nutritional supplements - lysine

l-lysine

i take 1 1000mg capsule daily (no established rda)

this might seem silly, but i started taking l-lysine after my vet suggested that it would help my cat get over an illness. she seemed to want to recommend it before resorting to an antibiotic; lysine can aid in destroying viruses. (for instance, many sufferers of herpes virus use lysine as a primary course of treatment. it is also used to prevent cold sores & fever blisters.) anyway, i liked my vet's holistic approach, and decided to look into lysine for myself.

from "prescription for nutritional healing:"

lysine is an essential amino acid that is a necessary building block for all protein. it is needed for proper growth and bone development in children; it helps calcium absorption and maintains proper nitrogren balance in adults. [...] it helps in collagen formation and tissue repair. Because it helps to build muscle protein, it is good for those recovering from surgery and sports injuries.

there are some kinds of amino acids that can be manufactured in the body ("nonessential amino acids"), but lysine is not one of them (and is therefore termed an "essential amino acid"). essential amino acids must be obtained through diet (food and/or supplements).

deficiencies can result in anemia, hair loss, lack of energy, inability to concentrate, irritability, reproductive disorders and weight loss. food sources include cheese, eggs, fish, lima beans, milk, potatoes, red meat, soy products and yeast.

Posted by xta at September 30, 2004 3:26 PM | TrackBack