CANDIDIASIS

Candidiasis has been around for thousands of years, but it’s only since the advent of antibiotics that it has become a virtual epidemic. Antibiotics are a factor in the development of candidiasis because they kill off the friendly bacteria in our systems that keep the common yeast, Candida albicans, under control. When the Candida yeast overgrows its bounds, it causes a variety of symptoms that can range from general fatigue, gas, bloating, diarrhea, and frequent vaginal infections in women.

Candidiasis is difficult to diagnose. Many doctors don’t acknowledge it as a systemic problem; they treat the variety of symptoms connected with it-like thrush and vaginal infections-and ignore the basic cause of what can be far more subtle and troublesome symptoms including depression, allergies, and inability to concentrate. An article in the New England Journal of Medicine reported, in effect, that there’s no such thing as candidiasis. But physicians’ responses to the article, criticizing its poor design and methodology, in addition to the countless cases of the syndrome I have seen, eliminated any doubts I might have had about the existence of this disease.

Mary is a thirty-two-year-old woman, an environmental engineer, who is a typical candidiasis patient. She came to me with a whole roster of complaints including general fatigue, inability to concentrate, digestive problems such as bloating, gas, and cramps, and recurring vaginal infections. Mary had no notion that these problems were connected. She had been to a number of doctors who had treated each problem individually, sometimes successfully at least for a time. But all the symptoms eventually returned. Mary was beginning to think that something was wrong with her entire system, and, in fact, she was right.

How can a simple yeast cause so many problems? In fact, the Candida albicans yeast is present in varying amounts in all of us, living in our gastrointestinal tract. The problem is created when the yeast begins to grow beyond its normal bounds, which often happens because of antibiotic use. It’s also connected with the use of oral contraceptives, corticosteroids, drugs used for ulcers including Tagamet or Zantac, or even too much sugar in the diet. A woman who is on birth control pills, has had a few courses of antibiotics, and who eats too much sugar is the typical victim. Women with diabetes are more likely to develop candidiasis because the environment of their vagina is conducive to the overgrowth of the Candida yeast. But men can suffer from candidiasis, too, especially if they have a wife or girlfriend who has recurrent yeast problems.

Candidiasis has such a wide range of symptoms because it affects so many systems of the body-including the endocrine, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, nervous, and immune systems. The major clues I notice among my patients are:

• A white coating on the tongue
• Recurring vaginal yeast infections
• Digestive problems, particularly gas and bloating
• allergic rashes

A complete listing of the symptoms of candidiasis may include general symptoms such as: constant fatigue and loss of interest in sex, thrush (Candida overgrowth of the mouth), canker sores, sore throat and constant cough, constipation, intestinal cramps, bloating and gas, rectal itch, recurring vaginal yeast infections and bladder infections, general menstrual problems, depression and inability to concentrate, allergies, and low immune function.

One of the troubling aspects of candidiasis is that it can begin a vicious circle of poor health: Someone with a poorly functioning immune system can be vulnerable to Candida infections. In turn, the Candida infections increase the likelihood of a poorly functioning immune system. In addition, someone whose immune system isn’t up to par is more likely to get a bacterial infection that would require treatment with antibiotics, which of course adds fuel to the fire by encouraging the overgrowth of Candida albicans.

Unfortunately, at this time, there is no simple test for candidiasis. There is a blood test for Candida antibodies, but if a woman has had recurrent vaginal yeast infections, the test will inevitably be positive; it is not a conclusive test for the syndrome. How do you know if your health problems are caused by candidiasis? I find that the cure is the identifying factor. That is, if you have a number of the symptoms; if you have been on medications that could affect yeast growth including cortisone, hormones (including birth control pills), or antibiotics; if you’ve tried other methods to deal with your symptoms without success, then it is worth the trouble to attempt the cure outlined here including a yeast-free diet and acidophilus supplements. If after two to four weeks on this regime, your symptoms improve, then you do have (or had!) Candida. The relief can be quite dramatic. If you see no change in your symptoms, then Candida is not your problem.

When Mary came to see me she was not on antibiotics, but many patients are or they’ve just finished a course of antibiotics. If you suspect that you are suffering from candidiasis, you should try to eliminate the use of antibiotics and birth control pills. (You can resume taking birth control pills once your candidiasis is under control, but if it flares up again, I recommend you permanently stop the pill.) Mary was on birth control pills and had been for five years, but she agreed to use an alternative method of birth control while she cleared up the candidiasis.

The most important step to take to fight candidiasis is to modify your diet. I put my patients on a yeast-free, sugar-free diet for thirty days. Foods containing yeast that should be avoided include breads, baked goods, cheese, mushrooms, vinegar, soy sauce, fermented foods such as olives and pickles, and alcohol. I advise patients to avoid milk and milk products because of their high levels of milk sugar as well as the traces of antibiotics that they contain. Sugar should also be eliminated from the diet, as the yeast grows freely in a high-sugar environment. This means no candy, cake, cookies, ice cream, soda, diet soda, dried fruit, honey, chocolate, and sweeteners such as malt, barley, fructose, or fruit juice. If their symptoms diminish, I know that we’re on the right track. If you have no relief after a yeast-free diet, you might investigate Food Allergy, or Hypoglycemia.

Mary went on the yeast- and sugar-free diet and told me that after four days she felt an enormous improvement. She no longer had regular digestive upsets, and her general vague feelings of fatigue were disappearing, too. In fact, she said that she had become so accustomed to feeling tired and worn out that she couldn’t really remember feeling any different, until her treatment began to take effect.

There are additional steps Mary took to fight candidiasis, and because of the pervasive nature of the problem I advise all patients to make every modification they can to eliminate the problem, at least for a two-week period.

Garlic is known to be an effective anti-fungal agent, and you should add it to your diet either in its natural form or in the form of capsules that are available at health food stores.

Lactobacillus acidophilus, the live culture found in yogurt, is also beneficial in maintaining the healthy bacteria that fight Candidiasis. You should add yogurt to your diet (be sure that the label says it contains live active cultures) or buy acidophilus supplements at a health food store.

I should mention that there is a naturally occurring fatty acid called caprylic acid that is helpful in fighting candidiasis. It is available under various names in health food stores. Potency varies; the labels will give the correct dosage.

NATURAL TREATMENTS FOR CANDIDIASIS

• If possible, after consultation with your doctor, eliminate antibiotics, birth control pills, corticosterolds, and ulcer drags.
• Begin a yeast- and sugar-free diet and follow it strictly for at least thirty days. If your symptoms diminish, you know that you have been suffering from candidiasis. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you’ll have to follow the yeast-free diet for three to twelve months. Eliminate the following foods: bread, baked goods, cheese, mushrooms, vinegar, soy sauce, fermented foods, alcohol. Also eliminate sugar including all sweets: cookies, candy, ice cream, soda, diet soda, dried fruit, chocolate, and sweeteners including fructose, malt, barley, and fruit juice.

IN ADDITION TO YOUR DALLY SUPPLEMENTS, TAKE:

• Lactobacillus acidophilus: in natural form, in yogurt (make sure the yogurt contains live cultures, as indicated on the label), and in capsule form available in health food stores, Take one capsule three times daily.
• Garlic: in its natural form or in capsule form available from health food stores.
• Capryfic acid: follow the directions on the container as to dosage.

In addition: There is a prescription drug called Nystatin that can be of help to confirmed cases of candidiasis. If you try the yeast-free diet and your symptoms are alleviated but do not completely clear, then you might have had candidiasis for so long that you will require additional treatment in the form of prescription drugs. You should discuss Nysatin with your doctor.