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.
Artificial Sweetener Link to Herpes
Posted by Neall (St. Louis, MO, USA) on 03/15/2007
I had experienced several outbreaks a year since childhood of cold sores, especially in the winter. I haven't had more than a couple of outbreaks in the past few years, mostly I think due to maintaining healthy water intake and when my lips feel like they are starting to get chapped, using Blistex Lip Infusion. In my experience, it is
dehydration that triggers my outbreaks. Since I am following a low-carb diet, I have been substituting Splenda and Nutrasweet for sugar quite a bit. I have experienced no ill effects so far and have had no outbreaks of cold sores since I started using them frequently several months ago. I realize that everyone is different and are affected differently so if you need a non-sugar sweetener and you think that Splenda and Nutrasweet are causing problems, I suggest trying Stevia extract. It comes from a naturally occurring plant and has no unpleasant aftertaste. It may seem expensive but a little goes a long way. I buy it at Whole Foods but I'm pretty sure I've seen it at Trader Joe's too. There are usually two kinds, one with maltose and one just Stevia. I can taste a slightly unpleasant aftertaste with the maltose so I try to avoid it.
PS: I've used Abreva and it did seem to help but only if used before the blister starts to show. When the blister was already showing, it seemed to increase the size and duration of the blister(s).
PPS: Low carb iced tea recipe: (per ~2L water) 2 bags Luzianne iced tea, 1 bag Yogi Throat Comfort tea, 3 tiny scoops of Superior Source Sweet 'n Natural 100% pure Stevia. Stir, ice, and enjoy!
Dietary Recommendations
Posted by Deb (Dayton, OH) on 03/15/2007
★★★★★
I just wanted to add to all the great info about herpes. I have found that the greatest culprits to preceed a herpes outbreak are the consumption of chocolate and nuts (except almonds). These are high in L-arginine, so whenever I eat these things, I take some lysine to counteract the effects of the arginine. I eat a natural diet and don't get outbreaks, except when I forget to do this. It's always "oh, yeah, I had a buch of nuts yesterday!
Dietary Recommendations
Posted by Tanya (Darwin, Australia) on 03/13/2007
★★★★★
I was told by a conventional Western doctor he has seen huge reductions in herpes outbreaks when people stop eating chocolate, almonds and peanuts. Hopefully this, along with never touching aspartame, may help people.
Dietary Recommendations
Posted by Mark (Las Vegas, Nv) on 03/31/2012
Raw Chocolate and Raw Almonds are both very good for your health. The processed version not so much. The problem is not these foods but the virus.
Artificial Sweetener Link to Herpes
Posted by Chris (Cebu, Philippines) on 03/06/2007
Just read your article on
Aspartame and how it may trigger an outbreak. I am wondering if this is the cause of my current outbreak, as I have just traveled to the Philippines where the formula for diet coke contains Aspartame. After having my first diet coke monday morning, I started having an outbreak. Also know that I have been traveling a lot over the past 2 weeks.
Broccoli
Posted by Jayden (S.A. Texas) on 03/02/2007
★★★★★
Eat broccoli and you could ward off Herpes ~ Preliminary lab studies of monkey and human cells conducted by researchers at the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine in Rootstown, Ohio show that a compound found naturally in broccoli, cabbage, and brussels sprouts-- indole-3-carbinol--may be a key to inhibiting the herpes simplex virus. And it works really well. The compound blocked the virus from reproducing by an amazing 99.9 percent--essentially 100 percent effectiveness.
The indole-3-carbinol compound works by interfering with factors that help cells reproduce. It inhibits the herpes simplex virus in the same way, since the virus needs those same factors as the cells to reproduce, reports WebMD and the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The study: The researchers treated human and monkey cells with indole-3-carbinol. Then they infected them with one of two strains of the herpes virus: HSV-1, which can cause oral or genital herpes, and HSV-2, which causes genital herpes. The cells were also infected with a herpes virus strain that is known to be resistant to medication.
The results: The indole-3-carbinol compound blocked the virus from reproducing by at least 99.9 percent. Best of all, since the compound is found in food, it's safe.
Herpes differs markedly from other viruses. Once a person contracts it, the virus lives in the body for a lifetime. The American Social Health Association estimates that as many as 80 percent of adults in the United States have oral herpes, while 20 percent have genital herpes. Fully 90 percent are unaware they have the virus. There is no cure.
While this research news is promising, caution is advised until further studies are done. What works in the lab doesn't always work on humans in the real world. Still, eating more broccoli is a good idea not only to prevent herpes, but also to possibly ward off cancer, cataracts, and stroke.
The research findings were presented to the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.
Also, good news, eating late at night is not the cause weight gain, imbalanced hormones that can be correct is. By eating foods high in vegetable, fruit and fiber content you can eat late at night and lose weight. Also, the best hormones supplied by a new cream called Strength Energy supports DHEA, testosterone, pregnenolone, and Estroblock clears bad estrogens -all necessary for rapid fat loss. Take BMR for thyroid support to increase metabolism, add natural stress fighter - Isocort, Stress is the cause of sugar and salt craving, take nuerotransmitters to support dopamine, serotonin, and epinepherine.
Artificial Sweetener Link to Herpes
Posted by Jesse (Macon, GA) on 01/27/2007
I am so glad i found this site. i jus got a coldsore like bump on my lip and i was thinkin that the cause was bc of something i had recently done with my boyfriend. turns out i lately have drank a couple of diet drinks and i have been chewing a lot of extra gum. thank you so much i was so worried. i am laying off the gum and diet sodas
Artificial Sweetener Link to Herpes
Posted by Rochelle (Grants Pass, OR) on 01/24/2007
After reading this article, it made me think about things. I have never had genital herpes until about 6 month ago when I started drinking three or four diet pepsi's a day. I just quit drinking them about a week ago, and I hope this was the culprit. I also have been reading all the labels of food I eat. I even threw away my gum. EXTRA GUM bad for you. I will let you know if this works. I haven't told my husband because I am so embarrassed about it. I just tell him that I am sore, and can't play...
L-Lysine
Posted by Melinda (Arlington, VA) on 01/24/2007
★★★★★
I went to a homeopathic pharmacy yesterday and spoke to an herbalist and wellness counselor. She recommended I take 1,000mg of L-Lysine everyday. During an outbreak, she told me to take 3,000mg of L-Lysine everyday. Additionally, she gave me a Super-Oxygenated Anti-Viral Formula that I should take 1 dropperful in a small amount of water 2-3 times a day when having an outbreak. She also gave me an RMA Healing Ointment to use on both oral and genital sores when having a herpes outbreak. I will keep you posted on how they all work!
Artificial Sweetener Link to Herpes
Posted by Jim (Port St Lucie, FL) on 01/20/2007
I dont' know what is causing my outbreaks ... but ever since i've been on nutrisystem weight loss program (2 months) i've had 4 outbreaks. it's been about 3 years previous that i've had one.
Artificial Sweetener Link to Herpes
Posted by Jason (Houma, Louisiana) on 01/18/2007
So here I am going over a year strong without an outbreak and BAM, I come upon the worst outbreak lasting as long as two weeks long. At first I thought okay maybe that was just a bad case and not even one week after the outbreak subsided...BAM!! another one just as bad appeared. Now I was getting really frustrated and after doing a little bit of researching I came upon this website and read the tales behind Splenda and Aspartame. I started to think about what it was I was doing differently and that's when it hit me, sometimes when I go to visit my parents (my father being a diabetic) I would drink some of this sugar-free drink he would make for himself mainly because there was nothing else in their house to drink besides water. The next day I go over to my parents house and into the pantry and grabbed that container which the mixing packets come in and what do i find in big bold print as part of the ingredients ? ASPARTAME !!!! never again will I drink anything from my parents house UNLESS it's water in a bottle and now I have a tendency to look on the back of everything I buy for those main ingredients..if you have herpes I suggest YOU do the SAME.
Artificial Sweetener Link to Herpes
Posted by Sore (Chicago, IL) on 01/18/2007
In late October I started drinking 8 - 12 cups of DeCaf coffee per day. ALong with this I used 2-3 packets Splenda per 1 1/2 Cups or up to 18 packets per day!!! I thought I was doing well. I started this in early October. Now I have used Splenda from time to time but never in this quantity. In late October I started breaking out and it would clear up only to break out again a week later. Instead of breaking out once or twice a year, I was breaking out every few weeks. I'd clear up and break out again. I wondered what was different. Initially I thought it was the stress of the Holidays. Well the holidays are over and it is still happening. I decided to do a search and found this site. I'm eliminating ALL sweeteners today. I'll let you know if my virus goes back to sleep.
Artificial Sweetener Link to Herpes
Posted by Annie (Seattle, WA) on 01/01/2007
Just visited my brother and his wife for a week in northern california. Splenda was not available in their home. Upon returning to Seattle, I resumed my consumption of Splenda (quite significant) and immediately (within 2 days) developed a severe herpes outbreak. Yikes. Will certainly monitor the situation and stop using Splenda for a while to see if this is indeed the cause. This was a low stress period for me and there is not other reason for the outbreak except perhaps having started taking L-Carnitine upon my return to Seattle.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Jerry (Dingman's Ferry, PA) on 12/24/2006
★★★★★
Lysine, Super B Complex, Zinc, Vitamin C, and Acidophilus (all of these taken daily, one capsule), plus garlic tablets when an outbreak occurs. This vitamin regimen helps prevent outbreaks. The garlic helps get rid of the sores when there is an outbreak.
Artificial Sweetener Link to Herpes
Posted by Linda (Houston, TX) on 11/23/2006
I wanted to add my story and am relieved to know that I'm not the only one who has experienced this. Approximately two years ago I began having herpes outbreaks (Cold Sores) with regularity and didn't know why this was happening. This occurred for several months in a row when I finally thought "what the heck is going on here". I then tried to figure out what I'd been doing differently. It took me about a day or two and then it struck me that I'd been consuming large amounts of SPLENDA. Which I normally don't use. I have a bitter orange tree in my yard with beautiful, but very sour oranges and I had discovered that these oranges make a rather delicious drink comparable to lemonade. Not wanting to consume so much sugar, I bought a box of SPLENDA and began using that. What a huge mistake! I was miserable and can't believe that I didn't put 2 and 2 together sooner than that. What's funny is that the sores would come on very quickly with little pain and didn't seem to last quite as long as they sometimes do, but they were horrible and frequent. I wonder how many people suffer needlessly and don't even know why? I relay my story every chance I get in hopes of helping anyone else avoid this stupid problem. Thanks for this web site!
Acetone
Posted by Jane (Boston, MA) on 11/21/2006
★★★★★
Acetone nail polish remover is fabulous for cold sores! If you can catch it just when there is the tingle but not quite a blister yet, it often never gets any bigger than a tiny blister and it disappears without ever reaching the scab or the even worse, 'scab off' stage. Sometimes I can tell it's going to be a doozy but I dab it whenever I think of it and it 's just so much better than I have ever experienced and each stage lasts only half the time.
