In previous posts I’ve talked about how the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infects the immune cells, how it promotes autoimmune dysfunction and how to test for EBV. Now we’ll start getting into the specifics of how to modulate your immune system.
EBV is very smart and can “hijack” our immune cells in order to promote infection and viral replication. One immune regulator called nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) can be used by EBV in this way. EBV can use NF-kB to help it take over the B cells and start using them for viral replication. NF-kB is involved in many cellular functions and is pro-inflammatory if its levels are too high. If levels are just right, It can help defend against the virus.
One way you can do this is through diet and nutrition. Here are some nutrients that can inhibit NF-kB:
Vitamins/Minerals
Vitamins A, C, D
Selenium
Zinc
Botanicals/Food
Curcumin (turmeric)
Boswellia
Cat’s claw
Garlic
Ginger
Green tea
Licorice
Milk thistle
Rosemary
Peppers - capsaicin
Pomegranate
Grape seed
Others
Lipoic acid
Propolis
CoQ10
DHA/EPA (omega-3s)
GLA (gamma linolenic acid)
Glutamine
Glycine
Glutathione
N--acetyl cysteine (NAC)
Pycnogenol
Resveratrol
Probiotics and Lactoferrin
There are other general things you can do to support the immune system in a broader sense. These aren’t EBV specific but can be applied to EBV because they are general immune support which in turn can be antiviral support.
Probiotics
Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria in our gut that do so much for us including regulating our immune system. There are many different strains but you’re probably most familiar with Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Taking daily probiotics containing a variety of these strains may be helpful in increasing antiviral defenses. Good dietary sources of these are fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, kimchi, kombucha, and miso.
A few benefits of our intestinal microbiome:
Makes food for the intestinal cells - Beneficial bacteria ferment fiber from the diet into short chain fatty acids that provide nutrition for the intestinal cells. These fatty acids are involved in regulating the immune cells.
Keeps the immune system under control - Helpful bacteria assist in training our immune cells and in controlling our immune T-cells that regulate inflammation levels. The microbiome also helps to reduce circulation of older immune cells that tend to cause damage and inflammation.
Defends against harmful pathogens - Beneficial bacteria do this by crowding out harmful microbes and making antimicrobial compounds. They also help to maintain the protective gut barrier so pathogens can't get through and into our bloodstream.
Lactoferrin
This is a protein found in breast milk, specifically colostrum, that is produced in the first 3-4 days after the baby is born. It’s a way for the mother to transfer immune protection to the baby. It’s also found in the fluid of our eyes, nose, respiratory tract and intestines.
Lactoferrin can protect the B cells against EBV infection, which is important because B cells are vulnerable to becoming factories for EBV viral replication. One way that it does this is by blocking EBV from binding to the B cell because it binds to the receptor instead.
One thing to note is that lactoferrin is produced from a component of dairy products called whey. If you’re allergic to dairy or have a dairy sensitivity you might want to be cautious about trying lactoferrin or avoid it altogether.
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-Dr. Jamie
Resources
Kines, K. (2018). The Epstein-Barr virus solution: The hidden undiagnosed epidemic of chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and autoimmune disease - how to heal and regain your life. Holistic Nutrition Press
This website is not intended for the purpose of providing medical advice. All information, content, and material of this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.
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