building blocks of cold sores. The blisters are caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). The World Health Organization reports that about two-thirds of the world’s under-50 population has HSV-1. This is a different strain from the HSV that causes genital herpes. There are various treatments for cold sores. While it’s not a serious condition like others it’s important to treat it because it’s a sign that there’s a health condition you have to deal with.
You can pick among various treatments for treating cold sores. One option is a prescription medicine. These can work but you might have to deal with unwanted side-effects. That’s due to the strong chemicals added to the meds. Another option is home remedies, which are gentler and won’t cause such side-effects. Some options include ice, lemon balm, and OTC anti-viral products. These can all help to provide relief and treat the painful blisters. Another option is amino acids for cold sore treatments.
What Exactly Are Cold Sores?
Before talking about treatments it’s important to take up what cold sores are. These are blisters that are caused by a herpes strain known as Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV)-1. It’s important to note that HSV-2 is related to genital herpes.
However, there are some cases when HSV-2 can cause both genital sores and HSV-1. However, usually, it doesn’t produce mouth sores.
HSV is also known as the “cold sore virus.” It’s very contagious and close contact can cause a person to pass it to another person. Most of the time the virus stays inactive after a person gets HSV.
There are times when some “triggers” activate the virus. When that happens it results in cold sore outbreaks. There are different triggers that people can have. However, some include fatigue, sunlight, injury, and menstruation.
The number of times a person has cold sores during the year can vary. The average time is 2-3 times. However, there are times when a person might get the blisters once a year than not have to deal with it for the rest of the year. The reason is the HSV doesn’t become active.
In most cases, you don’t have to treat the cold sore virus. It will go away within 10 days or so. There are other times when you can use OTC/prescription treatments. These can be effective and help to deal with the virus and symptoms.
It’s important to add the treatment as soon as you see the cold sore. When you feel burning, tingling, or itching around the mouth you should add the treatment. One example is an anti-viral cream although there are others.
Another option is antiviral tablets. Your doctor might prescribe these to fight the HSV that’s causing the condition. Another treatment is a cold sore patch. These contain a special gel. This can be effective for treating various skin wounds.
Amino Acids for Cold Sores
This might be a surprising one. However, one possible treatment is amino acids. Lysine is one of the most common ones used to treat the condition. This is an important amino acid that’s critical for several body functions. That includes making collagen and absorbent calcium. In most cases, people get enough lysine in diets so their body has enough.
This makes lysine one of the “essential” amino acids. This means that we have to get the aminos from food/supplements since the body doesn’t produce them. It’s a different situation from non-essential amino acids, which the body produces naturally.
Even if your body gets enough lysine you’ll want to boost your levels to treat cold sores. There are a few ways you can do that. One is to consume foods that are high in amino acids. Another option is to take lysine supplements. This produces the same result but in a dietary supplement.
The big question is whether or not the amino acid can help with cold sores. It turns out it might help to slow/prevent the growth of HSV-1. This is important since it’s the virus that causes the blisters.
It runs out that lysine needs a different amino acid to grow. Lysine can help by preventing the amino acid “arginine.” This, in turn, can help to keep the HSV-1 virus from growing/reproducing.
One issue to consider is it’s very common for people to have this virus. If you’re in the under-50 age group there’s a 2 in 3 chance that you have it. Once you have the virus you’ll have it forever. However, you can take steps to help prevent outbreaks.
You can also consume food sources of lysine including:
- Beef
- Cheese (Parmesan)
- Chicken
- Codfish
- Eggs
- Pork
- Sardines
- Soybeans
- Turkey
- Yogurt
Another option is to ally a lysine ointment directly to the cold sore.
Home Remedies for Cold Sores
Ice
This treatment is about basic as it gets. Ice might not last how long the outbreak lasts. However, it can help with the inflammation/discomfort you experience due to the blisters. Simply add an ice pack to the cold sore. This will provide a short-term result.
Keep in mind the blisters could still last for up to 10 days. So it’s good to deal with HSV’s virus to get faster relief.
OTC Anti-Viral Meds
This is another option you should consider. They include options like benzyl alcohol or others. One of the main benefits is you won’t require a prescription for these treatments. They can help to reduce the cold sore’s size and lifespan.
You can also use lysine in creams and oral supplements. Studies show that it might help to reduce how many outbreaks you have.
Aloe Vera
This treatment includes the plant’s gel, which is used for many skin and hair treatments. Few studies have been done about the effectiveness of aloe for cold sores. However, a recent study showed that it helped to fight the virus and reduce inflammation. These are results that can help to ditch the blisters faster.
Advil
This is a good option if you want to reduce the pain caused by the cold sore. Keep in mind it won’t fight the HSV virus.
Lemon Balm
This is HIGH IN Vitamin C so it can help to fight viruses like HSV-1. The treatment might help with the swelling/redness linked to the blisters. It can also help to prevent infections. The studies done about this treatment are old so make sure to talk to your doctor.
You should also make sure the balm is 1% lemon or more. Another option is tea, which is a lemon balm infusion. This can help to provide benefits like amino acids for cold sores.