Causes Of Cold Sores - Facts To Know About Your Cold Sore

December 1, 2008 |

by Denny Bodoh

Want to know the primary causes of cold sores? Read this quick article. You will uncover the top three sources and you will likely learn what the causes of cold sores are in your life.

You may have heard of these as causes of cold sores - physical and mental stress, fever, sun and cold weather. They are not the direct causes of cold sores however.

We call these cold sore triggers. Folks claim these are causes of cold sores because you often get a cold sore along with them.

These triggers cause your body to change and be less resistant to the cold sore virus.

The herpes simplex virus (type one or type two) is responsible for every cold sore, fever blister or oral herpes outbreak. It hides dormant in the roots of your nerves.

If the herpes virus activates it moves to the surface quickly. It then infects the nerve cells and begins replicating - destroying those cells in the process.

Since the herpes virus lives in the nervous system, it can sense the slightest changes in your body caused by the cold sore triggers mentioned above.

Here are the three main conditions of your body that will help activate the otherwise dormant cold sore virus. These are the basic causes of cold sores.

1. pH BALANCE TOO LOW.

The acid or alkaline state of your body is its pH balance. The pH scale runs from 1 through 14 - below 7 is acid and above 7 is alkaline. Your optimal pH is 7.35, which is slightly alkaline.

You usually will not get any cold sore as long as you stay above 7 pH. If your pH drops below 7 you are becoming acid. Oxygen in your cells drop and you are inviting a cold sore outbreak. This is one of the main causes of cold sores.

Stress lowers your pH levels toward the acid side. This is why they say stress causes cold sores. Fevers, cold weather and sun exposure also can cause your body to become acid - and are also considered causes of cold sores.

What you eat also causes cold sores for you. Coffee, soda and beer will acidify your body. So does sugar, pork and white flour. Most vegetables help keep your body alkaline. The key here is to balance your diet.

Without a doubt, a low pH is the main cause of cold sores. The next two are also causes of cold sores. Combining these with a low pH makes you a sure target for another cold sore.

2. AMINO ACIDS LYSINE AND ARGININE.

Arginine is the main protein building block for the herpes simplex virus. If arginine is not available, your cells cannot create new herpes virus - and no cold sore will occur. This is true even if you have an acid pH balance.

Your nerve cells store arginine in a specific area. Lysine shares this storage area. Flooding your cells with lysine forces the cell to push arginine out to make room for the extra lysine.

Lysine is a protein that will not cause cold sores. The more lysine stored in your cells, the less arginine will be available. This prevents oral herpes cold sore outbreaks.

Taking lysine supplements is the most common way folks get enough lysine to prevent cold sores.

3. VITAMIN AND MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS.

The strength of your immune system, and the anti-body soldiers, is dependent on several factors. The most important of which is proper quantities of vitamins and minerals.

A weak immune system causes cold sores. Getting high levels of vitamins and minerals from both diet and supplements is the wise choice in preventing oral herpes cold sore outbreaks.

There are only about half the nutrients in today’s food as there was in 1950. For optimum health, be sure to take a high quality multivitamin daily along with a good balanced diet.

Especially important is calcium. Cold sore victims are often calcium deficient. Your body uses calcium to help keep your body in an alkaline state.

Of all the causes of cold sores, an acid pH is number one. A lot of arginine in your cells, along with a weakened immune system contributes even more to the problem.

Stress of any sort lowers your pH balance to an acid environment. And stress, both physical and mental, will burn up large amount of vitamins thus weakening your immune system.

There is more you should know but hopefully, this article has helped you discover, and eliminate, the main causes of cold sores in your life.

About the Author:

Still curious about the causes of oral herpes? Visit Denny Bodoh’s fact-packed web site for the latest FREE information about oral herpes. You get excellent Cold Sore treatment options you can use immediately.