Coconut Oil for Mono: Natural Relief & Symptom Management

| Modified on Jul 31, 2024
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Coconut Oil for Mono.

Mononucleosis, or mono, also known as the "kissing disease," is a common infection causing fatigue, fever, and sore throat. While there's no direct cure, symptom management and immune support are crucial. Coconut oil, recognized for its benefits, has been shared by users on Earth Clinic for over two decades as a helpful remedy for mono symptoms. This article explores how coconut oil can aid in treating mono.

The Antiviral and Anti-Inflammatory Benefits of Coconut Oil

Coconut oil, extracted from mature coconut kernels, is renowned for its health benefits, such as boosting immunity, promoting heart health, and enhancing skin and hair health. Its potential effectiveness in relieving mono symptoms is primarily due to its antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties.

The antiviral properties of coconut oil are particularly significant. It contains fatty acids like lauric acid and capric acid, which the body converts into monolaurin and monocaprin. These substances are effective against viruses like EBV, the main cause of mono.

Additionally, coconut oil's anti-inflammatory benefits can help reduce symptoms like sore throat and swollen lymph nodes. The oil's soothing properties are particularly helpful in alleviating throat pain, a common discomfort associated with mono.

How to Use Coconut Oil for Mono

To maximize the benefits of coconut oil for mono, it is important to select virgin or cold-pressed coconut oil, which retains the highest nutrient levels. Here are some methods to incorporate coconut oil into your mono treatment plan:

  • Ingesting Coconut Oil: Take 1-3 teaspoons of coconut oil three times daily for viral infections. Start with a small amount, such as one teaspoon, to ensure it suits your system, especially if you're not accustomed to consuming coconut oil.
  • Topical Application: The soothing properties of coconut oil can also be used to relieve a sore throat. Apply a small amount of coconut oil to the neck area and gently massage to alleviate discomfort associated with swollen lymph nodes.

Precautions and Considerations

While coconut oil can be beneficial for those with mono, it is important to be aware of potential side effects, including stomach upset, diarrhea, or gallbladder pain.

Conclusion

In managing mononucleosis, or mono, which has no specific cure, alleviating symptoms and supporting the immune system are crucial. Coconut oil, with its antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and soothing properties, is a valuable addition to a holistic approach to treating mono.

We encourage you to read on to learn more about how our readers have successfully used coconut oil in their battle against the mono virus. Your experiences and feedback are invaluable to us, so please share if coconut oil has been part of your mono treatment journey!

Related Links:

Natural Remedies for Mono: Effective Treatments


41 User Reviews

5 star (36) 
  88%
4 star (3) 
  7%
1 star (2) 
  5%

Posted by Rob stanley (Willow springs) on 06/26/2023
★★★★★

I wrote a review over 20 years ago----my niece came down with mono----my brother called me and asked what to use...I told him to get 1000mg extra virgin coconut oil capsules...3 a day----it was cured in 3 days...it's easier to take the capsules than tablespoons of coconut oil....


Coconut Oil
Posted by William (Michigan) on 12/06/2022
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I saw the coconut oil recommended for mono which is a virus it said to take two tablespoons every 8 hours for 4 days. 35 people were cured on the Earth Clinic. I was the 36th. I was absolutely fine after 4 days of two tablespoons of coconut oil every 8 hours I ate it you can put it inside of a smoothie coffee ice cream put it on your salad whatever you want to do I just ate it straight and I was absolutely fine after ingesting two tablespoons. I read about Dr. E G N I N for Malaysia who studies coconut oil and she says the coconut oil gets in the body and the virus uses the body parts to build a lipid wall sack. The coconut oil when it's ingested, is in the body makeup, and therefore the coconut oil is in the Matrix of the lipid wall sack, but it rinses out easily and forms a hole in the lipid ball sack, and therefore the virus dies praise the Lord he anoints my head with oil my cup runs over.

We took it straight to the first person we knew that had Corona and in a day and a half, he was fine. Called back and said thank you very much I feel great. They have taken this off the internet everywhere maybe they won't take it off here at Earth Clinic.

Replied by Caroline
(IL)
01/17/2023

Hi, I was wondering if there was any symptoms left over after the 4 days? Like swollen lymph nodes?


Coconut Oil
Posted by Logan (Columbus, Ohio) on 09/22/2022
★★★★★

For mono,

I have mixed approximately 2 tsp of coconut oil that I freshly bought from walmart into an almond milk (vanilla flavored) mix of hot chocolate and mixed thoroughly (I heated the almond milk and hot chocolate and then I added coconut oil and reheated until there was an oily bubble on top) and then after mixing there was hundreds of tiny oil bubbles at the top. It was an amazing cup of hot coco and as I was drinking it immediately was slowly but surely taking the unbearable (and I mean UNBEARABLE) pain of both tonsils away. About an hour prior to this, I took 2 extra strength tylenol and was eating plenty of blueberries and some few raspberries (also freshly bought from the store). I am going to continue to do this night and day (right now is 9/23/22 @ 12:04 AM) until I get better. By the way the hot chocolate powder wasn't all in because before I heated up the almond milk with the powder it was clumpy at the top so I scraped off pretty big chunks of powder before heating and mixing. It was an amazing cup of hot chocolate.


Coconut Oil
Posted by leigh (WA) on 02/08/2022
★★★★☆

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

I tried this for my 17 yr old daughter who had battled with full blown Mono already for a week. She had a severely constricted throat and white patches for a week. We had seen her primary care physician twice at the start and been to the ER twice and Urgent care once.

I would urge you to go SLOW and ask more about which coconut oil etc. Start with a half teaspoon.

We went full throttle 2 tablespoons and I tried one teaspoon myself just to taste it. What occurred was we both ended up having allergic reactions. We tried Organic Virgin unrefined Coconut Oil, as it didn't state what to try in the actual article Extra virgin - virgin refined -unrefined.

Now we both have an allergy to anything with coconut oil in it, including lip gloss etc. which we NEVER had before!

What I will say it did for her after just the one dose was it took her egg shaped glands in her neck from being huge to nothing in literally 2 hours. Which decreased the ear pain from the swelling of those glands. That was amazing!

Again she nor I had any coconut allergy prior to this in fact we had natural coconut popsicles in our freezer we buy regularly and eat. I eat a meal when we go out for Thai food about once a month that is literally served in a coconut with the chunks of coconut cooked into the curry meal. We also both drank coconut water on occasion and had the coconut milk in coffee on occasion.

Advice: Have Children's liquid Benadryl on hand, (for my 110 lb 17 yr old I gave her 15 ML because she couldn't take any pills due to her already swollen throat) to diffuse any reaction your teen/child may have, and definitely take this SLOW!

My daughter's and my esophagus felt like it burned and our mouth's itched it took a half hour to feel this. I felt terrible and scared for her, had she not been on a little Prednisone already and some liquid Benedryl in a Lidocaine/Benedryl/Mylanta 1:1:1 gargle we were using per an ER doctor her throat could have closed.

Replied by learningallthetime
(Colorado)
12/17/2022

Wish I have known about the coconut oil when docs were shooting me up with penicillin for swollen lymph glands. Advice to start slow is a good one, as detoxing was likely what made you both itch etc. When yeast and such in body starts dying as coconut oil is anti-fungal, there can be a reaction. Slow and steady is the best for many of us.


Coconut Oil
Posted by webby318 (Newport Beach, CA) on 03/27/2021
★★★★★

Coconut Oil Cure for Mono

Gave my daughter a large tablespoon full of coconut oil. She took a nap and woke up looking markedly better. What an amazing different just one dose made. Try it. We are doing 2 large tablespoons full per day.. straight from spoon. Also gargling with baking soda, cayenne, and salt. still has sore throat but so much progress from one dose. Highly recommend.


Coconut Oil
Posted by Scott (Hastings, Nebraska) on 11/18/2016 2 posts
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Well, I am finally going to take a few minutes to talk about my 18 year old son and his experience with mono and coconut oil. He complained of a sore throat for a week or so and we took him to the Dr. a few days later. He looked at his throat and thought it was allergy related and gave him some steroid nasal spray. It was track season and he competed that Friday and felt so so. By Sunday morning his throat hurt so bad he could barely swallow. The Dr. on call assumed it was strep and prescribed an anti-biotic. Two days later and no better. After three days they agreed to see him again. The Dr. looked at his throat again and said, "Wow, that's not the same throat I saw a week ago." He did a mono test and it came back positive. He had been running a low to moderate fever for several days as well. At that point he only had a few weeks of school and track left. District track was only three weeks away. I'm not sure who was more disappointed, him or me. :( Well, we left the Dr. office figuring his senior track season was over and doubted he would be able to give his graduation speech in two weeks.

Later that afternoon I went online and typed in "mono cures" not really expecting to find anything besides people trying to sell you something. That is when I found this site!!!!!!!! I read about people using coconut oil and vitamin C to cure mono in a few days. I thought, sure whatever but had nothing to lose. I went to our local grocery store and found some cold pressed coconut oil and took it home. When I got home he was lying on the couch spitting into an ice cream bucket because it hurt so bad to swallow. His throat was coated with nasty white stuff and his glands were huge. I was telling him about the coconut oil and he said he would try anything.

My wife mixed up a heaping tablespoon in some hot chocolate and he drank it and went to bed. I went to work the next day and got home around 5:00. He was sitting on the couch playing his guitar. I said, "Why aren't you in bed?" He said he felt much better and wasn't really that tired. At that point he had taken the CO for breakfast and lunch. Later that evening he had his fourth dose and before he went to bed my wife looked at his throat, "Oh my gosh, his throat is almost normal." His temperature was also normal. This was after taking four tablespoons of CO in a 24 hour period. He wanted to go to school the next day but I wouldn't let him. He went back on Monday and went the full day, he also did a light track work out and had a meeting after that. He continued going to school and didn't miss another day.

Now I hate to brag but this whole thing is so amazing I simply have to tell you about the rest of his track season. Two weeks later he participated in the district track meet winning the high jump, the 110 high hurdles, and the 300 intermediate hurdles. It was truly an amazing day. A week later he participated in the state track meet jumping 6'4" for a 6th place finish, Running 14.75 in the 110 meter hurdles for the third fastest time in the state and running the 2nd fastest time in the class B 300 meter hurdles. This was done by a kid laying on the couch spitting into an ice cream bucket four weeks earlier with gross stuff in his throat and huge swollen glands. I tend to be quite skeptical when I read stories like this, but I can assure you it is the absolute truth. I can't tell you how thankful I am to those of you who took the time to post on this site.

Scott E.

Replied by Pmsmom
(Nebraska)
11/19/2016

So thrilled you posted this, Scott! I tell your son's story often! (We attend the same church) And I use this website all the time now, Thanks for telling me about Earth Clinic! I am hopeful to get help here as well!

Have a Great Thanksgiving! Patti S

Replied by Scott
(Hastings, Nebraska)
11/20/2016
2 posts

Hope you get help as well! Thanks for spreading the word so others can be helped, too. We thank God for answered prayer for J.T. not suffering long before we found out about this help. We are so thankful that the end of his senior year was not stolen from him. We know other's who were affected for many months. :(


Coconut Oil
Posted by Mom Looking For A Cure! (Texas) on 08/04/2016
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

My son was diagnosed with mono this past Saturday. It was a devastating blow because he is getting ready to start his freshman year in college, joined his colleges Corp of Cadets and a member of the marching band. We had no idea how he was going to keep up, especially knowing the typical recovery time with mono. For a couple of days he complained of a sore throat, headache and being tired. By Monday, he had lost his appetite. By Tuesday, he was dehydrated (we had been forcing water down him constantly too until this day), his headache was so bad he was in tears, and he couldn't bare to swallow so eating wasn't going to happen, he lost 8 lbs and was sleeping 18+ hours a day. We took him back to the doctor and came home with 3 antibiotics. He continued to get worse through out the day. I felt so helpless and began looking up remedies online when I came across this post. After reading the reviews, I took off to the store for my own jar of virgin coconut oil.

Tuesday night, I mixed 2TBS of CO in hot sweet tea. Within 30 minutes, he said his throat felt better.

Wednesday - Breakfast- 2TBS of CO. When I came home at lunch, he was in the living room playing video games....1st time he had been awake at lunch time all week!! Said his throat was better and no headache, but he was still tired.

Lunch- 2 TBS of CO. After work, he reported he had no naps all day, throat still better and not as tired. He sat in the kitchen while his dad made dinner and stayed up late to watch TV that evening (2 more first for the week). We gave his another round of CO that night before bed too.

Thursday - he took another round of CO at breakfast.

After 10 TBS of CO (5 doses of 2TBS) he is back to his usual self!! I will continue having him take it for a few more days but I honestly cannot believe this is the same kid I was rushing to the doctor just 48 hours ago!! Thank you all for your posts and help! I am a believer in the healing benefits of Virgin Coconut Oil.

One thing I would change....do not take more than 2 doses (4TBS) a day. He did complain of stomach problems after receiving 3 doses in one day. Now, the whole family is taking CO at least once a day!

Replied by Donna
(Alabama)
08/06/2016

This is a amazing. I'm so happy for you and your son. I use CO for tooth problems, and it really works. I have avoided many dental bills. It's nice to know it also worked in your situation. Did you just mix the CO in hot tea, with nothing else?


Coconut Oil
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee, US) on 09/26/2014
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Three years ago my son, who was then 17, was very, very sick. His tonsils were swollen and had pus on them. I took him to the doctor and he tested him for mono, and the test was positive. I had been doing many, many things to try and fight whatever it was. At some point, I read here at Earth Clinic about using Coconut Oil (Extra Virgin) for mono. I started giving him 1 Tablespoon 3 times a day. In 36 hours he was much, much better. He had been on the couch or in bed for weeks and I know the turn around was the coconut oil!

So, my family recently had a bad respiratory virus. A different teenage son was mostly over the respiratory symptoms but was not getting better. He slept all the time and had no energy at all. He acted just like my other son had when he had mono. I don't quite know how mono works. Some say you can get it again. Some say you can get a flare up after being sick with something else. I really think it was mono. I started him on coconut oil. After the first dose (1 Tablespoon) he started to feel better. After 24 hours he was a lot better. In three days he was about back to normal.

My respect for coconut oil has sky rocketed. I am fascinated that it would help so much.

When I began to suspect mono, I started giving him Liposomal C, also. (He was also nebulizing hydrogen peroxide, taking Elderberry Syrup etc.)

Hopefully I will remember coconut oil more quickly when any virus hits our family. It is worth a try for sure!

~Mama to Many~

Replied by Nanowriter
(Hotspot, Texas)
09/26/2014

Mama, your kids are lucky to have you for a mom. I always enjoy your posts and learn something from them.

Replied by Samantha
(Steubenville Ohio)
02/12/2016

So you just made your son eat a tablespoon of coconut oil three times a day? I have mono and I don't want to suffer with it for long, if this truly helps I want to be sure I do it right.

Replied by Mama To Many
(Tennessee)
02/12/2016
★★★★★

Yes. I gave him 1 Tablespoon of Extra Virgin Coconut Oil on a spoon three times a day.

I have another son that seems to get mono symptoms (I think a flare up since having it the first time.) He willingly takes the Coconut Oil because he knows he always feels so much better in a day or so.

If the taste bothers you, you can try it on toast or mixed in oatmeal or something.

Let me know if it works as well for you - I am hopeful that it will!

~Mama to Many~


Coconut Oil
Posted by Mc2013 (Indiana) on 10/03/2013
★★★★★

Coconut Oil works but you must get extra virgin Coconut Oil. Take two large tablespoons a day. I am on by second bout with mono and my cure is always the same. Two tablespoons of Coconut Oil, Two teaspoons of Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 teaspoons of extra virgin Olive Oil (Which is better than Tylenol). Mono is very hard to deal with, but honestly homeopathic cures are the way to deal with it. The doctors won't do anything but send you home and tell you to rest and drink fluids. The first time I had mono I did this and got over it in 5 days. I also take 1000mg of Vitamin C every 2 to 3 hours, a multivitamin, two 900 miligrams of Omega 3 and Vitamin D3.

Don't suffer if you don't have to. Believe me as soon as I got diagnosed a second time this was my go to cure and it works.


Coconut Oil
Posted by Mountainespresso (Denver, Colorado) on 09/22/2013
★★★★★

Since 9/17/2013, I've noticed that the lymph nodes in my neck are swollen, in addition to fatigue that stays with me throughout the day. My spleen is also slightly swollen. From talking to friends and co-workers, I concluded that I have a mild case of mono - nothing I can't handle, but also not ideal for a working college student. I stumbled upon this amazing website, with the list of mono cures, last night at 9:30 PM, so I ran to my local health food store to get some extra virgin, unrefined, organic coconut oil. All I can say is wow! After 2 tablespoons and a good night's rest, followed by 2 more tablespoons this morning, the fatigue is gone. My guess is that I'll keep improving. Thank you, and if you are in my situation as well, try coconut oil! You won't regret it.


Coconut Oil
Posted by Jen (Tennessee) on 08/16/2013
★★★★★

I wanted to share a quick note to tell everyone how much coconut oil helped me after a diagnosis of mono. After 5 weeks I was still so achy and tired and was having a hard time taking care of my very busy 18 month old daughter. I looked up home remedies for mono and came across coconut oil. I went out to the store the next morning and within 36 hours I felt like myself again. It was miraculous! I am a believer!


Coconut Oil
Posted by Buyfind9 (Croton, Ny) on 08/03/2013
★★★★★

Coconut Oil for Mono

this really works. After reading this website and having a very sick kid at home with mono and strep I decided I had nothing to loose. after only one dose of the coconut oil the next morning my son woke up and said he was hungry and felt better. That was after not having any solid food for days. I know he was on other medication as well but I believe this made the difference. Day two of the coconut oil and large doses of vitamin C he is up and about and said I feel "fine". now again, he has had antibiotic and steroids but was still not turning the corner. it was not until the coconut oil and the vitamins. This stuff has helped. I hope it does the same for you all.

Replied by Jjj
(South Jordan, Ut)
11/30/2015

In addition to killing the bad bacteria, antibiotics also kill the good bacteria (in the gut), which is the body's first line of defense against sickness. Being on certain antibiotics while infected with mono can also cause a nasty looking rash on the body. It's always good to take probiotics when on an antibiotic. Probiotics can help to replace some of the good bacteria. They should not be taken at the same time as the antibiotics. I would take probiotics one hour before or two hours after the antibiotics. Antibiotics were obviously used by the doctor for the strep, but not sure why they gave a steroid. Steroids shut down the immune system, which is not good if you have an infection of any kind.

My sister had her boy on steroids (for something non-related to mono) and the doctor said not to let him be around anyone who was sick because "steroids shut down the immune system". It's no wonder your child got so sick being on antibiotics and steroids. The doctor should have known better. I'm glad the coconut oil worked so well for your child. Garlic and elderberry seem to help a lot for me, too, for any virus. I will also try coconut oil on my son who recently contracted mono. Thank you for your story.

Replied by Rebecca
(SC)
10/24/2022

Since this post is from 2013, can someone who knows advise how much vitamin C you should take in addition to the coconut oil? I am currently battling EBV, my numbers are over 600 so any advice is greatly appreciated.😊


Coconut Oil
Posted by Jmsteffler (Airdrie, Ab, Canada) on 02/18/2013
★★★★★

My 14 year old daughter had mono and I felt so bad for her; there was nothing I could give her to relieve her throat pain. As with a lot of posts on this, her throat was swollen to the point of almost not being able to breathe. She laid up at night crying from the pain... I felt awful and tried everything. The Dr finally prescribed something; I forget what, and she was told it would start taking effect in 3-4 days. That wasn't good enough for me. So I Googled "home remedies" and came upon Extra Virgin Coconut Oil. I bought a jar, and made her take 2 tbsp a day. She didn't mind the taste but very much disliked the texture. I tried it a few ways with her.

1) I gave it to her in hot chocolate, melted. This was the best way for her to take it.
2) I mixed it with cinnamon and mashed it all up and called it "cinnamon spread". I initially had her take it in little bites off the spoon, and as she got better, I spread it on toast.
3) I applied a small amount, topically on her neck at bedtime.

I did this for 3 days, each day lending a little more improvement. After the 4th day, she said her throat didn't hurt, and she was back to her bubbly-self. I made her continue to take it for 7 days, much to her refusal, but I wanted to be sure. After that was completed, I took her back to the Dr and had her re-tested. Her mono test was negative and her Dr was very surprised, as he told her she could be sick with this for up to 3 months. 2 weeks between when she tested positive for mono until she had a clean bill of health. This stuff works! Watching her cry from the pain of swallowing the smallest bit of water and thinking there is nothing you can do is a horrible feeling. I have told many people about this and continue to use it regularly. I love this stuff.

Replied by Michelle
(Cincinnati, Oh)
03/18/2013
★★★★★

To help coconut oil be more palatable to a child, spread it on top of a saltine cracker which has Nutella on it. It'll taste like an almond joy cookie!!! We sometimes make "Reese's sandwiches" with whole wheat bread, peanut butter and nutella, you could easily slip coconut oil into that too.


Coconut Oil
Posted by Autumn (Pittsburgh, Pa) on 11/12/2012
★★★★★

This past weekend I felt like death. I slept from 6:45 Friday night until 9:00 Saturday morning, got up for an hour, and felt like I hadn't slept all night. I took some of the suggestions here and went to the health food store to get Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil and a high dose of Vitamin C - 1,000 mg. I took 2 Vitamin Cs and 2 tsps. of coconut oil with 1 tsp. of honey in water yesterday afternoon and then again this morning. It is miraculous because I have really been struggling for the last 7 months with mono like symptoms on and off and have not been able to kick this. Just when I think I'm getting better after a month of feeling very sick, an infection comes back. There is no doubt that these remedies, in combination, have been tremendously helpful. I was able to make dinner tonight for the first time in a few weeks.

Replied by Timh
(Louisville, Ky, Usa)
11/13/2012
2048 posts

Autumn: There are a number of ways to boost the immunity and cure chronic infections like Mono. Stimulating the Thymus Gland is very important. I have posted a comprehensive method for strengthening the Thymus here on E.C. somewhere (sorry, don't have the link).

The Zinc/Vit-A combination would also provide long-term immune building power. The Chinese herb Astragalus is a very good immune herb (a favorite of Dr. Weil). Quality protein in the diet is critical as evidenced by vegetarian's immune deficiencies. The amino acid Lysine is good for inhibiting viral infections.


Coconut Oil
Posted by Izzysay (Houston, Tx) on 09/21/2012
★★★★★

I tried Coconut oil mixed with ACV with a warm cup of water, and I felt a lot better. (It was really gross though) I was sick for a week with mono and the first days are just dreadful! I have to say home remedies are the only way to end it fast along with plenty of rest. I took a week off of work and school and now feeling almost 100% I drank warm home squeezed orange juice 1-2 times a day. My doctor had prescribed me a magic mouth wash as well and that numb my throat which helped with the swollen. Thanks everyone for sharing their remedies, really does help!!



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