Supplements For Shingles
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three people in the U.S. develops shingles at least once in their lifetime, with about one million contracting shingles each year. And, while most people suffer the severe pain and discomfort of shingles once, it is possible to have the condition more often. Most common among older adults—shingles is uncommon among children—the risk of shingles increases with age and is more common among those with weakened immune systems. And, because elevated levels of stress can weaken the immune system, it can also increase the risk of developing shingles and allow the virus to reactivate.
Signs and Symptoms of Shingles
Shingles is a painful, itchy rash that occurs on one side of the face and/or body. The tingling pain is typically detected where the rash eventually occurs several days before the rash appears. The rash appears as painful, fluid-filled blisters that usually scab over within seven to 10 days and typically clear up within three to five weeks. The rash is often accompanied by fever, headaches and upset stomach.
Shingles can also lead to serious complications, the most common of which is long-term pain called postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), occurring in 10-18 percent of individuals who have had shingles—particularly those with weakened immune systems. This extremely severe nerve pain occurs in the location of the original rash and can last for months or years after the rash disappears. Additional long-term effects of PHN include depression, anxiety, insomnia and weight loss.
The Cause of Shingles
Also referred to as herpes zoster, shingles affect the nerves and cause a painful skin rash.
It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox. Adults who had chickenpox as children are more prone to develop shingles because the virus remains in the body’s nerve cells and reactivates later in life.
While shingles itself is not directly contagious, the virus that causes it can be spread to others. Those who never had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine as children can contract VZV from people with shingles through direct contact with the blister fluid or by breathing in particles of the virus from those blisters. When individuals are infected with the virus, they can develop shingles later in life.
To avoid spreading the virus to others, individuals with shingles should:
- Keep the shingles rash covered.
- Avoid touching or scratching the rash.
- Wash their hands frequently.
- Avoid contact with others until the blisters scab over, especially pregnant women, premature or low birth weight infants and those with weakened immune systems.
Shingles Prevention and Treatment
The only way to protect yourself from getting shingles and PHN is to be vaccinated with the recombinant zoster vaccine called Shingrix. Safe and readily available throughout the U.S., the shingles vaccine is over 90 percent effective at preventing shingles in adults aged 50 and older. Adults over age 19 with weakened immune systems should get vaccinated, as they are at higher risk of contracting shingles and encountering complications from the condition.
Effective vaccination requires two doses, taken two to six months apart for adults aged 50 and older. Higher-risk adults over age 19 can receive the second dose one to two months after the first. Avoid getting vaccinated if you currently have shingles, are pregnant or have an allergic reaction to the first dose. Even if you’ve had shingles, getting vaccinated can help prevent it from reoccurring.
Treatments for shingles are limited to managing the condition’s painful symptoms. Antiviral medications such as acyclovir (Zovirax®), famciclovir (Famvir®) and valacyclovir (Valtrex®) may provide relief from the discomfort of shingles, especially if started within 72 hours of the first sign of symptoms. Other treatments are over-the-counter pain medications, including acetaminophen (Tylenol®) and ibuprofen (Motrin® and Advil®).
Coping with the Discomfort of Shingles
Beyond prescription and over-the-counter medications to help provide relief from shingles’ painful symptoms, measures to help ease their discomfort include:
- Wear loose-fitting, natural-fiber clothing.
- Take oatmeal baths or apply calamine lotion to soothe the skin.
- Apply cool washcloths to blisters to ease the pain and help dry the blisters.
- Keep the rash-affected area clean and try not to scratch the blisters so they don’t become infected or leave scars.
- Get plenty of rest and eat well-balanced meals.
- Avoid stress, which can make the pain worse.
Supplements for Shingles
While there is no cure for the virus, there are supplements for shingles that may help decrease the discomfort associated with its symptoms and speed up the healing process.
Vitamin B12 Methylcobalamin Supplement 1000 mcg
Cooper Complete B12 Methylcobalamin Supplement contains the most active, absorbable form of vitamin B12 as it does not require conversion in the body. (Note: This product was previously offered in a liquid form.)
$19.98 Add to cartVitamin B12
The pain and itching associated with shingles is thought to be due to nerve damage. Vitamin B12 is a neurotropic agent which contributes to the treatment of nerve damage and is effective in treating neuropathic pain. It basically protects and calms the nervous system.
Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN)—severe nerve pain that occurs with the original rash and often outlasts it for months or years—is the most common complication of shingles. A meta-analysis of four clinical trials showed vitamin B12 can be an effective supplement for shingles in treating neuropathic pain and may reduce the need for analgesics.
In a study of patients suffering from herpetic pain and/or itching, those experiencing pain were shown to have deficiencies of vitamin B12. Make sure you’re not at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency by becoming familiar with its warning signs.
Cooper Complete Vitamin B12 contains 1000 mcg of B12 methylcobalamin, the most active, absorbable form of vitamin B12 for support of healthy nerve cells and energy production.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for strengthening the body’s natural defenses and supporting a healthy immune system. With its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immune-enhancing properties, it also helps the body produce collagen to support wound healing. One study showed administering a two-week high dose regimen of vitamin C to shingles patients reduced pain and led to more rapid healing.
Because low blood levels of vitamin C are associated with increased risk of PHN, shingles patients should make sure to maintain healthy levels of vitamin C through foods rich in vitamin C, including citrus fruits, peppers, broccoli and potatoes, or through supplementation.
Cooper Complete Natural Vitamin C contains 850 mg of vitamin C as calcium and magnesium ascorbates, with citrus bioflavonoids to support immune health, the healing process and collagen production.
Zinc Supplement 25 mg
This Zinc Supplement is comprised of zinc gluconate and zinc citrate for optimal absorption. Zinc is important for muscle function, healthy aging, skin and immune health.
$20.48 Add to cartZinc
Zinc is an antioxidant micronutrient essential to the proper functioning of the immune system. It helps fight off bacteria and viruses. Zinc also helps reduce oxidative stress, which scientists believe is linked to chronic diseases, including high blood pressure and diabetes, and plays a role in regulating every stage of the wound healing process.
In a study investigating how zinc helps modulate the healing process, scientists found it plays an essential role in membrane repair, scar formation and defense against oxidative stress, inflammation and the immune system. By driving tissue repair, zinc can help speed up the healing of shingles lesions and reduce pain.
Because getting too much zinc can be harmful—causing nausea, dizziness, headaches and loss of appetite—the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine set an upper tolerable intake limit for adults at 40 mg daily.
Cooper Complete Zinc supplement contains 25 mg of zinc as zinc gluconate and zinc citrate for better absorption to help support a healthy immune system. (Cooper Complete multivitamins contain 15 mg of zinc per serving, and Cooper Complete Eye Health contains 25 mg of zinc per serving.)
Magnesium
Magnesium plays a key role in nerve function, including nerve transmission and brain-body signal relaying. It’s also essential to the formation of the myelin sheath, an insulating layer formed around nerves—including those in the brain and spinal cord—and regulating the transmission of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin (5-HT).
For shingles patients who develop PHN, maintaining healthy levels of magnesium may help decrease nerve pain through its role in preventing nerve cell receptors from being stimulated.
Cooper Complete offers two magnesium formulations. Cooper Complete Magnesium Glycinate, with 120 mg of magnesium glycinate, helps ensure healthy levels to support improved sleep, increased energy production, and bone and heart health. Cooper Complete Cognitive Health Magnesium L-Threonate, with 144 mg magnesium as magnesium L-threonate and 2 mg Magtein®, a patented form of magnesium that helps support mental focus and clarity, as well as improved sleep quality by increasing the time spent in deep and REM sleep.
Lysine
Lysine is an essential amino acid for tissue growth and repair. While there is no clinical support for using lysine supplements to treat the symptoms of shingles, lysine has been found to reduce stress and anxiety—which can lead to decreased immunity—and can help regulate the inflammatory response.
Because a virus causes shingles from the same group as the herpes simplex virus (HSV), some doctors believe that lysine could help people with the condition since it has been shown to reduce the rate of recurrence and length of outbreaks of HSV. Read more about the health benefits of lysine.
Cooper Complete L-lysine contains 1500 mg of lysine to support healthy skin, immune system and wound healing.
It is always important to consult your physician before adding new supplements to your regimen, including supplements for shingles. Your physician understands your health profile best, so talk with them about which supplements are best for you and any medical conditions you may have.