The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
L-Lysine
Posted by Barbara (Ny) on 08/16/2016
★★★★☆
I'm drinking 1/4 c of apple cider vinegar in 8 oz of water 3x a day and taking 1000 mg of l-lysine twice a day and my shingles (I've had it before and treated it with traditional pills) is not progressing.... I will keep you updated.It's on the side of my nose above my lip where I had an outbreak before.
L-Lysine
Posted by Michelle (United States) on 07/04/2015
★★★★★
My father had the worst outbreak of shingles ever seen by the local hospital.[he is diabetic, so immune compromised] I started him on 1000 mg of lysine, daily. He experienced rapid healing, and with one daily has experienced no further outbreaks. This also works for oral herpes, if taken at first sign of tingling- 2 1000 mg to start, then 1 cap 2x daily for one week.
L-Lysine
Posted by Little Wing (Boston, Ma) on 11/08/2012
★★★★★
My mom had shingles and the best thing that worked for her was taking lots of Lysine and applying Salve a few times a day. I know some have been helped with ACV wraps, putting it right on the shingles, but I know that can burn.
L-Lysine
Posted by Michele (Earlville, NY) on 07/19/2009
★★★★★
L-lysine 500mg/4xday, ACV, red tiger balm, and cayenne pepper works for me. L-lysine is very effective (it literally starves the virus). I found I had stopped too early and the rash (shingles) returned. One started again it receded within a day. For the itching and burning of the patches on my neck I washed with a mild soap, patted on ACV then covered with red tiger balm, then patted on powdered cayenne pepper on top of the tiger balm (not pretty).CAUTION: DO NOT USE THIS ON BROKEN SKIN, NEAR EYES OR MUCOUS MEMBRANES. WASH HANDS CAREFULLY AFTER USE.- IT WILL BURN (I had no open blisters, just a bumpy itchy rash). Not knowing how to calm the itching & burning patches on my neck, I read in the earth clinic mosquito bite section that tiger balm soothes the itch. So I gave it a try AND patted on powdered cayenne pepper on top and left it on for an hour. Capsaicin works by stimulating and then exhausting Substance P, the nerve-related transmitter that sends pain messages to your brain, in the skin. After an hour I wiped both the tiger balm and the cayenne off with a washcloth. The area was red but no longer itched or burned. By next morning all the redness was gone and the itch had not returned. I will continue this for a few days but will continue the lysine longer, to be sure.
L-Lysine
Posted by Beatrice (Dartmouth, Massachusetts, USA) on 07/15/2008
★★★★★
When I started getting symtems of Shingles, which I had last year, I immediatly came to this site. Luckily I found someone who used L Lysine and Vit. C and Zinc. I followed the remedy and in one day, the jabbing pains were gone. Thank you for this site. I took L Lysine (l000Units) the same for Vit. C and l00units of Zinc every 4 hours for 3-4 days and then went down to l dose per day.
Replied by Marigold
(Usa)
12/17/2014
★★★★★
L-Lysine
Posted by Laura (USA) on 07/12/2006
★★★★★
I heard about Shingles before but this is my first experience and what an experience had been so far!! It affected the left part of my face having my eye pretty compromised. I'm using antibacterial ointement for my eye, and is improving. I'm very careful with cleanness, washing right away towels, pillowcases etc. that had been in contact with my face. My main concern is to avoid the possibility of infecting also my right eye. I have a big property and love to work in the garden. Well, I'll not put my hands in the dirt until am out of the woods. I had been reading about the topical and internal application with apple vinegar and i'm willing to try since I have now those ugly red scars from the rash, maybe will help to heal faster, I'll be glad to let you know. If someone wants to write to me and exchange tips, please, feel free to do so. Following suggestions from the book in Nutritional Healing - James and Phyllis Balch - I'm taking L-Lysine, Vitamins C, B complex B12 - A - regular medication. Diet is important too, maintain a possitive attitude and stay away from depression, it doesn't help at all.
L-Lysine
Posted by Pat (Ann Arbor, Mich) on 06/23/2006
★★★★★
For me, it's the only thing I've tried, and it works every time. I used to get shingles regularly, and have used l-lysine each time, except for the time the MD didnt recognise the condition, and gave me............ antibiotics! Wow. I also use the dietary guidlines, and eat foods rich in lysine, and low in arginine. Stress will up the arginine, and bring on the outward manifestation of the virus
L-Lysine
Posted by Donna (Aspen)
★★★★★
L-lysine, when taken immediately upon infection will cure shingles.
Replied by Louise
(Saint George, Utah)
09/26/2011
★★★★★
Replied by Mark
(Las Vegas)
07/04/2015
L-Lysine and Vitaminc
Posted by Valeria (Eden Prairie, Minnesota - USA) on 04/04/2008
★★★★★
I developed shingles in October 2007, however, all I had was all the discomforts of the disease and never developed the rash. About 3 days ago (4-2-08) I began experiencing the same symptoms again. It was jsut a fluke that I began taking vitamin C and Lysine tablets. I had some Lysine on hand and determined that if the Lysine was good for preventing or lessening the pain of cold sores - why shouldn't it work to help allieviate the shingles. So I began taking the Lysine and also the Vitamin C. The dosage of the tablets for the Lysine is 1000 mg. and the Vitamin C is also 1000 mg. I have been taking two Vitamin C and 2 Lysine tablets about every four hours and it is definitely helping to relive the pain. I have also had pain meds which my doctor recommended last fall - but they do not seem to do much of anything. I hope that this will help someone else - I am 77 and never had shingles before last October. I have not developed the rash this time either.
Replied by Kelly
(Us)
05/14/2014
★★★★☆
Replied by Kelly
(Us)
05/18/2014
L-Lysine and Vitaminc
Posted by Kathy (Mitchell, NE) on 03/31/2007
★★★★★
Dear sufferers of shingles, Don't. Lysine and Vitamine C seem to be the best get rid of them forever cure. I have had about 3 or 5 breakouts in 20 years since I discovered Lysine and Vitamin C. Always take the Lysine the minute you notice a breakout. Before this my breakout would occure regularly. My life is high stress. stress causes outbreaks. If the lysine and c dont quite do it, add liquid b vitamins also to your diet. So far, I'm going on 8 years since my last breakout!
Lecithin + L-Lysine
Posted by June (Cincinnati) on 08/27/2025 29 posts
★★★★★
My husband had a terrible outbreak of Shingles. He took 3,000 mg of Lysine per day and 2500 mgs of soy lechitin twice a day for a few days. All dried up! Then he cut back on the dose but continued taking for week. Normally we don't take soy based products but I read that it works for shingles. It did! No pain, no burning. It's resolved. Thank you!
Licorice Extract
Posted by Preston (MA) on 10/07/2022
★★★★★
Put licorice extract on your shingles then wrap a piece of saran wrap around the outbreak then take a one hour nap...shingles will be gone...my own personal remedy which works always...
Licorice Extract
Posted by Pam (Columbia Falls, Montana ) on 02/25/2022
★★★★★
My husband had shingles on the back of his head in his hair. He had them for two or three weeks before he showed them to me. Too late for an antiviral from the doctor. I got licorice root extract and applied 2-3 times a day and my husband rubbed it in. His shingles dried up and went away within 2-3 weeks. Completely gone. My son's father-in-law got the this fall and they got some right away. It took his pain away and healed his shingles also. We swear by it!
Licorice Extract
Posted by Jonathan C. (Shelburne MA) on 10/16/2019 4 posts
★★★★★
I got shingles after doing a triathlon. At first, I thought it was chafing, then went to the ER and confirmed the diagnosis. The doctor said the stress of an athletic event like this could bring it on. Thank goodness for EarthClinic!
At first, I immediately tried the essential oils of geranium, lavender and tea tree and eucalyptus and they seemed to help. Then I tried Licorice Extract, applying it three times per day, and, within days the shingles were noticeably on the retreat; within ten days, totally gone! I had it a total of two weeks and, because of the Licorice Extract, I had very little discomfort. Unbelievably grateful for EarthClinic!
Licorice Extract
Posted by Daffodil (British Columbia, Canada) on 07/18/2016
★★★★★
After my husband passed away I got shingles 2 years in a row. I bought a bottle of Licorice Root Extract from the local drugstore. It had a dropper in it and I just dropped some liquid on my fingers and applied it to the shingles sores. This took the pain away and I was immediately able to go back to sleep at night, or be painfree during the day. The shingles seemed to stop spreading at that point and eventually cleared up, although I had raised bumps (nerve endings I think) that still show up occasionally 5 years later.
I also supplemented (to boost my immune system) with Vitamin C (Camu is readily available to the body) 500 mg 3x/day, L Lysine - 500 mg 2x/day and Folic Acid - 1 microgram/day. This is inexpensive and worked for me.
