Dear Dr. SerVaas: I am plagued with cold sores in and on my mouth. I read something on this at the doctor's office in the "Medical Mailbox." If you have any information, I would appreciate it.

M. Johnson
Greenfield, Indiana

Dear Dr. SerVaas: In the late 1960s I was having major problems with canker sores and fever blisters. It progressed to the point where the canker sores had to be cauterized. My family physician gave me another smallpox shot hoping for relief, but to no avail.

About that time I read an article regarding an amino acid by the name of L-lysine. The suggested dosage was as follows: two 500 mg tablets 3 times daily for one week, to make sure in the beginning the mouth and lips were free of eruptions. Then one 500 mg tablet daily as a maintenance dose. I have not had problems in 35 years. I still take one each day.

Also, I read articles you wrote in the Post regarding L-lysine cornmeal.

I used the L-lysine cornmeal made by Arrowhead Mills as long as it was available in the health-food stores.

Avis Littlelight
Garryowen, Montana

Dear Readers: We are happy to keep spreading the word that boosting lysine intake and avoiding arginine-rich foods such as nuts and chocolates can help fight herpes simplex cold sores. Since the early '70s, we've written about groundbreaking work by lysine researcher Dr. Richard Griffith and his colleagues at Indiana University showing the health benefits of taking supplements of the inexpensive and safe amino acid. He recommended that cold-sore sufferers take 500 mg of lysine per 22 pounds of body weight daily.

One elderly cold-sore sufferer wrote, "Just to think, lysine was on the drugstore shelves all these years and I didn't know it."