Cold Sores and Combat Sports

Cold sores are highly contagious, and an outbreak can often prevent athletes from participating in the sports (contact sports) they love, and even prevent professional athletes from competing in the sports in which they participate professionally.

This is especially true in the realm of combat sports (boxing, Mma, jiu jitsu, kickboxing, wrestling etc.) The training and competitive aspects of these sport often have participants in conditions in which the spreading of cold sores is very high, thus it is important to take extra precautions to help insure that you stay cold sore free as a combat sport athlete. Here are a few things you can do to help stay cold sore free.

1. Clean your gear. This should be a mandatory rule in general at any combat sports gym, but this is especially true if you (or any of your teammates) suffer from cold sores. Cleaning your gloves and head gear with antibacterial wipes, disinfecting your mouth guard after each use, and cleaning your water bottle daily are a few things to keep in mind.

2. Stay hydrated. One of the more common causes of a cold sore outbreak is dehydration. Combat sports, especially when participating in a fight camp, dropping weight for a fight, or just training hard in general, can lead to dehydration in combat sports athletes. Be sure to manage your water intake during and after training to ensure that your next fight is against your opponent, and not a brand new cold sore.

3. Stay home. If you have a cold sore outbreak, do you and your teammates a favor and stay out of the gym until its fully healed. While you may not be able to train with others, you can still train on your own in a safe environment (jogging, jump rope, stretching etc) to ensure you are maintaining your regiment without putting your teammates at risk of a cold sore outbreak.

4. Foods to avoid. Avoid foods that are high in L-Arginine (said to be an important amino acid in the cold sore replication process) such as nuts, turkey breast, and soy products.

5. Supplements to consider. Said to be the most effective supplement in inhibiting L-Arginine, is L- Lysine. Unfortunately the body does not produce this amino acid on its own, making supplementation a great option to keep it in your system daily. Other effective ingredients to consider supplementing are Zinc, Selenium, Alpha Lipoic Acid and Quercetin, all contributing to your body's natural daily defense.* 

For professional athletes, staying cold sore free is even more imperative. Getting a cold sore at the end of a 8 week fight camp, only to be rejected medical clearance and removed from the fight card / event can feel worse than a KO loss (and in some cases threaten your career / contracts.) 

Taking Cold Sore Shield daily, or a few weeks before your fight, should be an essential part of any profession combat sport athlete's regiment if they suffer from frequent cold sores, helping them focus on their fight and not their next cold sore.*

Cold Sore Shield is a combination of powerful nutrients combined with L-Lysine that work with the body’s immune system to support its daily defense of outbreaks*  Take daily (for best results) or start taking a few weeks before your big event.*

Available on Amazon and your local Walmart.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease