Lysine stops vertigo. Bunk or fact?

One of the best discoveries on my Ménière’s journey came in September 2023 while reading a forum on the Menieres.org website. L-lysine supplements (lysine), when taken at sufficient dosages and on a strict regimen, can significantly alleviate vertigo attacks and, for some, end them completely.

My first thought was, “really?” And not in a good way. I’m a self-proclaimed skeptic with a high-powered BS meter. This all sounded too good to be true.

But the testimonials on the site were persuasive. And the more I read about the science around lysine, the more convinced I was that the supplement might actually help. Lysine had given these Ménière’s sufferers their lives back. Supplementation with lysine is considered safe in doses up to 3000 per day (the recommended dosage for vertigo). Given the severity of my vertigo, I thought it was worth a try.

Before I recap what happened to me, let me offer some context.

What is L-lysine?

Lysine is a natural essential amino acid that the body uses to build proteins. The body doesn’t make it, so you have to get it from food and supplements.

Foods high in lysine include (not an extensive list):

• meats
• seafood
• eggs
• yogurt
• legumes
• potatoes
• tomatoes
• beets
• avocado

Lysine is known to be particularly effective at tackling the virus that causes herpes simplex (the same virus that causes cold sores). And, because Ménière’s disease is thought by many to be viral in origin, there’s an increasing amount of anecdotal evidence that taking lysine can help relieve the symptoms of vertigo, tinnitus, or pain and pressure in the inner ear.

How lysine works

For herpes viruses to replicate they need certain enzymes, such as arginine. When those enzymes are absent from human cells, the viruses don’t replicate. Eating arginine-containing foods can induce Ménière’s attacks. The arginine causes production of enzymes that produce new herpes viruses.

Foods high in arginine:

• chicken
• turkey
• pork loin
• pumpkin seeds
• soybeans
• peanuts
• spirulina
• dairy products
• chickpeas
• lentils

The good news is that lysine, when available, can substitute for arginine. When lysine gets inserted in herpes virus replication enzymes, they no longer work; they can’t produce any new herpes viruses.

So, if both lysine and arginine are available in the body, the arginine gets incorporated in the new enzymes. But when only lysine is available, it gets incorporated in lieu of the arginine. Rule No. 1: Take the lysine without food and it will work. If taken with food, almost all of which has some arginine, the lysine won’t be taken up to disable the enzyme and stop the virus from replicating.

How to take lysine

The regimen for taking lysine is a bit of a hassle and requires daily discipline. Based on my experience, I’ve concluded that taking lysine three times a day is easy compared to not taking the lysine and being out of commission with vertigo.

Here’s how to do it for best results: 

• Take one 1000mg tablet 3 times per day, one about every 8 hours.
• Take your pill at least 20 minutes before, or two hours after a meal (no exceptions). 

Both timing of consumption and the amount of lysine taken are key. The dosing needs to be consistent and in high enough concentrations to keep the virus from replicating. The virus can resume replication in just a few hours when antiviral drugs or lysine levels in the blood are low. 

My experience

I began my 3000 mg-per-day regimen the last week of September 2023. I followed a strict schedule, taking 1000 mg every 8 hours or so on an empty stomach. The best dosing schedule for me turned out to be: 4:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 8:00 pm. Sometimes I would slip a half hour or so, but I pretty much stuck to the schedule and did not miss a dose. It took careful planning; however, once I got organized, it was pretty easy.

While doing my initial research, I learned that improvements never happen quickly. In fact, most people don’t start to see measurable improvement until between 2 and 6 months. I knew it would take a while.

During the first couple of months, I had more attacks. The research showed that this kind of aggravation should also be expected. The herpes virus senses an adversary in the body and fights back, at least for a while. The setbacks, while unpleasant, did not deter my schedule or progress.

As it turns out, it took 3 months for me to see marked improvement (a noticeable lessening of both vertigo and dizzy episodes). And at 4 months (January 2024), the symptoms stopped completely.

For several months thereafter, I experienced no vertigo, no dizziness, and no “spaced-out” feeling in my head, as I had previously. Needless to say, I was thrilled! The lysine, as so many other Ménière’s sufferers had claimed, had given me my life back.

The tinnitus that had developed in my right ear, however, remained. My research showed that improvements in that department took much longer; in some cases, they never improved. I would describe my tinnitus as of the “hissing” variety–pretty tolerable compared with the unbearable ringing that some people experience. 

Since that first “remission” period in January 2024, I’ve had some setbacks. Occasionally, I’ll experience a vertigo attack, though each one has been short (under one minute) compared with the hours-long episodes of the past, and far less intense. I’ve also had some dizziness and a “spaced out” moment from time to time. All in all, the lysine has been a game-changer.

Ménière’s disease is not unlike an April day–wait 5 minutes and things could change. I keep taking the lysine faithfully, trusting that things will continue to go well.  We’ll see what happens next.