The leaves are falling, the days are getting shorter – herpes is coming! According to the WHO (World Health Organization), two out of three people worldwide carry the herpes virus (herpes simplex virus type 1), which corresponds to 3.7 billion people under the age of 50 (as of 2015). A healthy immune system usually keeps the virus in check. However, under the influence of stress, for example, it can make itself felt in the form of painful blisters on the mouth. Autumn is also one of the seasons when many people contract the unpleasant and persistent virus. Unfortunately, for many people fall and herpes are inseparable. To mark the start of autumn today, September 23, we take a closer look at the question of why and what can be done about it.
What happens in the fall
Autumn, with its cold, wet weather, draughts and the onset of the heating season, takes its toll on our immune system. There is less immunostimulating sunlight. At the same time, we have to fight off various colds from our fellow human beings. The body often has no capacity left to contain its own herpes viruses, which are often inactive but always present. As a result, the immune system is weakened and then the lip “blossoms” overnight, often starting with an itchy and tight feeling. The nature of the lips, which are part of the outer mucous membranes and therefore have no sebaceous glands or oil-water film, often tends to become dry, brittle and even cracked during the cold days, which are barely protected from external influences and thus facilitate the entry of viruses.
What helps prevent cold sores
Cold sores are unsightly, painful and unfortunately highly contagious. Especially for those who suffer from recurrent outbreaks of herpes viruses, the level of suffering is high. So how can you protect yourself from the next outbreak during the cold season? “A balanced, healthy diet is just as important for strengthening the immune system as exercise to counterbalance mental and physical stress,” says Prof. Dr. Kristian Reich from Dermatologikum Berlin. One aspect that is often neglected, especially during the transitional period in the fall, is warm clothing. “Appropriate clothing is particularly important in the fall. Viruses find it easier to penetrate a hypothermic body than at normal body temperature. It is therefore important to start the winter jacket season early, even if you don’t actually want to wear it yet because you are mourning the summer “, says Prof. Dr. Reich. Anti-viral creams can also help as a preventative measure and when the first signs appear.
Secrets of the ocean unraveled – New active ingredient comes from blue-green algae
In a recent study, the World Health Organization (WHO) showed that herpes is not an individual fate, but a global problem. “According to WHO estimates published in October 2015, around two thirds of the world’s human population under the age of 50 are affected by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Expressed in figures, that is 3.7 billion people ” explains Prof. Dr. Reich. It is therefore no wonder that research is being carried out worldwide to combat herpes viruses, including in Reinbek near Hamburg. ocean pharma is particularly interested in natural active ingredients from the ocean. It has taken 10 years of research to elicit the key to the natural microalgae active ingredient Spiralin ® from nature. A clinical study proves that the natural active ingredient prevents the outbreak of cold sores three times as well and supports the healing of outbreaks four times as well as standard pharmaceutical products. “ The JACI (The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology) reported on a novel, natural active ingredient*. Spiralin® is extracted from spirulina algae, which, with its antimicrobial and antiviral properties, has the best prerequisites for the development of a cold sore treatment,” emphasizes Prof. Dr. Reich.
If you have any questions, please send us an email to: info@ocean-pharma.de
*Together with the Dermatologikum Hamburg and the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), researchers at the Heinrich Pette Institute (HPI) have succeeded in demonstrating the efficacy of the polysaccharide calcium spirulan (Ca-SP) from the blue-green algae Spirulina platensis against the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). An extract of the blue-green algae and in particular the polysaccharide Ca-SP contained therein prevent the attachment of HSV-1 to human keratinocytes. The polysaccharide Ca-SP is also effective against other herpes viruses. The results can be read in the “Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology”.
