I've suffered from coldsores since I was a child, but now that i'm 20 i'm still finding it hard to get rid of them.

Last october I started birth control, and my "2-3 a year" outbreak turned to "5-6 a month"

i was curious thinking maybe it's related, and made a post asking this a while ago.. Well..

It is!

If you're on oral contraceptives, they can deplete the necessary "b" vitanmins -- also known as the stress vitamins! If you don't already take a daily multiple, take one!

Also, since march of this year I started taking l-lysine, an amino acid that helps prevent coldsores by "outnumbering" the amount of arginine (another amino acid) that helps the replication of coldsores. L-lysine is not made in the body.

Not not not.

But it's found in things such as eggs, cheese, milk, yogurt, and meat.

Arginine is found in caffeine, chocolate, whole wheat bread, nuts, peanutbutter products, raisins, beets, oatmeal and rice!

(come on ladies, you know when you're stressed you reach for the peanutbutter cups, the soda, etc.. I know I do!)

by taking the l-lysine, you help outnumber the amount of arginine in your body.. And although not "proven" by the fda i've only gotten one cold sore since march!

Hope this info helps!

Also, men can take lysine too. But most men aren't on oral contraceptives so can't help there =p