One of the most common things to come up is how the amino acid lysine is able to control herpes outbreaks and if it’s in fact even true.
The simple answer to that question is yes.
The more detailed explanation is that the supplementation of lysine in free form has had very beneficial effects with regards to controlling herpes through a diet that is high in both high in lysine and low in arginine. This is suggestive of the ability for doctors and scientists to study the effects of lysine in the infections of herpes simplex. All indications are that it does absolutely no harm and in fact can be a quite useful therapeutic measure.
Cultures of tissue have been demonstrated to show beneficial effects of a viral replication when the ratio of amino acids of arginine to lysine favors the arginine. Take that to the polar opposite and the preponderance of the lysine to the arginine and it will suppress that same viral replication and will inhibit the herpes simplex virus.
Through those studies it appears that l-lysine is in fact a very effective agent in the reduction of herpes outbreak occurrences as well as both the healing time and the severity when outbreaks do occur.

The Foods

There are some foods that are high in the lysine and low in the arginine. The following is that list:

• Fish
• Chicken
• Beef
• Lamb
• Milk
• Cheese
• Beans
• Brewer’s yeast
• Mung bean sprouts
• Almost all fruits and vegetables, not including peas

Additionally:

• Gelatin
• Chocolate
• Carob
• Coconut
• Oats
• Whole wheat
• White flour
• Peanuts
• Soybeans
• Wheat germ

Dosages

The amounts of lysine that are required to be able to control herpes vary case by case but the typical dose needed to keep the virus in remission is around 500mg per day and active herpes required between 1-6 g between meals in order to induce the healing process.