Zinc Cure for Herpes

Herpes, a viral infection that produces lesions and sores, spreads through direct contact with the sores or from contact with body fluid of a person infected with the virus. Today, approximately 25 percent of Americans suffer from genital herpes, and about 70 to 80 percent suffer from oral herpes. To reduce the severity and frequency of outbreaks caused by both oral and genital herpes, try treating it with zinc.

Where to Find Zinc

• Although no known cure for herpes exists, physicians will often suggest using zinc, a mineral often found in seafood and other proteins, as a remedy to help heal blisters and minimize breakouts.

  Daily zinc intake helps in growth and development, metabolism function and strengthening of the immune system, as it helps produce T lymphocyte cells--- important in fighting against viruses. While supplements provide a good zinc source, you can also find them mineral in such foods as beef, crab and pork. FOr a huge zinc boost, eat oysters; they contain approximately over 76 mg or more zinc per serving (six oysters).

How Zinc Helps

• If you suffer from the herpes virus, increase your intake of zinc, plus apply zinc creams and ointments on the lesions caused from an outbreak. Zinc is a component of more than 300 enzymes needed to repair wounds. Doctors recommend that men apply it topically to help dry out blisters and often relieve the itching and burning caused from the outbreaks. Do not apply zinc topically to herpes blisters if you are a women; drying agents can harm the mucus membranes on which the blisters often appear in women.

  Also use zinc topically on cold sores. Zinc reportedly helps reduce the duration of cold sores by 30 to 40 percent and relieves the pain they often cause. For cold sores affecting the mouth, gums or lips, some physicians will give a shot of a small amount of protamine-zinc---a protein-zinc combination.