Guide: supplements
Supplements for Herpes: What the Research Shows About Outbreaks
Supplements for herpes have no proven role. NIH's complementary health center says supplements and herbal products have not been shown to prevent or treat outbreaks as well as antivirals. Lysine, zinc and vitamin C have been studied, with weak or unrelated results. Reviralis is a supplement, not an antiviral, and no study ties it to outbreaks.
Written by the Goreviralis label deskUpdated
The short answer01
Can a supplement keep herpes outbreaks away?
We found no source showing one has. A Cochrane review found no evidence that lysine or one other supplement prevents cold sores (Chi 2015, Cochrane: Preventing Cold Sores). Talk to a clinician first.
Herpes simplex virus has no cure, and the proven care is a prescription antiviral, used either at the first sign or daily (CDC, STI Treatment Guidelines: Herpes) (WHO, Herpes Simplex Virus Fact Sheet). Searches for "natural remedies for herpes" turn up long lists, but a long list is not evidence. A Cochrane review of ways to keep cold sores from returning found no evidence that lysine works (Chi 2015, Cochrane: Preventing Cold Sores).
The rest of this guide goes through the names people ask about most. Each gets the same test: was it studied in people with herpes, and what happened?
Name by name02
What do studies say about lysine, zinc and vitamin C for herpes?
Lysine has the most herpes research and the weakest results. Zinc has one small cream trial. Vitamin C and echinacea were studied for colds, not herpes.
| Name | What was studied | What it showed | In Reviralis? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lysine | Preventing cold sores | Cochrane: no evidence of benefit; a review found low doses ineffective | Not listed |
| Zinc | A zinc cream on cold sores (46 people) | Healing in 5.0 vs 6.5 days with the cream; pills not tied to herpes | 10 mg, a printed line |
| Vitamin C | Colds in general | Regular use did not cut colds; nothing on herpes | 125 mg, a printed line |
| Echinacea | Colds | Maybe a slight effect on colds; nothing on herpes | Not listed |
The lysine review found that doses under 1 g a day were ineffective, and doses above 3 g a day improved how people felt about their sores without clearly changing how often they came (Mailoo and Rampes 2017, Lysine Review (Integr Med)). The zinc trial used a cream applied to the skin, not a capsule (Godfrey 2001, Topical Zinc Oxide/Glycine for Cold Sores (Altern Ther Health Med)). NIH's fact sheet on zinc does not link zinc pills to herpes, though oral zinc may shorten a cold by about two days (NIH ODS, Zinc). Vitamin C did not cut colds in the general population (NIH ODS, Vitamin C), and echinacea is a cold topic (NCCIH, Echinacea).
Reviralis03
Does Reviralis work for herpes outbreaks?
We found no evidence that it does. Reviralis Complete is a dietary supplement, its label never mentions herpes, and no study we could find tested it or its 40 label names for outbreaks.
The sales page makes outbreak-style claims. One reads "Most users report a reduction in the frequency and severity of flare-ups within the first month." That is a marketing line, and the FTC says honest testimonials do not make a claim true (FTC, Health Products Compliance Guidance). A dietary supplement also cannot lawfully claim to treat or prevent a disease (FDA, Structure/function claims).
The sources above cover only a few ingredients that overlap with Reviralis: vitamin C 125 mg and zinc 10 mg, both printed on the label. The other 18 ingredients sit in a 661 mg blend with no amounts, and none of the sources tie any of them to outbreaks. The fuller breakdown is on the benefits page, and the label is typed out on the ingredients page.
- Does the label name the condition? Reviralis's does not.
- Is there a study in people with that condition? None found.
- Would you skip a prescription because of it? Do not.
- Is the seller also the one praising it? Here, the sales page is.
Official warnings04
Have regulators warned about herpes supplements?
Yes. In 2011, FDA and FTC took action against products sold for herpes and other sexually transmitted infections, and said no over-the-counter or online supplement can treat or prevent them (HIV.gov, FDA and FTC Act on Fraudulent HIV and STD Products).
That action named specific products, and none was Reviralis. We know of no action naming it. The point is the pattern. FTC guidance says disease claims can be implied without naming the disease, for example with words about flare-ups (FTC, Health Products Compliance Guidance). FDA says it does not approve supplements before sale; makers are responsible for safety and truthful labels (FDA, Dietary supplements).
If a product causes a bad reaction, report it to FDA MedWatch (FDA, MedWatch).
Reviralis: from $49 a bottle60 capsules a bottle · 2, 3 or 6 bottles · free US shipping on 3 and 6 · 60-day money-back guarantee
See packsWhat does have support05
What does help with herpes besides supplements?
A diagnosis, a prescription antiviral when a clinician advises one, honest talks with partners and knowing your own triggers.
WHO lists illness or fever, sun, menstruation, injury, emotional stress and surgery as common triggers, and Mayo Clinic adds hormones, fatigue and wind (WHO, Herpes Simplex Virus Fact Sheet) (Mayo Clinic, Cold Sore Symptoms and Causes). The link between stress and recurrence is real but weak, and association is not proof of cause (Chida and Mao 2009, Stress and HSV Recurrence (Brain Behav Immun)). Sunscreen helped with UV-triggered cold sores in two trials, though not in a third (Chi 2015, Cochrane: Preventing Cold Sores).
- See a clinician for a diagnosisSores can look like other conditions, and a test can confirm herpes. Many people with HSV have no symptoms at all. (CDC, About Genital Herpes)
- Antivirals at the first signAcyclovir, valacyclovir and famciclovir, started early as a clinician directs, can shorten an outbreak (episodic therapy). (CDC, STI Treatment Guidelines: Herpes) (Mayo Clinic, Cold Sore Symptoms and Causes)
- Daily suppressive antiviralsFor people with frequent outbreaks, a daily antiviral lowers the number of recurrences and the chance of passing HSV to a partner. (CDC, STI Treatment Guidelines: Herpes)
- Talk with partnersCDC advises telling partners, avoiding sex during an outbreak, and using condoms, which lower but do not remove the risk. (CDC, About Genital Herpes)
- Know your own triggersFever, stress, sun and hormonal changes are the triggers people most often name for cold sores. Keeping a note helps you and your clinician. (Mayo Clinic, Cold Sore Symptoms and Causes)
- Be wary of cure claimsWHO says there is no cure for HSV. Treat any product that promises one, or promises fewer outbreaks without a trial, with caution. (WHO, Herpes Simplex Virus Fact Sheet)
For how antivirals are used, see the antivirals guide. For partner questions, see herpes and partners.
Staying safe06
Can you take a supplement alongside an antiviral?
Ask your pharmacist or prescriber first, because supplements can interact with medicines, and the Reviralis label itself asks you to check.
The Reviralis label asks anyone who takes prescription medicine to check with a healthcare provider before use, and names antidepressants, blood thinners and nervous or cardiovascular medicines. It is not for anyone under 18, and pregnant or nursing women and anyone with a history of seizures are told to ask first. The medicine check walks through each group.
Keep taking any prescribed medicine, including an antiviral, and do not change it without your prescriber. See a clinician for a diagnosis, because other conditions look like herpes. Call 911 for trouble breathing, a seizure, chest pain, swelling of the face or throat, or sudden confusion with a severe headache and stiff neck. Eye symptoms and any symptom in a newborn need urgent care.
- A first outbreak, or a sore you cannot nameSee a clinician. A test can tell herpes from other causes, and early antivirals work best.
- A sore in or near the eye, or eye pain or blurry visionGet care the same day. Herpes in the eye can threaten sight.
- A weak immune system, or outbreaks that are severe or slow to healTell your clinician. People with weakened immunity can have longer, deeper outbreaks and may need a different plan.
- Pregnant or about to give birthTell your obstetric clinician. HSV can pass to a newborn at birth, and your team has steps to lower that risk.
- A newborn with sores, fever or poor feedingCall the pediatrician right now. Call 911 if the baby is limp, very hard to wake or struggling to breathe.
- Call 911 nowTrouble breathing, a seizure, chest pain, swelling of the face or throat, or sudden confusion with a severe headache and stiff neck.
From CDC (CDC, About Genital Herpes), Mayo Clinic (Mayo Clinic, Cold Sore Symptoms and Causes) and WHO (WHO, Herpes Simplex Virus Fact Sheet). This list is not complete, and a supplement is never a reason to wait.
FAQ07
Supplements and herpes questions
Is there a natural cure for herpes?
No. WHO and CDC say herpes has no cure, natural or otherwise. Prescription antivirals can make outbreaks shorter, milder or less frequent. we found no source showing a supplement does the same, so ask a clinician before relying on one.
Does lysine help herpes?
Evidence is weak. A Cochrane review found no evidence it prevents cold sores, and another review found low doses ineffective. Higher doses only improved how people felt about their sores. Reviralis does not list lysine on its label.
Does zinc help cold sores?
One small trial found a zinc cream shortened healing by about a day and a half. That was a topical product in 46 people. NIH does not link zinc pills to herpes. Reviralis has 10 mg of zinc in capsule form.
Can vitamin C stop a herpes outbreak?
No evidence shows that. NIH says regular vitamin C did not reduce colds in the general population, and says nothing about herpes. Reviralis has 125 mg of vitamin C on the label, about 139 percent of the Daily Value.
Are herbal remedies for herpes safe?
Not automatically. Herbs can interact with medicines, and FDA does not approve supplements before sale. We found no herbal product shown to match antivirals for outbreaks. Ask a pharmacist before combining any herb with prescribed medicine.
Why does the Reviralis sales page mention outbreaks if the label does not?
FDA rules bar a supplement label from claiming to treat a disease, and this label does not. The sales page's outbreak wording is a claim we could not support with studies, so we show it only in quotation marks.
Who wrote this08
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, CDC, FDA, FTC, Mayo Clinic and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is the information site for a U.S. stocking partner for Reviralis. It is not the manufacturer or the distributor named on the label. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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