Since I am working with biestmilch and endurance sport I am just amazed how often I am confronted with the diagnosis of a chronic virus infection, first of all with Epstein Barr virus. Virus infections, especially if they take a chronic course, are a typical sign of overreaching. A virus is a small particle that needs a host for replication, because they don’t have their own protein synthesis apparatus. They are ubiquitous creatures, that means they are everywhere, outside and inside our body.
Electron microscopic image of two Epstein Barr Virus virions (viral particles) loosely surrounded by the membrane envelope
Viruses like the Epstein Barr virus (EBV) interact very closely with our immune system, and with our body as a whole, how is not yet too well understood, and science lacks detailed knowledge. But one thing seems clear, the condition of our immune system determines the outcome of the infection, whether it will be acute, subacute or chronic.
An organism under stress, be it physical or mental, or both tends to be immunosuppressed which means immunity is impaired. Endurance sport and strenuous training in many cases is the reason for an impaired immunity. This is a condition that gives room to viruses to spread and may be contained under normal conditions.Acute symptoms of an EBV infection are fever, flu-like symptoms, swollen liver, spleen, and / or lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly) reflecting an overstimulated immune response and immune system. Under normal conditions this is a self-limiting process. If this is not the case, then a chronic disease may emerge with unspecific symptoms like tiredness, mood alterations, loss of appetite, sleep disturbances, slightly elevated body temperature etc. Also these symptoms are partly due to an imbalanced immune system. The chronic disease is mainly a low-grade systemic inflammatory process that stresses the body over several months. The chronic disease can also be a reactivation of the EBV during severe stress.
The EB virus is DNA virus and belongs to the human herpes group. Known as kissing disease EBV infections are endemic, and most of us go through the infection and develop immunity. But there is no absolute immunity (a state of balance between the virus and the body) which means that a drop in immunity can induce a reactivation of an EBV infection. B lymphocytes are the main target of the virus. Leukocyte and lymphocyte counts indicate a virus infection in general. Measuring antibody (immunoglobuline) profiles gives us the diagnosis, and are typical for the acute and chronic form. The immunoglobulines/antibodies (IgM, IgG) profiles over time mirror a in parts futile immune response and give us information about the course of the disease.
The virus remains in the body for our whole life. It can be reactivated under conditions of extreme stress. Athletes who suffer from a chronic EBV infection can be sure that something in their training went wrong or that the race calender is not well suited to their mental and physical capacities. If you once came down with EBV infection, you don’t have many choices. Rest, sleep a lot, eat well, train accordingly and booster your immune system. That can be achieved with biestmilch. But nevertheless, whatever you do, recovery takes time, to be realistic you have to calculate between 3 to 6 months until full recovery is achieved. Patience is essential, if you start training too early, drawbacks are inevitable.