But it may numb the pain and itching. Although it s not a common treatment, some doctors recommend taking high doses of vitamin A to boost immunity and prevent herpes recurrence. Vitamin A helps the immune system fight viruses, so the symptoms are less and the number of infections is fewer, explains Jonathan Wright, M.D., a doctor in Kent, Washington, who specializes in nutritional therapy and is the author of Dr. Wright s Guide to Healing with Nutrition. For fighting herpes, Dr. Wright recommends taking 50,000 international units daily, an amount that far exceeds the Daily Value of 5,000 international units, for the duration of the outbreak. If you want to try this, clear it with your doctor first.
Vitamin A can be toxic in high doses and can build up in the body.
Taking 10,000 units of vitamin A in early pregnancy has been linked to a high risk of birth defects. If you are pregnant, do not use this therapy. And if you are of childbearing age, be sure to check with your doctor before starting vitamin A supplementation. Prescriptions for Healing While there are no guarantees when it comes to treating genital herpes, some people experience fewer, less severe outbreaks by boosting their intakes of certain nutrients. Here's what many experts recommend.