Can Zinc Help Manage Herpes?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that about 11.9% of people between 14 and 49 years old have herpes in their private areas. Most of the time, this happens because of the herpes simplex virus type 2, or HSV-2. This means around 1 in 8 people in that age group have the virus. A lot of them do not know about it because the signs are very mild, or there are no signs at all. Herpes on the mouth, which usually comes from herpes simplex virus type 1, or HSV-1, is even more common. Around 47.8% of people in this age group in the United States have HSV-1. Most get it when they are kids, and it often happens through touch that is not sexual.
Herpes gets into the body through wet areas like the mouth or private parts, or through cuts in the skin. People often get the virus from close skin contact, like kissing or having sex. This includes sex using the vagina, anus, or mouth. Most of the time, HSV-2 is the type of virus that causes herpes in the private parts, but HSV-1 can cause this too when there is mouth-to-private part contact. A person with herpes can pass it on even if they do not have any sores or feel sick, because the virus can leave the skin without any signs. Herpes can be spread by sharing things like lip balm, razors, or where you eat with someone who has noticeable sores, but this happens less often. After someone catches the virus, it will always stay in the body. The virus can become active again at times and make new sores.
What Are the Symptoms of Herpes?
The symptoms of herpes can be very different for each person. Some people may not have any clear signs. When there are symptoms, they usually show up about 2 to 12 days after someone comes into contact with the virus. A common sign is small, painful blisters or sores. You can often find these around the mouth if it is HSV-1, or around the private parts if it is HSV-2. These blisters can break open, become open sores, then scab over and heal.
When someone has the first set of symptoms, they might feel sick, like when you have the flu. This can include fever, aches all over the body, puffy lymph nodes, and feeling very tired. A person may feel itching, burning, or tingling before they see any blisters. For later flare-ups, the signs are often lighter and do not last as long. Some people have very mild symptoms or feel nothing at all. This makes it easy to spread the virus to others without knowing.
Can Zinc Help Manage Herpes and Prevent Outbreaks?
Since herpes is a virus, it can often be hard to feel good and deal with the symptoms. This gets even tougher if it keeps coming back. But did you know there are some minerals, like zinc, that can help with this? They may help you feel better and may also help you stop outbreaks.
Zinc can help with herpes. It works by giving support to the immune system and stopping the herpes simplex virus (HSV) in a few different ways that scientists have seen. Zinc is not a cure, but studies show it can make people have outbreaks less often, and these outbreaks do not last as long or feel as bad, especially when you use zinc on the skin.
What Are Zinc’s Antiviral Properties?
Zinc has direct effects that fight against HSV. Studies in labs have shown that zinc ions can stop both HSV-1 and HSV-2 from making more copies of themselves. Zinc does this by blocking some of the virus’s enzymes and getting in the way when the virus tries to stick to host cells. This makes it harder for the virus to spread in the body where the infection is.
Can Topical Zinc Help With Herpes Lesions?
Putting zinc on the skin can help people with herpes sores. A study in 2001 shared in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine showed that a zinc oxide–glycine cream made cold sores heal faster. It also helped with pain more than other creams without zinc. Some other studies show that when people use zinc sulfate solutions on sores from herpes in the genital area, outbreaks do not last as long. The pain and other signs also feel a lot better.
How Does Zinc Support the Immune System?
Zinc is important to help the body’s immune system work well. A strong immune system can help keep HSV quiet and not active. When you do not get enough zinc, the immune system is not as good at fighting to keep the virus down. This can let the virus come back more often. If you eat enough zinc or take a supplement, it can help lower how often you have outbreaks.
Can Oral Zinc Supplements Reduce Herpes Recurrence?
Some research says that taking zinc by mouth may help lower how often herpes comes back. A small study in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology found that people who had oral zinc sulfate (22.5 mg, two times a day) got fewer herpes oZincutbreaks as time went on. But, this may happen because it helps the immune system work better, not because it fights the virus directly.
Should You Consider Supplementing With Zinc If You Have Herpes?
It is clear that zinc can be very helpful if you have herpes. Zinc helps your body fight off sickness and stop the virus from growing. So, if you have herpes, you should think about using our Upgraded Zinc. It may help you control your symptoms and stop outbreaks before they start.