Epstein Barr Virus & Mononucleosis

When I was a teenager and had Mononucleosis, no one ever mentioned Epstein Barr. They also failed to tell me that it could or would possibly come back later in life either. A few years ago, (in my 40's) I was diagnosed with E.B.V. again and it was a really bad experience. That was a very long time between having it the first time!

Symptoms are extreme lethargy and sleepiness which makes you very confused about what's wrong with you. If you don't know your diagnosis, depression is a major concern because you feel so tired and don't know what is causing it.

My doctor told me that there was nothing I could really do for the virus and that there was no medication that would help me. You simply have to give it time to run it's course. There maybe one supplement however, that does expedite recovery and help alleviate the symptoms.

Epstein Barr Virus - causes Mononucleosis.

Herpes Simplex Virus - causes Cold Sores and Genital Herpes.

Varicella Zoster Virus - causes Chicken Pox and Shingles.

These conditions are all part of the same family and are all related. They can cause major problems in daily life activity and function-ability.

Epstein Barr Virus Symptoms and Treatments

Extreme fatigue, fever, possible sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, (mainly in your throat but not restricted to), drowsiness, rash on arms or feet, enlarged spleen or liver, facial swelling, loss of appetite and muscle aches. Signs may persist for 2 – 8 weeks. (In my experiences with both conditions, I had swollen glands with Mono but not with Epstein Barr!)

Transmission of the epstein barr virus is said to require intimate contact with the saliva of an infected person. (A nickname for Mononucleosis is the kissing disease.) Transmission of this virus through the air or blood is rare.

The incubation period, or the time from infection to appearance of symptoms, ranges from 4 to 6 weeks. Persons with infectious mononucleosis can spread the infection to others for a period of weeks.

Epstein Barr Virus can show up at any time in your life after you've been exposed to it. The worst part is that you can catch it again by exposure to it again or simply by stress in general. Both are fairly contagious just as Herpes and Chicken Pox can be.

If you want to get over it faster, you may want to try lysine supplements. Lysine is an essential amino acid that your body needs for growth and repair. You can obtain Lysine from the foods you eat, fluids you drink, or from a simple inexpensive supplement.

Lysine and one other essential amino acid called Arginine combat each other for cell absorption in your body. When Lysine is present, it helps block out the Epstein Barr Virus (HSV), by blocking out Arginine.

Consuming L-lysine makes it easier to control outbreaks of Mono, Epstein Barr, and Herpes viruses. Consuming foods high in Lysine and refraining from foods high in Arginine is also extremely helpful in combating the Virus.

Foods that have high levels of Lysine are pork, provolone cheese especially and other cheeses, milk, and eggs.

EAT A LOT OF FOODS HIGH IN LYSINE IF YOU ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO HAVING ANY KIND OF HSV OUTBREAKS.

Foods that contain high amounts of Arginine include chocolate, peanuts, almonds, seeds, cereal grains, gelatin and raisins.

STAY AWAY FROM LARGE AMOUNTS OF FOODS HIGH IN ARGININE IF YOU ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO, OR HAVE ANY KIND OF HSV OUTBREAK.

The best way to treat any HSV outbreak is to simply prevent it in the first place. You won’t have to give up the foods you love, like chocolate, raisins, and nuts altogether if you take lysine supplements daily for prevention.

Lysine supplements help by starving off the herpes virus and thereby reducing the frequency and the severity of HSV outbreaks.

If you suffer from Herpes Simplex, Chicken Pox, Shingles, Mono or Epstein Barr, I highly recommend taking Lysine.

Dosage Recommendations for L-Lysine

Epstein Barr/Mono – Although there is no medical proof that taking Lysine will help you overcome Mononucleosis and Epstein Barr Virus, it won't hurt you to try it.

If Lysine helps other forms of HSV, then surely it might just help EBV. Take up to 5,000 mg. daily upon onset or more if you suffer from Epstein Barr! You simply can’t over dose on lysine. It's inexpensive treatment for the Epstein Barr virus.

Another possible remedy for EB is Olive Leaf Exract. Health benefits of Olive Leaf Exract include treatment of: