Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a relatively common infection with no known cure. The following literature review explores two substances, L-lysine and monolaurin, as well as related research surrounding HSV and laboratory studies.
Lysine and monolaurin may play a role in supporting, modulating, or maintaining immune function during infection. Lysine is a natural amino acid that the human body cannot produce on its own. L-lysine must be obtained from food sources or through medically approved supplements containing the amino acid.
Monolaurin is formed in the body when foods containing lauric acid, such as coconut oil, are consumed. It's unclear exactly how much the body converts, so supplementation is needed to get a more precise or therapeutic amount.
L-Lysine: Promising Research Targeting HSV
In a human study, a control group took L-lysine monohydrochloride daily to study the effect of lysine on herpes simplex virus (HSV) relapse rates. Research reports indicate that L-lysine can effectively slow down the occurrence of HSV infection, reduce symptoms, and significantly shorten the healing time.
" Lysine appears to suppress the clinical manifestations of herpes virus infection . 45 patients with frequently recurrent herpes infections were given 312-1,200 mg of lysine daily in single or multiple doses. Clinical results show that lysine supplementation is beneficial in accelerating herpes simplex infection It has beneficial effects on recovery and inhibiting relapse. Tissue culture studies have shown that viral replication is enhanced when the amino acid ratio of arginine to lysine favors arginine."
and:
"A double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial of oral L-lysine monohydrochloride for the prevention and treatment of recurrent herpes simplex (HSV) infection was conducted. The treatment group was given L-lysine monohydrochloride tablets (1000 mg L-lysine per dose), 3 times daily, for 6 months. A total of 27 (6 men and 21 women) subjects taking L-lysine and 25 (6 (19 men and 19 women) who took placebo completed the trial. The L-lysine treatment group had an average reduction in HSV infections of 2.4 (p less than 0.05), a significant reduction in symptom severity (p less than 0.05), and improved healing time was also significantly shorter (p less than 0.05). L-lysine appears to be an effective drug in reducing the occurrence, severity, and time to cure of recurrent HSV infections ."
In another study, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study of 41 patients found that oral L-lysine monohydrochloride showed evidence of reduced herpes simplex recurrence rates in non-immune patients. Attack from compromised host. L-lysine may be able to reduce the severity of symptoms associated with HSV recurrence.
“In a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study of 41 patients, we found that oral administration of 1,248 mg of L-lysine monohydrochloride daily reduced the risk of non-immunocompromised Host recurrence rates of herpes simplex episodes . L-lysine may also be able to reduce the severity of symptoms associated with recurrences."
A third study showed that L-lysine has an inhibitory effect on the proliferation of herpes simplex virus in cell cultures. The study included a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study of 65 patients. In this study, significantly more patients were relapse-free during lysine treatment compared with placebo treatment, suggesting that some patients may benefit from prophylactic lysine administration.
"L-lysine has an inhibitory effect on the proliferation of herpes simplex virus in cell culture. We evaluated the effect of 1,000 mg daily L-lysine monohydrochloride in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Prevention of recurrent herpes simplex in 65 patients. After 12 weeks of lysine treatment, patients were switched to placebo treatment in a similar period of time. Significantly more patients were relapse-free while taking lysine than during placebo treatment ( p = 0.05), suggesting that some patients may benefit from prophylactic administration of lysine."
Better combination: L-Lysine + Monolaurin
L-lysine and monolaurin have been shown individually to be effective against herpes simplex virus (types 1 and 2) in laboratory studies, and may produce positive results when used in combination.
L-lysine reduces symptoms and shortens duration
L-lysine may help reduce the occurrence of HSV outbreaks. As noted in the study above, some laboratory studies show that L-lysine can help reduce the severity and duration of herpes simplex virus outbreaks.
Glyceryl monolaurin for immune support and regulation
Laboratory studies show that monolaurate helps inactivate the HSV virus, see previous article for details. Reduced viral load helps prevent the virus from multiplying and may reduce the risk of transmission. Additionally, monolaurin has also been shown to solubilize HSV viruses in selected laboratory studies, suggesting that monolaurin may be able to kill HSV in vitro.
When L-Lysine and Glyceryl Monolaurin are used together, the results can be beneficial. While research shows that L-lysine can reduce the onset and duration of HSV symptoms and outbreaks, monolaurin may help modulate immune responses and potentially support overall health.
