Stopping your recurrences

Does cactus, olive leaf or pollen do best? By Marian Nicholson, Director Herpes Virus Association

Fifteen members each tried three months on a new product from Eladon: Olive leaf extract, Opuntia streptacantha (a cactus) and combined Lysine, pollen and propolis. If people were already using Elagen this was continued as Eladon recommends taking it at the same time for a complementary effect - see table

For new readers here is a summary of the basis of trying these three products.

1. Olive Leaf Extract (O.L.E)

This was the clear winner of the trial. It has a good record of supporting health.

Research has been carried out in the U.S where it has been used to treat long standing bacterial infections that did not respond to conventional antibiotics (e.g.chronic sinusitis) as well as viral infections and fungal problems. In Eastern Europe Olive leaf extract is prescribed by national health services to:

• strengthen the immune system.
• prevent or treat viral diseases like influenza, herpes simplex, Epstein - Barr and human immunodefiency virus.
• alleviate sore throats, chronic sinusitis, pneumonia and chronic disease syndrome.
• fight conditions caused by the bodies imbalance such as psoriasis and arthritis

2. Opuntia streptacantha (O.S)

An extract of this cactus plant has been tested by the Vaccine Research Trust, UK, and they report that it inhibits the replication of viruses inside the cells: influenza, rabies and herpes simplex.

In the Journal 'Current Obstetrics and Gynaecology', Dr. Gordon Skinner, a lecturer in virology at Birmingham University has written: " During the past two years I have been alternating or complementing (antiviral) suppressive therapy with a preparation of the plant Opuntia streptacantha... for patients with troublesome or refractory " (recurrences). He uses a strength of 4 grams of Opuntia streptacantha per day. His patients have reported no side effects.

3. Lysine, Pollen and Propolis (L.P.P)

Lysine is in everyday food as arginine. In laboratories growing herpes simplex cultures, it has been observed that the virus replicates better in an arginine rich gel rather than a lysine rich gel. Since then some people who get repeated outbreaks have found that by avoiding arginine rich food (predominantly chocolate and all forms of nuts) and taking tablets containing extra lysine, they cease triggering outbreaks. Eladon Ltd included pollen and propolis in the formulation as these natural by-products of bee hives have a long history of improving health. Indeed certain youthful movie stars claim propolis is the secret of their looks and vitality.

The Volunteers

Before the trial started our volunteers had to fill out a questionnaire which includes 'How many outbreaks do you get per year'? Their answer had to be more than six. In fact, they averaged nearly one a month.

'How long have you had it?' The average was 'over eight years'.

22 people (out of 43) have had it for six years or more. This is important since a lot of the volunteers will have had a herpes simplex for a long time and tried a lot of things to stop outbreaks, a small improvement in the condition of such stubborn cases may be translated into a dramatic improvement in the symptoms of people who have only had it a while.

Ages of people were between 20 and 56 for women. Men were between 31 and 73. The average age was 39. 20 people on the trail were aged 38 or below.

Evaluation of the results

At the end of the trial the volunteers returned their calendars and answered more questions. The numbers in the table show clearly that O.L.E was the most effective of the three products. The number of people who benefited from both O.L.E and O.S exceeded what is expected from the 'placebo effect'. ( this states that where there is a psychological component to the condition, around one third of people 'taking something' feel better even though what they are taking has no active ingredient)

The (*) in the table refers to a woman who said that O.L.E helped. Although she did not have fewer outbreaks, it reduced her predromal itches and aches.

Only one person in each group answered the question 'Are there any side effects?'. It is normal to have some in any trial even when people are taking a placebo (dummy pills). It is likely that one of these side effects - tummy ache after taking O.S - was due to the gelatine capsule itself, this is a known possibility and in this case the capsule can be opened and the ingredients taken on their own.

<table - TBC>

There was a space for volunteers to make comments and many of them did so:

Pleased with Olive Leaf extract:

• definitely helps, easy to take.
• fewer prodromes but same frequency. I am now taking Elagen to see what happens
• adding Elagen to see what happens.
• good stuff, I'll continue to see what happens
• my genital symptoms were 25 % better than on Elagen alone and my mouth was 50 % better.
• excellent
• reasonable protection, but sores not kept off long enough, I'll keep taking it
• good, only one small sore

Not pleased with Olive Leaf extract:

• two outbreaks ( in three months) but they did only last two days each.
• gave me headaches and spots ( the side effects detailed above)

Pleased with Opuntia streptacantha

• definitely helps, easy to take.
• definitely less severe
• two short prodromes, no flu, I was taking Elagen too
• I'm a great believer
• amazed! I'm confident the cycle is broken
• will continue for 6 months

Not pleased with Opuntia streptacantha

• not very effective.
• exacerbated my symptoms. I'm better off since I stopped them.
• Elagen worked for four years
• maybe worse!

Pleased with Lysine, pollen and propolis

• half the outbreaks.

Not pleased with Lysine, pollen and propolis

• no good but thanks for including me in the trial
• recurrences were more frequent.

And the winner is Olive Leaf Extract! Second, Opuntia streptacantha!