Arginine and Vitamin C Antiviral Treatment Research

[Remy]

It is thus very likely that arginine – with pKa 9.0 and 12,5- (and possibly other basic amino-acids - lysine, histidine, ornithine) defeats some viral activities by simply raising the pH of the membranes above a threshold pH where fusion of viral particles with the cellular membrane stops, thus limiting and preventing viral replication. The interplay between arginine and vitamin C is yet to be elucidated, but it is probable that vitamin C helps destroy the viral nucleic acids (both DNA and RNA) while they are freely circulating outside the cells and while their fusion with the cell membrane is being hindered by arginine's actions.

The doses we used for antiviral treatment were 3-5 g of arginine and 3-4 g of vitamin C divided in 3-4 daily administrations. The safety of such doses is very good, especially given the short treatment duration (up to 14 days of continuous administration). It is known from studies and clinical practice that arginine doses between 4-20 g are safely used in adults for cardiovascular conditions (angina pectoris, intermittent claudication, etc.) and even in premature infants up to 1 g/day was safely administered to prevent inflammation of the digestive tract.

Full text here: https://www.researchgate.net/profil...0f/New-broad-spectrum-antiviral-treatment.pdf

 

[Abrin]

Just a heads up, if you have cold sores it is believed that arginine is required for replication of the HSV and it is not known whether or not taking arginine as a supplement can cause them to flare again.

I am not suggesting that you shouldn't take the arginine.....only that forwarded is forearmed.

 

[Remy]

Just a heads up, if you have cold sores it is believed that arginine is required for replication of the HSV and it is not known whether or not taking arginine as a supplement can cause them to flare again.

I am not suggesting that you shouldn't take the arginine.....only that forwarded is forearmed.

I think the arginine connection may be a myth. Although it's one I believed for a long time myself...I think we may actually have been missing out on a good antiviral. Or proving the placebo/nocebo response is real!

A 2009 clinical study published in the International Journal of Molecular Medicine revealed that arginine suppressed HSV-1 to a degree. However, the scientists found out that the addition of L- arginine was time sensitive.
Best results occurred when arginine was administered within six hours of an outbreak. 30mm arginine helped to extend the latency period between outbreaks, decrease the amount of blisters, and eliminate the sores almost entirely.
Unfortunately, when arginine was administered eight hours after an outbreak, it was too late to stop the virus.
Later, in a very well-documented laboratory study conducted in July 2011, the Journal of Virologyreversed its former opinion, stating that arginine has no effect on the growth of the herpes simplex- 1 virus.

 

[Abrin]

ourteen years later, scientists at the University of Tokushima, Japan believed that arginine might actually kill the herpes simplex- 1 virus.

I think the arginine connection may be a myth. Although it's one I believed for a long time myself...I think we may actually have been missing out on a good antiviral. Or proving the placebo/nocebo response is real!

I won't deny that it is very possible that the arginine connection may be a myth. It is more than possible. All I can say is that anecdotally I have had really good luck with lysine when it comes to keeping cold sores away and since it is believed that arginine and lysine use the same pathway for absorption it has left me hesitant to personally chance it.

If cold sores weren't so damn painful and didn't make me so sick I'd be willing to chance it as an experiment to see if it is just placebo/nocebo but I have no shame admitting that I am a big baby when it comes to cold sores. (*laughs*)

 

[Caramber]

As I know there are health benefits actually with arginine. It helps prevent and treat chronic health problems.