The lysine to arginine ratio idea began in 1964, when herpes virus failed to grow in cells deprived of arginine. We found 0 trials testing a low-arginine diet by itself.
What exists instead is cell-culture work, 2 trials that mixed diet with lysine, and 1 study of what people with herpes actually eat.
Quick Answer: Does the Lysine to Arginine Ratio Matter?
In cell cultures, yes: herpes needs arginine, and lysine partly blocks it. In people, the idea is untested on its own, because the 2 positive trials that cut arginine also gave lysine. A 1987 study found people with herpes already ate more lysine than arginine, about 8.11 g against 6.32 g a day.
Key Takeaways
- In 1964 cell work, herpes failed to replicate without arginine.
- We found 0 trials testing a low-arginine diet by itself.
- 2 positive lysine trials also changed diet, blurring which change worked.
- A 1987 diet study measured 8.11 g lysine against 6.32 g arginine daily.
- Greek yogurt carries 2.4 times more lysine than arginine; almonds, 0.2.
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Where the Ratio Idea Came From
The idea rests on 2 laboratory findings about how herpes grows in cultured human cells, not on the wider lysine evidence in people.
- Arginine: Infected cells deprived of it made no virus.
- Restored arginine: Infection resumed promptly and extensively.
- Lysine: Not required, and partly inhibitory.
- Later work: Lysine antagonised arginine's effect on viral growth.
The 1964 study reported that cells deprived of arginine supported neither damage nor viral replication.[1]Amino acid requirements of herpes simplex virus in human cells — Journal of Bacteriology (1964) View source The 1981 follow-up proposed that people prone to herpes should avoid arginine excess.[2]Relation of arginine-lysine antagonism to herpes simplex growth in tissue culture — Chemotherapy (1981) View source
What Was Never Tested
The ratio has been assumed in trials but never isolated, as the herpes trials, dose by dose show.
- Diet alone: 0 trials of a low-arginine diet without lysine.
- 1978 study: Lysine plus diet advice, with no comparison group.
- 1984, 1,248 mg: A high-lysine, low-arginine diet in both arms.
- 1984, 1,000 mg: A low-arginine diet, plus lysine or placebo.
A 2017 review concluded lysine looked ineffective under 1 g a day without a low-arginine diet.[3]Lysine for Herpes Simplex Prophylaxis: A Review of the Evidence — Integrative Medicine (2017) View source
What People Already Eat
A 1987 dietary study measured both amino acids in 16 people, with and without herpes.
- Lysine: 8.11 g a day on average.
- Arginine: 6.32 g a day on average.
- Ratio: About 1.3 to 1, already in lysine's favour.
- Herpes versus controls: No significant difference.
The authors added that individual intakes varied widely.[4]Assessment of dietary intake of lysine and arginine in patients with herpes simplex — Journal of the American Dietetic Association (1987) View source A 1,000 mg capsule moves the average ratio from about 1.3 to 1.4.
That is a modest shift, and a single-ingredient lysine capsule should be judged on that arithmetic.
The Ratio, Food by Food
These figures are per 100 g, from USDA FoodData Central.[5]FoodData Central, SR Legacy amino acid profiles — U.S. Department of Agriculture View source
| Food, per 100 g | Lysine | Arginine | Lysine to arginine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parmesan cheese | 3.31 g | 1.32 g | 2.5 to 1 |
| Greek yogurt, nonfat | 0.82 g | 0.34 g | 2.4 to 1 |
| Tuna, canned, drained | 2.68 g | 1.74 g | 1.5 to 1 |
| Chicken breast, roasted | 2.64 g | 1.87 g | 1.4 to 1 |
| Egg, hard-boiled | 0.90 g | 0.76 g | 1.2 to 1 |
| Black beans, cooked | 0.61 g | 0.55 g | 1.1 to 1 |
| Lentils, cooked | 0.63 g | 0.70 g | 0.9 to 1 |
| Tofu, firm | 0.88 g | 1.37 g | 0.6 to 1 |
| Peanuts, dry-roasted | 0.85 g | 2.83 g | 0.3 to 1 |
| Almonds | 0.57 g | 2.46 g | 0.2 to 1 |
| Pumpkin seeds, dried | 1.24 g | 5.35 g | 0.2 to 1 |
Animal foods run above 1 to 1, and nuts and seeds run far below it. Legumes sit near the middle.
- Highest ratio here: Parmesan, about 2.5 to 1.
- Lowest: Almonds and pumpkin seeds, about 0.2 to 1.
- Portion matters: 30 g of almonds is under a third of these numbers.
- Not tested: Whether choosing by ratio changes outbreaks.
For amounts rather than ratios, see a fuller list of lysine foods.
Arginine Supplements Are a Different Question
Food arginine and supplement arginine are not the same exposure.
- Food: About 6 g of arginine a day in the 1987 study.
- Supplements: Several grams more, taken at once.
- A 2023 review: Listed arginine among things detrimental in herpes.
- The anxiety trials: Gave lysine and arginine together.
That 2023 review also described lysine as showing promise in controlling herpes.[6]A Narrative Review of Alternative Symptomatic Treatments for Herpes Simplex Virus — Viruses (2023) View source
Speak to a Clinician Before Taking Lysine If
- You have kidney disease, or have ever been told your kidney function is reduced
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding; we found 0 trials of lysine supplements in pregnancy
- You take high-dose calcium, or an aminoglycoside antibiotic such as gentamicin
- Your cold sores are frequent, severe, near the eye, or you are immunocompromised
- You have gallbladder or heart disease, which one review flags as a theoretical concern
Frequently Asked Questions
What is better, L-lysine or L-arginine? +
They do different jobs. For cold sores, lysine is the one studied, at 1,000 to 3,000 mg a day; arginine is the one herpes guidance cautions against.
Should you take lysine and arginine together? +
For cold sores, that works against the theory. Yet 2 anxiety trials gave both, at 2.64 g and 3 g of each, so the answer depends on the goal.
Does Greek yogurt have more lysine or arginine? +
More lysine. USDA data give nonfat Greek yogurt 0.82 g lysine and 0.34 g arginine per 100 g, a ratio of about 2.4 to 1.
What foods are high in lysine for cold sores? +
Dairy, fish, chicken and eggs all carry more lysine than arginine. Parmesan runs about 2.5 to 1, chicken breast about 1.4 to 1.
What to avoid while taking lysine? +
Herpes advice usually names nuts and seeds. Almonds and pumpkin seeds carry about 4 times more arginine than lysine, though no trial tested avoiding them alone.
Is chocolate high in arginine? +
Cocoa powder has slightly more arginine than lysine: 1.11 g against 0.98 g per 100 g. A serving uses only a few grams of powder.
Does lysine block arginine in the body? +
In cell cultures, lysine antagonised arginine's effect on herpes. In people, 1 trial linked benefit to blood lysine above 165 nmol/mL.
Why does herpes need arginine? +
In 1964 lab work, infected cells deprived of arginine made no virus, and replication resumed once arginine returned.
Do I need to avoid nuts if I take lysine? +
No trial says so. The 2 positive trials that restricted arginine also gave 1,000 to 1,248 mg of lysine, so the diet's own effect is unknown.
Related Reading
- Lysine Dosage, Salt Form and Timing
- Is Lysine Hard on the Kidneys?
- The Lysine and Arginine Stress Trials
- L-Arginine Side Effects and the Herpes Question
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