Do not take lysine without first talking to your doctor if you have kidney or liver disease.
Talk to your doctor before taking lysine if you have any other medical conditions, allergies, or if you take other medicines or herbal/health supplements. Lysine may not be recommended in some situations.
Do not take lysine without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant. It is not known whether lysine will be harmful to an unborn baby.
Do not take lysine without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. It is not known whether lysine will be harmful to a nursing infant.
There is no information available regarding the use of lysine by children. Do not give any herbal/health supplement to a child without first talking to the child’s doctor.
The use of lysine in cultural and traditional settings may differ from concepts accepted by current Western medicine. When considering the use of herbal supplements, consultation with a primary health care professional is advisable. Additionally, consultation with a practitioner trained in the uses of herbal/health supplements may be beneficial, and coordination of treatment among all health care providers involved may be advantageous.
If you choose to take lysine, take it as directed on the package or as directed by your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
Doses to prevent cold sores or genital herpes lesions are usually in the range of 500 to 1000 mg per day. Treatment doses for these conditions are usually around 4000 mg per day.
Standardized extracts, tinctures, and solid formulations of herbal/health supplements may provide a more reliable dose of this product.
Lysine is available in tablet and capsule formulations. Other formulations may also be available.
Store lysine as directed on the package. In general, lysine should be protected from light and moisture.
No information is available regarding a missed dose of lysine. Consult your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider if you require further information.
Side effects have not been reported with the use of lysine. Talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider if you develop any side effects.
Lysine has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity. All potential risks and/or advantages of lysine may not be known. Additionally, there are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for these compounds. There have been instances where herbal/health supplements have been sold which were contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination.
There are no known restrictions on food, beverages, or activity while taking lysine, unless otherwise directed by your health care provider.
Do not take lysine without first talking to your doctor if you are taking any of the following antibiotics:
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gentamicin (Garamycin);
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tobramycin (Nebcin, TOBI);
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amikacin (Amikin);
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kanamycin (Kantrex);
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netilmicin (Netromycin);
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neomycin (Neo-Tabs, Mycifradin, Neo-fradin);
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paromomycin (Humatin); or
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streptomycin.
Large doses of lysine may increase the toxicity of the medicines listed above. You may not be able to take lysine, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you are taking any of the medicines listed above.
Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with lysine. Talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including vitamins, minerals, and herbal products.
An overdose of lysine is unlikely to threaten life. Call an emergency room or poison control center for advice if an overdose of lysine has been ingested.
Symptoms of a lysine overdose are not known.