Lysine Versus Arginine

L-lysine (known as lysine) and arginine are amino acids found in foods containing protein, which rebuild your bodily tissues (internally and externally), such as your muscles and skin. Both play vital roles in maintaining optimal health and wellness. You'll have to contend with these two particular amino acids to put and keep herpes in remission.

 

Lysine is also vital for transporting long-chain fatty acids (fats) across cell membranes to generate energy and for removing toxins from cells. Unfortunately, your body can't produce lysine on its own. You can obtain it through your diet by consuming animal proteins (meats and seafood), beans, legumes, eggs, dairy products, soy, Brewer's yeast, as well as some vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and grains. 

 

Arginine feeds the Herpes Simplex Virus and can increase the frequency and severity of herpes outbreaks when higher amounts of arginine, rather than lysine, are consumed. Why? When arginine levels exceed lysine levels, herpes suppression weakens because arginine increases nitric oxide (NO), which can stress cells. Nitric oxide is helpful in moderation, but excess NO can stress nerve tissue and trigger inflammation. Herpes waits for cellular stress signals to "wake up". 

 

Does everyone react to high-arginine foods in the same way? No. People who tend to respond to higher levels of dietary arginine include those with chronic stress, elevated cortisol levels, mitochondrial stress, oxidative stress, inflammation, or immune suppression. All of these are HSV triggers, and consuming too much arginine on top of these conditions tips the scales, causing cellular changes and HSV reactivation. Even if you don't have any of these conditions, consuming too many high-arginine foods at once or day after day can trigger outbreaks. 

 

Taking lysine as a supplement reduces arginine availability by increasing arginase activity, an enzyme that breaks down arginine, thereby decreasing intracellular arginine concentration. As a result, lysine may reduce the frequency or severity of lesions. Never consume high-arginine foods during an outbreak. You'll be feeding the herpes virus for sure. 

 

A 2021 study found that "...taking lysine in conjunction with eating a low-arginine diet was effective in reducing the chances of getting infected by COVID-19 and a newly emergent strain of influenza A virus."

 

Here's the thing. Lysine and arginine are found in the same foods more often than not. Don't let this unnerve you. You need both to be healthy. The idea isn't to avoid arginine altogether, but to avoid eating foods that contain excessively high amounts of arginine, especially without counteracting it with another food or a supplement high in lysine.

 

 

Lysine Supplements

 

Since lysine is a popular supplement for helping prevent herpes outbreaks, it's relatively easy to find. You might take a lysine supplement if restricting arginine in your diet doesn't work for you or when you feel particularly stressed. But there are things you need to know. 

 

• Lysine doesn't need to build up in the system before it works.

 

• Lysine increases the amount of calcium your body absorbs and may also help improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It also helps alleviate osteoporosis and supports muscle maintenance in older adults.   

 

• If you decide to use a lysine supplement, 900-1250 mg daily may be sufficient for some people to notice an improvement in the absence of outbreaks. Some say to take 1000 mg of lysine up to three times each day (a therapeutic dose), but I don't suggest it, as it could cause kidney or liver damage when taken daily for longer than six months. Taking lysine at higher doses extensively may also lead to high cholesterol or gallstones. Another suggestion is to take a specific amount of lysine per pound of body weight rather than a one-size-fits-all dosage. Take your weight in pounds and divide by 2.2 (that will give you your weight in kilograms). Then multiply that number by 38 to get your recommended adult daily lysine intake in milligrams. For example, divide 140 pounds by 2.2 to get your weight in kilograms (63.6 kg). Multiply 63.6 x 38 mg to get 2416.8 mg of lysine daily.

 

• Taking lysine first thing in the morning on an empty stomach is best for increasing absorption, but if it upsets your digestion, you can also take it with meals or shortly after. Studies show that taking it at night increases Human Growth Hormone (HGH) production, which declines as we age. If lysine causes digestive upset, try taking it with a light snack or meal, or consider trying another brand. 

 

• Lysine supplements tend to be large and difficult to swallow. If you have trouble swallowing large pills, consider crushing the tablet into a powder and mixing it into a smoothie or yogurt for easier consumption.

 

• So, should you refrain from using lysine? I couldn't find any information on how long to wait before resuming lysine use, so avoiding high-arginine foods in your diet and using lysine only during outbreaks (orally and topically) might be a better approach. I have read that lower doses of lysine aren't harmful when taken for 6 months to a year, then refraining. Lysine leaves your system rather quickly when you stop taking it. 

 

• Lysine may increase the toxicity of certain antibiotics. 

 

 

Other Health Benefits of L-Lysine

 

• To produce sufficient and appropriate hormones, antibodies, and immunity.
• Speeds wound healing
• It gives structure to skin and bones by helping to create collagen and elastin.
• It helps to produce enzymes.
• When combined with catechin (a flavonoid), it helps reduce Cancer cell growth in mice.
• When used for Diabetes, it lowers blood sugar and may prevent cataracts
• It can repress relapses of MS
• Prevents hair loss
• Reduces anxiety and, after three months of use in women, it lowers cortisol levels
• It reduces the chance of stress-induced loose stool.
• It reduces the inflammatory response. 
• Combined with medication, lysine may help those with Schizophrenia.

 

 

Lysine & Arginine FYI

 

No studies have proven that lysine is effective for treating Shingles (Herpes Zoster Virus) or any other herpes virus. There are mixed results regarding the reduction of recurrences or the severity of outbreaks. It only works for some. However, before you roll your eyes, you may still want to try lysine to see if it works for you. Everyone is different, and herpes affects each person differently. Many people say it's a lifesaver. 

 

So that you know, certain supplements containing arginine (such as those for erectile dysfunction) and oral growth hormone-releasing compounds (secretagogues) could trigger outbreaks when there is not enough lysine in your diet to counteract the arginine.

 

Amino acids are acids. As mentioned earlier, they're derived from proteins. Consuming too much protein (more than 10% of your daily intake) can lead to diet-induced metabolic acidosis. 

 

Below, you'll find my Comprehensive L-Lysine Versus Arginine Food Ratio Guide.