Monolaurin and Cold Sores
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Cold sores or fever blisters are typically caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) and are both common and contagious. However, other triggers include stress, fatigue, hormonal changes, weakened immunity among others.
Monolaurin &
Cold Sores
What Are Cold Sores?
Technically, cold sores or fever blisters are small sores that can cause a burning-like sensation or itching before progressing and finally bursting.
Cold sores or fever blisters can appear on any part of your body, but they are most commonly found in and around the mouth and lips, nose, cheeks or even the fingers. An uncomfortable stage of blisters is when they burst and begin to scab. This exposes new and delicate skin underneath the blisters. In general, these symptoms can last from 7-10 days [Ref #1].
Causes of Cold Sores
Cold sores are most commonly caused by herpes simplex virus type-1, or HSV-1, however, at times, they can also be caused by herpes simplex virus type-2 or HSV-2 [Ref #2]. In the US alone, 50-80% of people have oral herpes which makes them prone to cold sores [Ref #3].
The prevalence of cold sores and associated discomfort is why a reliable treatment for cold sores is needed and sought after. Antibiotics treat bacterial infections and are therefore unsuitable for cold sores, and antivirals medications are often expensive or unproven.
Some individuals chose to implement a natural alternative – monolaurin – to help with some viral infections, including cold sores. The following research studies explore monolaurin in relationship to the virus which causes cold sores and fever blisters.
Monolaurin Research
Monolaurin is derived from a medium-chain fatty acid called “lauric acid” which naturally occurs in coconut and palm kernel oils.
Monolaurin has been the subject of numerous laboratory studies which explore its potential to support immune response in the face of various immune challenges. Monolaurin can be taken by itself as a dietary supplement or in combination with traditional medical therapies to support a healthy immune response.
How Does Monolaurin Work?
According to published studies, monolaurin’s primary mode of action lies in liquefying the fats and phospholipids found in the cell walls of the viral protein. In other words, monolaurin potentially acts by disintegrating the protective lipid layers or cell walls of the viral envelope, in turn destroying the virus.
“The antiviral action, attributed to monolaurin (the monoglyceride of lauric acid), is that of solubilizing the lipids and phospholipids in the envelope of the pathogenic organisms causing the disintegration of their outer membrane. There is also evidence that medium chain fatty acids interfere with the organism’s signal transduction and the antimicrobial effect in viruses is due to interference with virus assembly and viral maturation.” [Ref #6]
Monolaurin has been studied for it’s potential to react with different viruses, suggesting the compound may break down the walls of the viral protein before it replicates itself and leads to further spread of the infection.
“Treatment of herpes simplex virus type 2 with these compounds at concentrations as low as 0.2 μM reduced virus survival to 50% in 30 min, making these agents the most potent inactivators of herpes simplex viruses discovered that are not cytotoxic to mammalian cells” [Ref #5]
According to one study, monolaurin may be effective in inactivating Herpes simplex-1 virus in laboratory settings [Ref #4].
“In this study, virucidal activities of fatty alcohols and lipids were tested against HSV types 1 and 2 at various concentrations, times, and pH levels. The aim was first, to determine which compounds are most virucidal against HSV and could possibly be used as active ingredients in topical drug formulations and second, to attempt to throw light on the mode of action of virucidal lipids. Good agreement was found between the activities for HSV-1 and HSV-2.” [Ref #4]
Further, a similar study revealed that unsaturated monoglycerides and alcohols of chain lengths of 16 and 18 carbons are potentially effective in inactivating herpes simplex virus type 2 in laboratory settings [Ref #5].
“Our findings suggest that the unsaturated monoglycerides and some of the unsaturated alcohols should be further studied as potential antiviral agents, particularly for application to herpesvirus-infected areas of the skin and accessible epithelium.” [Ref #5]
Additional research is needed to test monolaurin in well-structured human studies, as results from a laboratory-controlled test may not translate to human results.
Monolaurin as a Dietary Supplement
Generally, monolaurin is taken daily as a dietary supplement but can be increased during times of immune challenge. Some individuals choose to adjust the the amount of monolaurin to reflect the type, intensity, or duration of their immune goals.
Dr. Weil’s integrated medicine article recommends taking 1,000mg of Monolaurin supplement three times a day to support cold sore relief [Ref #7]. This equates to approximately 5 capsules of 600mg monolaurin per day, so an individual may choose to take two with breakfast, one with lunch, and two with dinner, for example.
Additional guidance on dosing can be found on the Monolaurin Dosing page.
As with all supplements, monolaurin should be taken under the supervision of a healthcare professional.
Shop Monolaurin
Looking to try monolaurin? Consider some of the products located on this external site: Shop Monolaurin.
References:
What are cold sores. (n.d.). Retrieved from WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/understanding-cold-sores-basics#1
Nordqvist, C. (2019, May 19). Everything you need to know about cold sores. Retrieved from Medical News Today: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172389.php
Oral Herpes. (n.d.). Retrieved from Johns Hopkins Medicine: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/adult/infectious_diseases/Oral_Herpes_22,OralHerpes
Hilmarsson, H., Kristmundsdóttir, T., Thormar, H. Virucidal activities of medium‐ and long‐chain fatty alcohols, fatty acids and monoglycerides against herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2: comparison at different pH levels . Journal of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology Volume113, Issue1. January 2005. Pages 58-65 . https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0463.2005.apm1130109.x
J, S., Auperin, D., & Snipes, W. (1979, January 15). Extreme sensitivity of enveloped viruses, including herpes simplex, to long-chain unsaturated monoglycerides and alcohols. Retrieved from NCBI: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/218499
Arora, R., Chawla, R., & Arora, P. (2010, October 13). Potential of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Preventive Management of Novel H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) Pandemic: Thwarting Potential Disasters in the Bud. Retrieved from NCBI: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2957173/
Weil. (n.d.). What are cold sores? Retrieved from Weil: https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/hair-skin-nails/cold-sores/