Earth Clinic Mobile: Home Remedies for People and Pets

Lysine for Canker Sores

5 star (7)		70%
1 star (1)		10%
(2)		20%

Vandi (Arizona) on 10/24/2015:
5 out of 5 stars

I feel so sorry for your little girl. I hope she came out of it OK. My son has also suffered with cold sores all of his life on his cheek and all across his mouth. Now that he's a young man and has a career this can be embarrassing and painful for him when he has a bad outbreak. I just advised him to start taking lysine on a daily basis.I advised him to take one tablet per day this advice was given to me by a good friend who tried it and hasn't had a cold sore in years. I started nearly a year ago and haven't had one.

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Whiperingsage (Northeastern California) on 08/07/2015:
5 out of 5 stars

I thought lysine wasn't helping my cold sores when I took 500 mg and dicovered I should be taking more. I have been on 1 gram a day for years and any time I run out or forget, my cold sores fire up within 2 days.

Recently my cold sores popped out even on 1 g and gallstones and ulcer symtoms came back, I was stressed because I had just gotten out of the ICU with severe bleeding ulcer and loss of 5 pints of blood (extreme stress). I researched until I found a lysine link and found deficiency can cause anemia (a constant problem for me) and many other symptoms asociated with anemia. I googled lysine-gallstones and found conflicting info- but tried 5 g of lysine and the pain was releived and I slept without benedryl and all the usual herbs I have to take to sleep. And the cold sores are going away. I don't know what stimulated this last period of stress that I would need a higher dose of lysine, but I will have to be more mindful of getting enough protein.

Anonymous (Miami, Florida) on 07/04/2013:
0 out of 5 stars

Interesting I have been taking four caps of lysine and started having liver pain burning feeling for weeks, I read high protein diet can cause this too, it creates high acidicity and the liver doees not like this. My doctor ran tests for liver enzymes check and of course Hepatitis right away I feel kind of silly thinking that perhaps the lysine is the causative factor anyhow I stopped the Lysine right away.

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Bill (Davis, CA) on 12/22/2008:
1 out of 5 stars

Warning

One should never take as much Lysine as you have suggested. I have been taking L-Lysine for 15yrs for herpes and have never heard of such a high dose. Most medical practictioners suggest 500mg daily before food or other aminos and during an outbreak up to 1500mg/day. This has helped me control my outbreaks for a long time. Not one source that I have researched during this time has suggested such a high dose. Overloading of the liver would seem common sense with that dose.

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Joe (NYC, NY) on 11/02/2008:
0 out of 5 stars

I have taken L-Lysine for canker sores and it worked great. I havent had one since.

If taken for a while L-Lysine can have an effect on your liver, my mistake was that i kept experimenting and supplementing on it even though i did not need it. It is good but you should pay attention to your arginine levels (consume arginine foods or supplements), as an unsafe drop in those levels can damage your liver. As in my case after consuming about 2-3 grams a day for about 3-4 months resulted in a morning with pain in my liver and a feeling as if i had a cinder block under my ribcage(i had no idea there was such a thing such as liver pain and swelling). Stopped supplementing on it, and 2 days after my liver felt way better. My cholesterol levels were also unusually high during supplementation and they went back to normal after stopping, so people should keep these things in mind, i know its easy to miss these warnings since i missed them myself. The beautiful thing about the liver though is that it can repair itself, but that doesnt mean you shouldnt be careful. Milk Thistle can help repair your liver. And if i had to do this all over again i would take L-Arginine along with L-Lysine. It would be great if someone posted these warnings in the main description for awareness so they can learn from my mistake. Thanks

Carol (Hamburg, NY) on 03/14/2007:
5 out of 5 stars

For years, my teenage grandchildren suffered through excruciatingly painful episodes of canker sores. After trying & failing with many remedies suggested by their mother & others, including their M.D., they finally tried the old-fashioned home-remedy that their great-grandmother used! L-lysine, a simple, low cost cure. They now are tried & true users of L-lysine, and have almost become heroes with their college friends. The treatment is: Immediately upon the beginning of an out-break, take two 500 mg. tablets. Continue taking one 500 mg. tablet each day until 2 or 3 days past the day the canker sore appears to be healed. "L-lysine is an essential amino acid needed in our diet. It is found in animal protein, such as milk protein. It is recommended that young adults need approximately 23 mg of L-lysine per day per kilogram (10 mg per lb) of body weight. The proteins of cereals; wheat gluten, for example, do not provide enough L-lysine (Columbia University Press Encyclopedia)". Little do the young believe that Grandmother's could be so smart - until they try the "old- fashioned home remedies!

Maya (Ft Leavenworth) on 11/19/2005:
5 out of 5 stars

My daughter and I would get canker scores often, until a friend told me about Lysine. We both take one a day, and if ever one starts to appear, then take 2 pills and the scores are gone. I told a great friend who had very dry lips and the lysine has worked for her as well! Love it! The pain is gone!

Thesa (Colorado Springs) on 11/15/2005:
5 out of 5 stars

My 5 year old daughter came down with a horribly serious case of canker sores. Her mouth had several sores on her tongue, cheek, and gums. Her gums were so red and swollen you could barely see her little teeth. Her breath was absolutely terrible and she barely ate or drank a thing. Finally after a week of different attempts, we had her gargle with 6 drops of tea tree oil in 4 oz. of water three times a day, gave her half an adult dose of L-lysine crushed up into water once a day, gave her a homeopathic every hour and had her drink 16 oz. of water with acidophilus/FOS throughout the day. We kept her completely off of sugar, dairy and meat and mostly she ate cottage cheese and plain yogurt. Within one day she was so much better and finally eating and within 3 days totally better!

Lynda (Durham, NH) on 10/20/2005:
5 out of 5 stars

My nurse practitioner recommended L-Lysine for my debilitating canker sores. They would last for weeks and were so bad that the pain extended to my neck and lymph nodes. I couldn't even eat without excruciating pain. When I feel a canker sore coming on, I take 1 gram 3 times a day and the sore is gone within a day or two.

Donnie (Spartanburg, SC) on 03/01/2004:
5 out of 5 stars

A supplement called LYSINE helps to heal mouth sores faster, just take a 1-gram capsule 2 or 3 times a day.

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