Study has proved that amino acid helps to defeat herpes

Scientists from the National Institutes of Health of the United States have found that glutamine supplements (one of the 20 standard amino acids involved in the protein) prevent the reactivation of herpes simplex virus (HSV). Currently, there are no remedies for HSV-1 and HSV-2 causing oral and genital herpes, UPI.com reports.

To reduce the duration of herpes, antiviral drugs are used. However, the virus can remain in the body and after a while it can be activated again. Previous studies have shown that HSV-specific T cells prevent relapses. These cells need glutamine.

The researchers studied mice with HSV-1 and guinea pigs with HSV-2. They evaluated the effectiveness of glutamine supplements. Some of these animals received the supplements in 2 weeks after infection, and some of them did not. The study has shown that glutamine supplements reduced the probability of HSV-1 and HSV-2 reactivation in experimental animals.

Source: UPI.com.