Search the mainstream medical journals, even search the Internet, and you won’t find this undeniably simple answer. Everywhere you look, conventional medicine is singing the same tune: the Mayo Clinic, the Berkeley Wellness Letter, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health all say that even though there is no cure for herpes, the best way to prevent or treat the symptoms is with antiviral medications like acyclovir (sold under the trade name Zovirax), famciclovir (Famvir), or valacyclovir (Valtrex). They recommend one of two basic approaches: episodic therapy (that is, taking the medicine whenever you experience an outbreak) or suppressive therapy (taking the medicine daily to minimize the chances of recurrent or future outbreaks). Suppressive therapy for herpes means huge profits for drug companies, particularly since these medicines are expensive—there is no generic version for Acyclovir as yet, and a one-month supply of Valtrex costs around $200.
There is also the small problem that these drugs do not work very well—and antiviral drugs tend to lead to drug-resistant superbugs. But conventional medicine ignores the obvious natural prescription: get a vitamin D test! Vitamin D is a powerful natural antiviral, which is why we bang the drum about vitamin D therapy for colds and especially flu every chance we get. Research from the University of Copenhagen shows that vitamin D activates the immune system by arming T-cells to fight off infections. Without vitamin D, the immune system’s T-cells remain dormant, offering little or no protection against invading microorganisms and viruses. But with vitamin D in the bloodstream, T-cells begin seeking out invaders, which are then destroyed and carried out of the body. You may recall the Japanese study we told you about in June which found that vitamin D was more effective than a vaccine in preventing flu, including pandemic flu. The report, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that school children taking vitamin D were 58 percent less likely to catch influenza A.
By contrast, antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) reduced rates of infection by only 8 percent. Even vaccines had success rates significantly lower than the 58 percent achieved by vitamin D. Our vitamin D–mediated immune response has been with us through more than 60 million years of pre-human and human evolutionary selection, as research from Ohio State demonstrates. Vitamin D is critical to our survival. The problem is that a whopping 59 percent of the population is deficient in vitamin D, according to research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Moreover, nearly 25 percent of the study subjects were found to have critically low levels of vitamin D. According to John Cannell, MD, founder of the non-profit Vitamin D Council, “Current research has implicated vitamin D deficiency as a major factor in the pathology of at least seventeen varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, periodontal disease, and more.”
All of this is in addition to viral and bacterial infections. Type 1 herpes (cold sores) is thought to afflict a majority of the US population, genital herpes perhaps a quarter. For anyone plagued by herpes, and for everyone as we head into flu season, it’s essential that you are getting enough vitamin D. So please get your vitamin D level checked! If it is less than optimal—levels should be between 50–80 ng/ml, year-round—take a vitamin D supplement (be sure it’s D3—cholecalciferol), get your blood retested to verify that you’re taking the proper dosage, and get sufficient exposure to the sun. (Such exposure may not produce vitamin D in the winter, depending on where you live, or if you sunbathe too early or too late in the day.) Besides vitamin D, there are a number of other natural ways to increase the odds of avoiding herpes outbreaks: Among natural treatments for active herpes lesions are vitamin C powder and propolis, a natural product found in beehives.
The two can be combined. This is somewhat more realistic than the often-mentioned peppermint oil and tea tree oil, because their pungent odor announces their presence—not something you want during a herpes eruption. Lemon balm oil also has some research behind it.Herpes, whether oral or genital HSV-1 or HSV-2, is a viral infection with no current known cure. Once you’re infected, the virus will remain in your body forever. However, herpes outbreaks can happen less frequently and with less seriousness over time. Once infected with herpes, one will always be infectious and may spread the virus to others. Nonetheless, consuming certain vitamins for herpes can reduce the severity and frequency of herpes outbreaks. This can help you to live more comfortably. suggests that a diet that’s rich in antioxidants is one of the best sources of vitamins for herpes (bonus: it’s also good for overall skin health.) Below we’ll cover the vitamins that are known to or can potentially help with herpes, and details on getting enough of them.
Certain vitamins have been proven to help treat herpes and reduce healing times. Antioxidant vitamins include vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E, and are absorbed by eating large amounts of fresh vegetables and fruits. Antioxidants not only cure free radical damage brought about by environmental toxins and aging, they also help repair and protect the skin from infections such as herpes. Other vitamins that may help with herpes are Vitamin D and Vitamin B12. A potentially landmark study was done by the University of Washington in 2000. It involved women who had both the HIV virus and genital herpes. The study surprisingly concluded that women who took birth control pills or injectable shots and still got pregnant were at a greater risk of contracting genital herpes. Women who weren’t pregnant and didn’t use birth control pills or shots were at a great risk of developing genital herpes if they had an acute deficiency of vitamin A in their bloodstream. While this study didn’t directly link a deficiency of vitamin A with the risk of genital herpes infection, it does suggest that vitamin A helps in promoting immune system health.
The recommended daily intake of vitamin A in people over 14 years of age is 900mcg for men and 700 mcg for women. If one prefers to use vitamin A supplements rather than through the diet, the recommended daily intake for men is 6000 IU, and for women it’s 4000 IU. (Now Foods Vitamin A, 25000 IU from Fish liver oil, 250 Soft-gels) Sources of Vitamin A: Excellent sources of vitamin A include foods such as beef liver, spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots and pumpkin. Cooked carrots are perhaps the best way to get this vitamin. Vitamin C is found naturally in a lot of vegetables and fruits and also sold over the counter as a dietary supplement like this one. According to a study published in December 2005 in ‘Alternative Medicine Reviews’ by Alan R. Gaby, a holistic medicine specialist, since the 1930s doctors have known that high vitamin C intakes can fight herpes by deactivating the herpes simplex virus. In the study, Dr Gaby recommends the intake of 10,000 mg of supplements daily to manage an active herpes outbreak and 500-3,000 mg daily to prevent future herpes outbreaks.
(Vitamin C-1000 Sustained Release with Rose Hips, 250 Tablets.) Sources of Vitamin C: For people who want to focus on foods with vitamin C, sources include juices and citrus fruits, bell peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, leafy greens, broccoli, white and sweet potatoes, papaya, cantaloupe, watermelon, mango, winter squash, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries and pineapples. Vitamin E is found naturally in grain, vegetables and fruits. Like Vitamin C, it’s sold as a dietary supplement over the counter. Unlike vitamin C, the use of this vitamin for herpes has been centered on topical applications. People who topically apply vitamin E generally experience a reduction in herpes-related discomfort in as little as fifteen minutes, but it may sometimes take up to 8 hours. People also experience faster healing, especially when the vitamin is applied repeatedly, up to 4 times daily. (Here’s a Topical Vitamin-E Cream.) Sources of Vitamin E: For those who prefer to eat foods with vitamin E, sources include green vegetables like spinach and broccoli, and vegetable oils derived from sunflower, safflower or wheat germ.
Other food sources include flax seed oil, wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds, almonds and hot peppers. Vitamin D is a natural antiviral substance that is critical for human survival, as well as potent in fighting off herpes outbreaks. A Japanese study showed that Vitamin D is more effective — far more effective — at preventing the flu than a vaccine! The way Vitamin D works is by stimulating your immune system and rallying T cells to start fighting off infections. Unfortunately, more than half of the population is lacking in this vital nutrient. Sources of Vitamin D: To make sure you’re getting enough Vitamin D, get enough sun. If you’re getting sun in adequate conditions, it usually only takes 10-15 minutes of sun exposure per day. Alternatively, you can take a Vitamin D3 supplement. Vitamin B12 is an important supplement of which many modern people are deficient. It’s helpful to make sure you are getting adequate B12 and all group B vitamins if you want to manage your herpes outbreaks, because these vitamins reduce stress that leads to outbreaks.