How toxic is L-Lysine taken daily?

[sweetpoison]

I have Herpes, my breakout is only one area at the top of buttocks.  I have been taking Zovira 400mg daily (1 per day as suppresive measure) for at least 10 years.  I have had very few breakouts with it and none in the last couple of years.  I am looking to stop taking this since I have read much info about its long term possible side effects...... that it could effect liver levels, kidney, and possible hair loss (which I have).  I have heard a great deal about the use of L-Lysine in the natural treatment to suppress herpes and was wondering if this taken daily could build up and cause any serious side effects or does the body just flush what it does not need?  I have been searching on the internet and all I can find is that is has been shown to be helpful but nothing about the possible side effects.  Please help, I am attempting to get off all meds that are not necessary, I am almost 53 yrs. old and figure the body does not need prescription drugs that could cause other harm to organs.
Please advise me!!!

Vicki

[ginxie]

I've been on L-Lysine for the genital herpes virus for about 10 years now because back in the day there were no reliable prescription drugs available.  My internet research led me to sites that recommend between 500 - 1000 mg daily as a preventative and between 1000 - 8000 mg daily during an outbreak. (I do not remember why the article stated 8000 mg as the upper limit.)

As a rule I take one 500 mg tablet and most days that is enough to prevent an outbreak.  If I have an overly stressful day, either mental or physical, I take a second 500 mg tablet in the evening and those dosages prevent outbreaks 95% of the time.  When I do break out, it is always preceeded by pain in the crease between my thigh and pubic bone which my doctor says is most likely caused by the lymph glands in that area responding to the infection.  (I have noticed that this pain often feels more like a muscle strain or a pinched nerve and can last 2 or 3 days before an outbreak.)  As soon as I feel this pain, I up my dose to 1000 mg in the morning, 1000 mg in the afternoon and another 1000 mg in the evening.  A recent otubreak was caused by my missing my daily 500 mg dose for only one day and was especially virulent, causing 3 separate pre-blister sties.  I upped my 3000 mg outbreak dose to 4000 mg for two days, then dropped it back down to 2000 mg (for two days) as soon as the itching & pain tapered off , then back to my normal 500 mg. By day 5 the pre-blister sores were almost gone and never got to the full breakout stage.  Doses around 4000 mg tend to give me a slight upset stomach but I have no stomach upset with lower doses.

I haven't had any negative side effects from taking L-Lysine and I definitely have had less colds and flus over the last 10 years, even when I interact with infections people.

Here's an excellent article on L-Lysine and herpes:
http://www.advance-health.com/lysineherpes.html

Hope this helps and remember to check in often with your doctor to monitor any negative side effects.

gk

[WarrenFoster]

Hey Vicki,

My ordeal with Herpes type 1 began about 6 years ago. I have no idea how I got it, but I suspect it has something to do with a tanning bed burn at the top of my buttocks. The first outbreak was about 2 weeks after the burn healed, and I have suffered with it since. It is concentrated around at the base of my spine and travels slightly down each buttock, creating a triangular shaped area and has not spread beyond that (Keeping my fingers crossed). The first doctor I saw about it diagnosed it as a pilonidal cyst and wanted t\me to have surgery to have it removed! Thank God I had a follow up with a dermatologist. She prescribed Valtrex,  which is very expensive and did not help me at all. A physician I recently saw prescribed Famciclovir, which is much less expensive and works much better. Knowing that I would have to take this for the rest of my life, I was worried that it would be dangerous with long term used and searched for something other than medication. On the Web, I discovered L-Lysine. I have been taking it for about 2 months and have not had an outbreak. I do not know if it is dangerous or not, but I take 1000 mg 1 time a day. I have not had any noticeable side effects, but like you I am concerened. Please continue this discussion and keep updates coming. Everyone reading this is in it together forever and need to stay informed and supportive of each other.

All the best,

Warren

[prioris]

Try borax for RA. Google it on internet. It worked for me and many other people. No need for medications.

[annaban]

No Sunshine. I do not think that is possible. The fact that you are already HSV-1 infected means that your body understands the virus perfectly now. This means that if any other part of your body is exposed to the virus, the antibodies are more than ready to counter them so it is really not a possibility that you have given yourself herpes down there. Your natural antibodies know how to take care of a situation like that. It must be something else. Perhaps nothing more than a boil.

[fadal2]

I am 62 years old and have suffered with herpes simplex since early, early childhood...
I have also recently been diagnosed with rhuematoid arthritis along with fibromyalgia......My rhuematologist has prescribed methotrexate for the RA which is notorius for destroying ones immune system (the methotrexate im referring to)...So......I am killing two birds with one stone by taking a high daily dose of the amino acid lysine in tablet or capsule form.....1,000 to 2,000 mgs. per day, preferably 1,000mgs in the morning and 1,000mgs in the evening.....
I never, I mean NEVER have a fever blister or cold sore. Never have the flu. I might have one cold a year, not a really bad one and NEVER have viruses....
Plus.....Its keeping my immune system strong while Im taking the methotrexate!

[heretotryandhelp]

try a regimen including Olive Leaf Extract.  I take:

1800mg Olive Leaf Extract , 900 morning, 900 evening
1500mg L-Lysine daily, 1000 morning, 500 evening
3000mg Vit C daily
1000 iu Vit E Daily
Multivitamin
50mg Zinc Daily

If an outbreak DOES sneak through (normally tired or stress related), I double the L-Lysine for 3 days.

ALSO, I use organic coconut oil with tea tree oil in it.  I make my own.  cup of coconut oil, 8 ounce of tea tree oil, melt together, mix, cool.  apply daily as a moisturizer and it's a powerful topical anti-viral.  

I get maybe one or 2 mild outbreaks a year.  After working on this regimen for years this seems to work the best.

the lysine with the OLE has proven to be very effective in my case.   No toxicity problems so far. been doing this for about 3 years

[KeepCalmCowgirlOn]

Doctors are put in place to tell you so you can spend tons of money on medications that don't even work they just suppress your symptoms and then you have another take the lysine about 2000 mg a day it helps tons!! I was just diagnosed about 3 weeks ago i stopped taking my meds and went natural and it's helped alot quicker than the meds. Also take a probiotic and zince take the highest potency or it will take longer to have an affect. Hope this helps

[mary0999]

Please research the anti-viral effects of extra virgin coconut oil.  It is known to actually kill the herpes virsus, not just keep it in check.  Take internally and also topically.  Google it!   And good luck all.  Oh, it is also anti-bacterial and antifungal, to some extent.

[homeo45b]

Hello,
            i dont know if you still read ,however i am not a member i just saw
your posting today , i am a homeopath maybe i can help you e.mail me

[Olwilliam]

I have had Herpes 2 since 1971, first case at stanford dermatology, classes came to see "the next great STD", very uch, experience. I have given 3 people this awful desease. My ex after 13 years of marriage and two children were safely delivered. we were angry and I was careless, shortly divorced for other reasons. She has had no problems for over a year. With two lovers in 15 years-I was careless with one and after repeated warnings the other a PHD was out of control-still my fault. Just got married after 3 years of no relationships and 2 years with new wife. We are very careful-few outbreaks-3000 L lysine every day-Famvir- 3 day treatment-it works-wife douches after sex. outbreaks only during stress--ex.Wedding. well I'm 72 and going strong, good luck, hang in there. Bill

[nodrugsforme]

try olive leaf extract from Barlean's.  you can give it to your toddler ages 2 and up.  read about it.  good stuff.  recommended to me by my pediatrician.

[MJ999]

I was 55 years old and dating a man who said he thought I was the one. I had a primary episode, which means the first major herpes outbreak, after having sex with him. He made it sound like I gave it to him. That was 13 years ago. I hated him for years for giving me this curse.  He also gave me HPV which has caused problems with PAP smears. I recently had a hysterectomy.  I'm hoping that took care of that problem. I can't give you advice because it's happened to you already. But I know how you feel.

[XYZ_123]

Jeff147 - have you ever had to worry about gallstones with your increased lysine intake?

[vicchic44]

If you have been sick with a virus or over stressed your immune system gets weak and the Herpes virus shows up. When I am, in one or both illness or over stressed I start taking 1000mg of l-lysine morning and night for at least 2 weeks and then once a day for a week or so if no symptoms are present. I have had herpes 2 cold sores on my upper lip since I was 7yrs old--I am 65.  I have not had a break put for over 10 years. Also, long exposures to sun or tanning bed can trigger facial herpes. Yes find a naturopathic clinician which have more of a preventive approach rather than just treating the outbreaks.
Peace

[CAcancergirl]

Thank you Jeff.  I suffered a painful eyebrow rash for almost a year and was treated badly by a few doctors.  I've been doing my own research trying desperately to get answers.  Now I know it was/is shingles.  Unfortunately now I have post herpetic neuralgia.  I'm just now finding out about the lysine connection.  Thanks for the info.  I also had breast cancer surgery yesterday.  I'm trying to get everything sorted out this year and move on!  No more nuts, chocolate or arginine rich foods for me.

[yurt]

Yes marlo. Let your pubic hair be. Shaving and waxing (oh god!) are too harsh for skin areas that have herpes sores returning to their same former locations.

[DRD55]

What a great community. I just spent the last few hours reading all 250 posts. I've had HSV-2 nearly my whole life. I am now 58 years old and contracted it in my late teens. I had outbreaks sporadically for years. Someone here mentioned purchasing the book "Never An Outbreak," by William Fahrel. I purchased the book years ago and found it to be somewhat helpful, but only because I somewhat followed the instructions. I noticed, though, that even with the minimal effort, my herpes sores migrated from my vagina to my upper buttocks. Rarely do I get a vaginal outbreak, but for the last year, I seemed to have a perpetual sore on my butt. No sooner would one sore heal and I'd start feeling the beginning bumps of a new sore. I knew my heaviest triggers were chocolate, nuts, and stress, and even though I cut out eating chocolate and nuts months before, I was still having outbreaks.
Last month, I contracted a very bad yeast and UTI infection. Because sugar is a catalyst for yeast, I cut out all sugar consumption. Lo and behold, the herpes sores cleared up in three days. When my yeast infection cleared up, I started eating sweets again. The very next day, my sores came back. Having wanting to cut sweets out for some time, I finally had the perfect reason to do so.
I started taking vitamins again, including 500 mg of L-lysine per day. I cut out all sweets and drastically reduced my wheat consumption. I also picked up Mr. Fahrel's book again and started putting DMSO on my scabbed sores. The speed at which the sores healed was no less than miraculous.
It has been about a week now with minimal sugar consumption. I am trying to eat more fresh fruits and veggies and am also eating more low-fat yogurt. I am thinking of keeping a diary of my L-lysine-to-L-Arginine consumption as I would really like to again have some chocolate or a handful of nuts once in awhile.

[1Katty1]

Hi, I do feel bad for you. I have herpes simplex too and warts. I found I got the warts burnt off and they have never come back. With the herpes, if I stress too much I get them. So all I can say is try not to stress Hun. The stastistics show that 80% of Australians have herpes simplex this it's quite common. As you said you used protection what more can you do.
Eventually the whole world will get this virus, it's enevadbul!
He is immature for not meeting up with you to discuss it but I guess he feels guilty and might think you'll tell people. ( not that you would because then you would be saying you have it too)
Remember try not to get worked up/ stressed out. It only makes thing worse.
I have a partner that I've had for 4 years now and I got it just before we got together but I didn't know either, he has never caught it! It is hard starting a relationship knowing how to tell them. I'm not sure if you don't have the symptoms while having intercourse can they get it?
Good luck :)

[herpes4life]

Doctors a not schooled in nutrition to the level of good and bad supplements. They only get a few hours of basic nutrition throughout all their years of schooling. Unless you find a doctor that uses supplements and holistic health care, you will not find the answers you need. I have many friends in the medical field I had taught about supplements.

I too have this issue at hand. I have contracted the virus from being raped. As if the rape wasn't bad enough I now live as a single woman battling this disease. After 13 years of this it still comes. Even after several years of taking antiviral drugs, red marine algae, Lysine, the list goes on. I do know my trigger is stress.  But recently it's been frequent.
Someone posted a question about what looks like ring worms on other parts of the body. I have that also. I showed this to a doctor and she brushed it of stating it was from dry skin. Today during my research I found an article by a person promoting her book, it was from the toxic level of the drug in her system. (Why would someone try to profit from information to help other is a shame). We are all in this together. Right?
Another person asked about using rubbing alcohol and tea tree oil I didn't find this helpful.

[RinkRay]

Hi.
I know you posted this last year- and maybe you know by now that there are foods that will trigger the herpes virus: peanuts, popcorn, grape juice, (and lots more), also excessive drinking (partying=not enough sleep=lower immune system). Trying Googling: What foods trigger herpes? and you will find lists of foods to avoid.
It has to do with the amount of L-Arginine in a food. I use protein powder after my work out but make sure I buy the one with the most L-Lysine and least L-Arginine. Always try to offset high arginine foods with lysine food or supplement so that the balance is towards lysine.

[kittysmom51]

While acyclovir is rather inexpensive, the zovirax is  VERY expensive.   That's the ointment that works.  IT has acyclovir in it.  After discussing with my GYN (I'm 62 and have had HSV & HPV for 30+ yrs), I asked her, what if I crush  my acyclovir tabs to a powder and add  it to plain shea butter.  She said- hmmm...try it(she's into alternative too). So instead of spending $70 per tube after insurance cost I made this and IT WORKS!!
I also started in L- lysine daily, started at 1000mg , decided to UP it too, just preventative.  I usually only get outbreaks under stress but also under heat, like SUMMER time.  My body cannot handle heat so it's a HEAT stress..hence the outbreak.  I've learned now what triggers the outbreaks, caffeine, stress, heat, did I say stress?  Stress is a biggie.
good luck everyone!  GYN said 70% of the population as a WHOLE has HSV!  ugh...

[MeToo1118]

Omg sounds like my story. Are you from N.O.?

[goodtogo1176]

I have had cold sores since I was about 21 or so I am now 42 and it wasnt until recently March this year ) I started to look at other ways to treat them other than the prescription creams. My Son has them on his lips too and most certainly because of me. Currently he is 5 and started to get them when he was 2.5 and it is far worse and more frequent than myself. I use to get them 4 to 5 times a year for 20 years or so but for him it was constantly for the first year and a half. I began to read alot about Lysine and its effect on snuffing the replecation process of the virus and stumbled across a company called Quantum Health and ordered a bottle of their Super Lysine Plus that contains more than just Lysine and lists Vit C, Echinacea, Licorice, Propolis, and Garlic as its ingredients. I have wore facial hair in the form of an outdated goatee so that I didnt have to shave which always seems to launch an outbreak but back to the Lysine. I started using the Super Lysine in March and made it thru the whole Spring, Summer, and now Fall without an outbreak. I feel it tingling on my hot spots alot but IT DOES NOT FORM ANYMORE!!! I use to get it on the end of my nose, under my left nostril, and 2 spots on my upper lips and while although my lip spots are darker than the non launch pad spots the usual tingling, bubbling, and hamburger size blisters havent formed yet. I went so far as to start shaving again for ahwhile but pulled back on it because I didnt want to push my luck. Now here 2 more things about this type I take for I take no other meds ot vits. I havent been sick, allergy season has come and gone without an infection, and I also have had warts down below and on my hands that are gone too. For 20 years I would get the warts removed twicw a year and noticed that the ones down below are completly gone...NO BS!!! I take the recomended dosage of three pills a day at 1500MG total and I do have a couple of pains that I havent had prior to usage. My left elbow and foreamr muscle feels as if it had been torn and wont heal for 4 months or so and the arch of my right foot feels the samr as if something was torn. I dont know if it is the Lysine or not and as of now will not stop using it because of the 2 pains. I cant seem to find a reliable source on what kind of dosage is safe for a toddler and wont ever give him any until I find out. Our derm just seems as if he could care less about what I have learned and wont bother trying to see what type of dose a toddler can take of Lysine. Either way if you stumble across this post you have nothing to lose GO GET SOME SUPER LYSINE PLUS FROM QUANTUM HEATH!!! Sorry for the caps but this stuff is for real!

[healthnut411]

Some HPV is aggressive and they told me the aggressive ones are usually lethal. Betamannan from Dr Joe Glickman, Jr. M. D.(go to alotek *******) completely cured a friend of mine who was suddenly faced with a horrendous pap after her second child. She was told to go into hospital immediately for surgery, but chose to research instead, and found this item and told me aobut it. The entire situation was healed in 6 months - clean pap. Eleven years later, still clean.  I have tried it, too, for an aggressive HPV and have had clear paps for four years since taking it regularly.