Cold Sores (Holistic)
About This Condition
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Look into lysine
1,000 mg a day of this amino acid supplement may reduce recurrences by suppressing the virus that causes sores
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Eat fewer high-arginine foods
Deprive the virus of this essential nutrient by limiting your intake of nuts, peanuts, and chocolate
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Try on topicals
Apply products containing lemon balm, zinc sulfate, vitamin E, or witch hazel several times a day to reduce pain and speed healing
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Fight back with flavonoids and vitamin C
Speed healing time by taking 200 mg of each of these healthful supplements several times a day
About
About This Condition
Cold sores are painful fluid-filled blisters that form on the borders of the lips caused by a herpes virus, most often the herpes simplex 1 virus.
Cold sores should not be confused with canker sores, which are small ulcerations in the mouth. The blisters, which are contagious, later break, ooze, and crust over before healing. Recurrences are common and can be triggered by stress, sun exposure, illness, and menstruation. Genital herpes infection (usually caused by herpes simplex 2) is a related condition and potentially may be treated in much the same way as herpes simplex 1.
Symptoms
Cold sores may appear with colds, fevers, exposure to excessive sunlight, or menstrual periods, as well as during periods of stress or illness. The sores usually disappear within two weeks. Initially, there may be tingling or prickling at the site of the cold sores even before they are visible (called the prodrome); afterward, the blisters often weep a clear fluid and form a scab. If the infection is transmitted to the eyes, it may lead to blindness.
Eating Right
The right diet is the key to managing many diseases and to improving general quality of life. For this condition, scientific research has found benefit in the following healthy eating tips.
| Recommendation | Why |
|---|---|
| Eat more high-lysine, and fewer high-arginine, foods |
A diet that is high in lysine (found in nonfat yogurt and other nonfat dairy) and low in arginine (found in nuts, peanuts, and chocolate) may help prevent or treat cold sores.
The herpes simplex virus has a high requirement for the amino acid, arginine. On the other hand, the amino acid, lysine, inhibits viral replication. Therefore, a diet that is low in arginine and high in lysine may help prevent or treat herpes outbreaks. Several studies have shown that increasing lysine intake can reduce the recurrence rate of cold sores. Although people with herpes simplex reportedly consume about the same amount of arginine and lysine in their diet as do people without cold sores, it is conceivable that adjusting the intake of these amino acids may be beneficial. For that reason, many doctors advise people with cold sores to avoid foods with high arginine-to-lysine ratios, such as nuts, peanuts, and chocolate. Nonfat yogurt and other nonfat dairy can be a healthful way to increase lysine intake. |
Supplements
Our proprietary “Star-Rating” system was developed to help you easily understand the amount of scientific support behind each supplement in relation to a specific health condition. While there is no way to predict whether a vitamin, mineral, or herb will successfully treat or prevent associated health conditions, our unique ratings tell you how well these supplements are understood by some in the medical community, and whether studies have found them to be effective for other people.
For over a decade, our team has combed through thousands of research articles published in reputable journals. To help you make educated decisions, and to better understand controversial or confusing supplements, our medical experts have digested the science into these three easy-to-follow ratings. We hope this provides you with a helpful resource to make informed decisions towards your health and well-being.
3 Stars Reliable and relatively consistent scientific data showing a substantial health benefit.
2 Stars Contradictory, insufficient, or preliminary studies suggesting a health benefit or minimal health benefit.
1 Star For an herb, supported by traditional use but minimal or no scientific evidence. For a supplement, little scientific support.
| Supplement | Why |
|---|---|
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3 Stars
Lemon Balm
Apply a 1% 70:1 herbal extract four times per day
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Lemon balm, with its antiviral properties, appears to speed the healing of cold sores and reduce symptoms when applied topically as a cream.
Lemon balm has antiviral properties. A cream containing an extract of lemon balm has been shown in double-blind trials to speed the healing of cold sores. In one double-blind trial, topical application of a 1% 70:1 extract of lemon-balm leaf cream, four times daily for five days, led to significantly fewer symptoms and fewer blisters than experienced by those using a placebo cream. In most studies, the lemon-balm cream was applied two to four times per day for five to ten days. |
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3 Stars
Lysine
1 to 3 grams daily
|
Supplementing with lysine may reduce recurrences by suppressing the virus that causes sores.
The amino acidlysine has been reported to reduce the recurrence rate of herpes simplex infections in both preliminary and double-blind trials. The amount used in these studies was usually 1 to 3 grams per day, although some people received as little as 312 mg per day. In one double-blind trial, lysine supplementation (1,200 mg per day) failed to prevent recurrences better than placebo. However, the results of that study may have been skewed by a large number of dropouts in the placebo group who fared poorly but were not included in the analysis. When lysine has been used for acute outbreaks, the results have been mixed. In a preliminary study, 390 mg of lysine taken at the first sign of a herpes outbreak resulted in rapid resolution of the cold sores in all cases. However, in a double-blind study, supplementing with 1 gram of lysine per day for five days did not increase the healing rate of the cold sores. |
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2 Stars
Vitamin C and Flavonoids
200 mg with 200 mg flavonoids, three to five times daily
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Vitamin C plus flavonoids may help speed cold sore healing.
Vitamin C has been shown to inactivate herpes viruses in the test tube. In one study, people with herpes infections received either a placebo or 200 mg of vitamin C plus 200 mg of flavonoids, each taken three to five times per day. Compared with the placebo, vitamin C and flavonoids reduced the duration of symptoms by 57%. |
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2 Stars
Vitamin E
Apply cotton saturated with oil for 15 minutes every three hours on day one, then three times daily on days two and three
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Applying vitamin E oil directly to a cold sore appears to accelerate healing.
In a preliminary trial, a piece of cotton saturated with vitamin E oil was applied to newly erupted cold sores and held in place for 15 minutes. The first application was performed in the dentist’s office. Participants were instructed to repeat the procedure every three hours for the rest of that day, and then three times daily for two more days. In nearly all cases, pain disappeared in less than eight hours. Application of vitamin E oil appeared to accelerate healing of the cold sores. Similar results were reported in another study. |
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2 Stars
Witch Hazel
Apply a cream containing 2% extract six times daily for three to eight days
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Witch hazel has been shown in one study to reduce the size of cold sores and the spread of inflammation.
The proanthocyanidins in witch hazel have been shown to exert significant antiviral activity against herpes simplex 1 in the test tube. In a double-blind trial, people with acute cold sore outbreaks applied a topical cream containing 2% witch hazel bark extract or placebo six times a day for three to eight days. By the end of the eighth day, those using the witch-hazel cream had a pronounced and statistically significant reduction in the size and spread of the inflammation when compared to the placebo group. |
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2 Stars
Zinc
Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner
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Topically applied zinc appears to inhibit the replication of the herpes virus and help prevent future outbreaks. Use topical zinc only under a doctor’s supervision.
Zinc preparations have been shown to inhibit the replication of herpes simplex in the test tube. In one study, people with recurrent herpes simplex infections applied a zinc sulfate solution daily to the sores. After healing occurred, the frequency of applications was reduced to once a week for a month, then to twice a month. During an observation period of 16 to 23 months, none of these people experienced a recurrence of their cold sores. Zinc oxide, the only commercially available form of zinc for topical application, is probably ineffective as a treatment for herpes simplex. Other forms of topical zinc can be obtained by prescription, through a compounding pharmacist. However, because an excessive concentration of zinc may cause skin irritation, topical zinc should be used only with the supervision of a doctor knowledgeable in its use. |
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1 Star
Boric Acid
Refer to label instructions
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Boric acid has antiviral activity and has been shown to shorten the duration of cold sores.
Boric acid has antiviral activity. In a double-blind trial, topical application of an ointment containing boric acid (in the form of sodium borate) shortened the duration of cold sores by about one-third. However, concerns about potential toxicity have led some doctors to avoid the use of boric acid for this purpose. |
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1 Star
Chaparral
Refer to label instructions
|
In traditional herbal medicine, tinctures of various herbs including chaparral have been applied topically to herpes outbreaks in order to promote healing.
In traditional herbal medicine, tinctures of various herbs, including chaparral, St. John’s wort, goldenseal, myrrh, and echinacea, have been applied topically to herpes outbreaks in order to promote healing. |
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1 Star
Echinacea
Refer to label instructions
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In traditional herbal medicine, tinctures of various herbs including echinacea have been applied topically to herpes outbreaks in order to promote healing.
In traditional herbal medicine, tinctures of various herbs, including chaparral, St. John’s wort, goldenseal, myrrh, and echinacea, have been applied topically to herpes outbreaks in order to promote healing. |
|
1 Star
Goldenseal
Refer to label instructions
|
In traditional herbal medicine, tinctures of various herbs including goldenseal have been applied topically to herpes outbreaks in order to promote healing.
In traditional herbal medicine, tinctures of various herbs, including chaparral, St. John’s wort, goldenseal, myrrh, and echinacea, have been applied topically to herpes outbreaks in order to promote healing. |
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1 Star
Licorice Topical
Refer to label instructions
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Licorice in the form of a cream or gel may be applied directly to cold sores in order to speed healing and reduce pain.
Licorice in the form of a cream or gel may be applied directly to herpes sores three to four times per day. Licorice extracts containing glycyrrhizin or glycyrrhetinic acid should be used, as these are the constituents in licorice most likely to provide activity against the herpes simplex virus. There are no controlled trials demonstrating the effectiveness of this treatment, but a cream containing a synthetic version of glycyrrhetinic acid (carbenoxolone) was reported to speed healing time and reduce pain in people with herpes simplex. |
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1 Star
Molmol
Refer to label instructions
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In traditional herbal medicine, tinctures of various herbs including myrrh have been applied topically to herpes outbreaks in order to promote healing.
In traditional herbal medicine, tinctures of various herbs, including chaparral, St. John’s wort, goldenseal, myrrh, and echinacea, have been applied topically to herpes outbreaks in order to promote healing. |
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1 Star
St. John’s Wort
Refer to label instructions
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In traditional herbal medicine, tinctures of various herbs including St. John’s wort have been applied topically to herpes outbreaks in order to promote healing.
Caution: It is likely that there are many drug interactions with St. John's wort that have not yet been identified. St. John's wort stimulates a drug-metabolizing enzyme (cytochrome P450 3A4) that metabolizes at least 50% of the drugs on the market. Therefore, it could potentially cause a number of drug interactions that have not yet been reported. People taking any medication should consult with a doctor or pharmacist before taking St. John's wort. In traditional herbal medicine, tinctures of various herbs, including St. John’s wort, chaparral, goldenseal, myrrh, and echinacea, have been applied topically to herpes outbreaks in order to promote healing. |
Last Review: 06-01-2015
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The information presented by TraceGains is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. Self-treatment is not recommended for life-threatening conditions that require medical treatment under a doctor's care. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires December 2025.
