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What are the causes of cold sores? This article will tell you quickly. You will learn the main reasons for a cold sore. You will quickly identify the causes of cold sores for yourself.

You may have heard of these as causes of cold sores - physical and mental stress, fever, sun and cold weather. They are not the direct causes of cold sores however.

They are cold sore triggers. People believe these are causes of cold sores because you will generally get an outbreak soon after you experience one of these triggers.

These triggers cause your body to change and be less resistant to the cold sore virus.

Basically, every cold sore, oral herpes or fever blister ulcer is caused by the herpes simplex virus - type 1 or type 2. It hides in your nerve root cells.

Under the right conditions, the herpes virus becomes active, moving to the surface. There it enters the nerve cells - destroying them as it creates new virus.

The herpes simplex virus can tell when there is any change in your body because it makes its home in your nerves. It will quickly sense the effects of the above mentioned triggers.

Here are the top three causes of cold sores. These conditions of your body will encourage cold sore virus activity.

1. LOW pH.

Your body's pH has a lot to do with your health. The pH scale is a measure of how acid or alkaline you are. On a scale of 1 to 14, below 7 is acid and above 7 is alkaline. For best health you should be slightly alkaline.

As long as your body is alkaline (above 7pH) you will rarely get a cold sore. Should your pH drop into the acid zone, the herpes virus could easily activate. Of all the causes of cold sores, this is the top one.

Stress causes cold sores because it causes an acid change in your body. Illness, injury and winter weather also can lower your pH level. These triggers cause hormone and protein changes that create an acid environment.

Your diet can also be a cause of cold sores. Carbonated drinks and high intake of beef and pork are popular offenders that will push you into an acid pH. Most vegetables will raise your pH to the alkaline side. Balance your diet.

Without a doubt, a low pH is the main cause of cold sores. The next two are also causes of cold sores. Combining these with a low pH makes you a sure target for another cold sore.

2. AMINO ACIDS LYSINE AND ARGININE.

Arginine is a protein and the main ingredient used for creation of the herpes simplex virus. If no arginine is available, the herpes replication process cannot occur and no cold sore will happen.

Your cells have a special area within the cell to store arginine. Lysine is also stored in the same area. If you take in high levels of lysine, your cells will make room for it by getting rid of some arginine.

Lysine will not work for creating new herpes virus. Lysine cannot cause cold sores. Replacing arginine with lysine in your cells will greatly reduce cold sore frequency and duration.

Lysine capsules are a cheap and convenient way to get the quantities of lysine needed for your cold sore healing and prevention.

3. THE POWER OF MULTI-VITAMINS.

The power of your immune system - and the strength of your antibodies - is dependant on the nutrients you take in. In particular you need proper quantities of minerals and vitamins.

A weak immune system causes cold sores. Getting high levels of vitamins and minerals from both diet and supplements is the wise choice in preventing oral herpes cold sore outbreaks.

There are only about half the nutrients in today's food as there was in 1950. For optimum health, be sure to take a high quality multivitamin daily along with a good balanced diet.

Calcium is very high importance in cold sore avoidance. It is the main mineral used by your body to keep your body alkaline. Cold sore victims should take large doses of calcium.

Of all the causes of cold sores, an acid pH is number one. A lot of arginine in your cells, along with a weakened immune system contributes even more to the problem.

Stress, mental or physical, causes your body to go into an acid state. Stress also uses up a lot of vitamins and minerals, which weakens your immune system.

There may be many cold sore triggers, and much more you can do, but without a doubt these are the main causes of cold sores in most people.