Lysine is an essential amino acid. It plays a key role in your body’s production of hormones and energy, absorption of calcium, immune health, and more, according to Cleveland Clinic. Since your body can’t make this amino acid, you’ll want to eat quality food sources of lysine.
Limited research suggests that foods high in lysine and low in arginine (another amino acid) may also help prevent and heal cold sores. Arginine can lead the herpes simplex virus to multiply and aggravate cold sores, but lysine is known to inhibit the function of arginine.
The recommended daily intake of lysine is about 38 milligrams (mg) per kilogram (kg) — or per 2.2 pounds (lbs) — of body weight for adults, according to Cleveland Clinic. That equates to about 2,600 mg for a 150-pound person each day.
Foods high in lysine (and lower in arginine) easily surpass this amount in a serving, according to MyFoodData.com. While clinical research on people is very limited, it appears that a minimum of a 1-to-1 lysine-to-arginine ratio can be beneficial for healthy individuals. Those looking to inhibit the herpes simplex virus may benefit from a higher ratio.
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