Sunday, January 30, 2011

Cold Sore Connection?

This may seem like a strange thing to write about, but I am trying to
figure out any connection between Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1), or
cold sores, and Fragile X Syndrome.

Why do I think there may be a connection?  I thought that my
daughter was allergic to peanut butter, because the first time
she tried it (conservatively at 4 years old), she broke out in a
blistery rash on her chin.  I had her tested several times for peanut
allergies, and each time it came back negative.  She frequently
suffers from cold sores (several per month) and these break-outs
weren't just the typical one-sore-on-the-lip, but multiple ones
all over her lips and chin.  

In looking for information on HSV-1 I found a website (link
below) that recommends avoiding foods high in the amino acid arginine
and eating foods high in the amino acid lysine.  I looked through the long
list of foods, and peanut butter was one of the foods highest in arginine.
Other foods on the list that she ate frequently included chocolate and
strawberries.  

http://herpes-coldsores.com/diet_and_nutrition_with_herpes.htm

In August 2010 I began to strictly limit her intake of chocolate and
strawberries (poor girl!!) and two interesting things happened.  The
cold sores decreased (from 3-4 outbreaks a month to less than 1x/mo),
and her language skills really improved.  HMMMMMM.......
Probably a major coincidence, but it got me thinking. . . .

Fast forward a month or two. . . I was explaining Fragile X Syndrome
to a family member who is a Biology Teacher.  When I told her about
the CGG-repeats in the DNA of a person with Fragile X, she told me
that 3 letters on DNA code for an amino acid.  We looked it up and CGG
codes for--you guessed it--ARGININE!!

Now what does that mean?  I had no idea.  Does that mean people with
Fragile X have too much arginine?  Too little arginine?  I don't know.
PLEASE comment if you have any idea.

How does this relate to her nutritional intake of arginine?  I don't know.

According to the National Fragile X Foundation website:
"Fragile X syndrome occurs when the cells in a person do not produce FMRP 
(fragile X mental retardation protein). "


According to Wikipedia (Source given below):
"Amino acids are critical to life, and have many functions in metabolism. One particularly important function is to serve as the building blocks of proteins, which are simply linear chains of amino acids. Just as the letters of the alphabet can be combined to form an almost endless variety of words, amino acids can be linked together in varying sequences to form a vast variety of proteins."[2]    (^ "The Structures of Life". National Institute of General Medical Sciences. Retrieved 2008-05-20.)    


If amino acids are building blocks for proteins, and the lack of a certain protein 
causes Fragile X Syndrome, what is the connection between Fragile X and the
amino acids in the foods we eat?  


Please Please Please feel free to comment, question, add thoughts, etc.!  I am 
in major brainstorming mode here. . . I need a Biochemist, Dietician, Genetics
MD.,. . . to sit down with me and help me understand the connection.  
Maybe it's obvious, or maybe there is no connection.  

3 comments:

  1. Visiting from Fragile X Files... I can't answer any of your questions, but I think you have an interesting theory. Have you continued to limit the foods high in arginine? Have you continued to see positive results? If you reintroduce strawberries, chocolate, pb, is there a noticeable negative effect? Sometimes moms are the best researchers.

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  2. good blog :) if more info is need on labial herpes(cold sores) www.labialherpes.info

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  3. Holy moly! I just stumbled across your blog, and boy am I glad I did.

    My 9yo daughter just got diagnosed with FXS, and I've been doing a lot of research. There is so much info out there about boys, but hardly any about girls.

    Anyway, my DD has always had trouble with cold sores, starting when she was around 2. She doesn't like chocolate or peanuts, and doesn't get strawberries often (too expensive). I'll have to look into other possible food triggers.

    No answers here, but thanks for the head's up!

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